The 1985 Donruss baseball card set was unique in several ways. It marked Donruss’ return to the baseball card market after a two year absence and included some innovations in design and production. The set totals 792 cards and highlights players and key moments from the 1984 baseball season.
Donruss had been a force in the baseball card industry during the 1970s and early 80s, competing with Topps for licensing rights and market share. In 1983 and 1984 they did not produce any baseball cards. This left the market wide open for Topps to dominate those two years without any competition. Fans had come to expect an annual Donruss set and were excited for the brand’s return in 1985.
When designing the 1985 set, Donruss wanted to stand out from Topps and bring something new to the collecting experience. For the first time, they implemented foil stamping and embossing on certain cards. Superstar players like Ryne Sandberg, Wade Boggs, and Don Mattingly received foil stamped treatment on their name and position on the front of the card. Managers and some rookie cards also featured foil details. This added a premium look and feel that collectors hadn’t seen before from a mass produced baseball card company.
In addition to foil innovations, Donruss introduced “minicards” with the 1985 set. These were smaller 2 1/8″ x 3 1/8″ version of regular cards that showed statistics or team highlights on the back instead of a blank white space. They weren’t true “mini” cards like those produced by Fleer and Score years later, but they added variety and interest versus the usual standard size design. Minicards covered topics like league leaders, playoff results, and team seasons.
Donruss also paid tribute to recently retired baseball greats with special “Legend” cards in the 1985 set. Players no longer active like Hank Aaron, Reggie Jackson, and Johnny Bench received regal bordered portrait cards honoring their Hall of Fame careers. The innovative designs and varied size/styled cards helped shake things up in the now two-company baseball card market.
Production wise, the 1985 Donruss set utilized a new photo updating process. Previous Donruss issues showed aging photos of players from earlier in their careers. For 1985, they implemented a technique where new photos were taken each year and then emulsion-coated directly onto the card surface. This gave a much sharper, clearer depiction of what each player currently looked like versus an outdated snapshot. It was a marked improvement in photo quality over prior Donruss issues.
Card collecting was booming in the mid-1980s. Both Topps and the return of Donruss meant twice as many packs to find at stores. The 1985 Donruss set had a larger checklist than recent years at 792 total cards. This was a significant increase of about 200 cards from the 1984 Topps set. There were also special “Factory Set” editions inserted complete with wax paper wrapper replicas for those looking for a pre-assembled collection.
Rookies featured included future stars Like Dwight Gooden, Frank Viola, Will Clark, and Barry Larkin. The 1984 playoff and World Series were highlighted through minicards recapping the Detroit Tigers championship over San Diego. Stat leaders, season recaps, and team checklists filled out the non-player portion of the set. Manager cards even rated each skipper on a hitting, pitching, and fielding scale like a baseball video game.
When issued in 1985, the innovative designs and return of the Donruss brand made the set very popular among collectors. In today’s market, complete 1985 Donruss sets in high grade still command premium prices due to their historical significance and technical firsts. Hall of Famers like Wade Boggs, Gary Carter, and Ryne Sandberg can be found throughout the checklist. Decades later, it remains one of the most revered vintage issues in the entire baseball card catalog.
The 1985 Donruss baseball card set broke new ground with its foil techniques, varied mini card design, and improved photography. It marked a triumphant comeback for the brand and reestablished them as serious competitors to Topps. Collectors welcomed back the innovative Donruss style which helped propel 1980s card culture to new heights. The revival set has since taken its place among the most important issues in the hobby’s history.
