The 1988 Topps chewing gum baseball cards were released in late 1987 and early 1988 as the 56th annual set from Topps. Some key things to know about the 1988 Topps baseball card release:
Set Details:
The 1988 set included 792 total cards. This included photos of 762 major and minor league players as well as 30 manager/coach cards.
The design featured a photo of the player centered on the card with their name and team name below. The Topps logo was in the bottom left corner.
The backs of the cards included career stats, a brief bio of the player as well as ads for Topps baseball card collector accessories.
As with most Topps releases at the time, the cards came wrapped in traditional pink wax paper packs which also contained 3 sticks of Topps Chewing Gum.
Rookies and Rookie Cards:
Notable rookie cards included Mark McGwire, Barry Larkin, David Cone, Randy Johnson, and Gregg Olson.
McGwire’s rookie card in particular has become one of the most valuable modern rookie cards due to his career home run accomplishments. PSA 10 graded versions regularly sell for over $10,000.
Larkin went on to have a Hall of Fame career primarily with the Cincinnati Reds and is considered one of the best shortstops of all time. His rookie card also remains quite valuable in high grades.
Chase Cards and Inserts:
The 1988 set included several “chase cards” that were inserted at lower odds to entice collectors to buy more packs. This included World Series Highlights cards and All-Star Rookies cards.
An error card featuring Ozzie Smith with the nickname “Ozzie the Wizard” instead of his actual nickname “The Wizard” is one of the most sought after errors. Only a handful are known to exist.
Design and Production Notes:
The design was similar to previous 1980s Topps releases with the centered player photo and simple team name/player name layout.
The gum was a pink slab with “Bazooka” printed on the wrapper. The cards were sealed inside pink wax paper packs.
Production runs were high with the 1988 set having one of the largest print runs of any Topps baseball card set ever.
Secondary Market and Notable Cards:
In the years since production, the 1988 Topps set has become a popular vintage release for collectors.
While most common cards can be acquired for under $1, the rookie cards and more scarce inserts command higher prices. PSA/BGS graded rookie cards bring the most value.
Other notable high value cards include the error Ozzie Smith (#138), Nolan Ryan (#431) which has one of the best action photos of his career, and Rickey Henderson (#692) which features one of the more iconic photos of the speedy outfielder.
The 1988 Topps baseball card set remains a highly collectible release from the vintage era. While production numbers were high, the rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like McGwire, Larkin and Randy Johnson ensure the set maintains interest from collectors. When found in high grades, these rookie cards in particular can gain substantial value. Along with its plentiful chasing cards and error issues, the 1988 Topps set continues to attract collectors decades after its original release.
