The 1986 baseball season was one of the most memorable in MLB history. The Boston Red Sox broke an infamous curse after winning the World Series for the first time since 1918. Roger Clemens cemented his status as one of the game’s all-time great pitchers. And a young slugger named Mark McGwire started making a name for himself with the Oakland A’s.
Not surprisingly, the 1986 baseball card set captured many of the season’s iconic moments and featured several stars who would go on to have Hall of Fame careers. While no single card stands out as the most valuable from the set today, there are certainly some that any collector would love to have in their collection. Here’s a look at some of the best 1986 baseball cards to keep an eye out for:
Roger Clemens, Boston Red Sox
Arguably the most dominant pitcher of the 1980s, Clemens’ 1986 Topps card captured him at the peak of his abilities with the Red Sox. That season, he went 24-4 with a 2.48 ERA and 238 strikeouts to win the American League Cy Young and MVP awards. His intimidating delivery and blazing fastball made him a nightmare for hitters. Clemens’ card isn’t the most expensive from 1986, but it’s one of the most iconic from the set as it pictures one of the game’s all-time great hurlers at the top of his game.
Wade Boggs, Boston Red Sox
As the Red Sox broke their long championship drought in 1986, Boggs was their rock at third base and in the middle of the lineup. His 1986 Topps card shows him in the midst of another stellar season where he hit .357, the third-highest batting average of his career. Boggs was the definition of consistency and would go on to be the last player to hit over .350 in a season. His card is a must-have for any Red Sox or baseball history collector.
Kirby Puckett, Minnesota Twins
Puckett burst onto the scene in 1984 and established himself as a budding star by 1986. His rookie season was highlighted by a game-winning home run in Game 6 of the World Series, helping the Twins defeat the St. Louis Cardinals. Puckett’s 1986 Topps card perfectly captures his enthusiasm for the game with his big smile. He would go on to a Hall of Fame career and cement his status as a Twins legend, making this one of the best cards to own from the set.
Mark McGwire, Oakland Athletics
Big Mac started making his presence felt in 1986 by belting 33 home runs for the powerful A’s. His rookie season card from Topps shows why scouts were so excited about his prodigious power. McGwire went on to smash 370 career homers before the PED era, but this card captures him at the dawn of what looked to be a surefire Hall of Fame trajectory. While tainted by steroids, McGwire’s 1986 issue remains a highly coveted card.
Barry Bonds, Pittsburgh Pirates
The 1986 season was Bonds’ first full year in the big leagues and he started to display the skills that would later make him a perennial MVP candidate. His sweet left-handed swing is on full display in his rookie card from Topps. Bonds hit .265 with 17 home runs and 47 RBI that season, hinting at what was to come before steroids and acrimony overshadowed his career. This is one of the best rookie cards from the 1986 set.
Tom Glavine, Atlanta Braves
Glavine’s rookie card from 1986 perfectly captures his poise and control on the mound. The future Hall of Famer went 6-0 with a 2.67 ERA in 11 starts after making his MLB debut that season. Glavine emerged as the Braves’ ace throughout the 1990s and one of the best left-handed pitchers of his generation. His rookie issue from Topps is one of the more affordable cards from the iconic ’86 set.
Cal Ripken Jr., Baltimore Orioles
Ripken was already well on his way to cementing himself as the Iron Man of baseball in 1986. His second year Topps card shows him making another routine play at shortstop that he would log year after year. Ripken went on to break Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played record and win two MVP awards. His consistent excellence makes this one of the best cards from the ’86 set for any Orioles or baseball history collector.
Dwight Gooden, New York Mets
Gooden followed up his Rookie of the Year season in 1984 by winning 17 games and the National League Cy Young award in 1986 at just 21 years old. Nicknamed “Doc,” Gooden was simply dominating that season with a 1.53 ERA and 268 strikeouts. His intensity on the mound is captured perfectly in this iconic card. While injuries derailed his career, “Dr. K’s” 1986 issue remains one of the most sought-after from the set.
Ozzie Smith, St. Louis Cardinals
As one of the greatest defensive shortstops ever, Smith made the highlight-reel play seem routine. His 1986 card fittingly shows him fielding a ground ball. Smith hit .265 that season and continued establishing himself as a perennial Gold Glove winner and fan favorite in St. Louis. “The Wizard’s” smooth defense and trademark backflips made him a fan favorite, cementing this as one of the best cards from the ’86 set.
Don Mattingly, New York Yankees
Mattingly’s sweet left-handed swing carried the Yankees for much of the 1980s. In 1986, he hit a career-high .352 with 35 home runs and 113 RBI to win the AL MVP award. His iconic Topps card from that season is among the most visually striking from the entire set. Mattingly’s Hall of Fame career was sadly cut short by injury, making his ’86 issue one of the most coveted for any Yankees collector.
While stars like Bo Jackson and Barry Larkin had excellent rookie seasons in 1986 as well, the cards above truly captured some of the biggest names and performances from one of the most memorable seasons in baseball history. From dominant pitchers like Clemens, Gooden and Glavine to offensive standouts like Boggs, Mattingly and McGwire, the 1986 Topps set has it all. Any serious collector would love to have some of these cards in their collection.
