The 1986 Donruss baseball card set included some of the most valuable rookie cards ever produced. This was one of the most iconic baseball card years that launched some true superstars to stardom. While the set overall may not be as coveted as some earlier Donruss issues, it contained several gems that have increased tremendously in value over the past 35+ years. For collectors looking to invest in vintage cards, here are some of the most noteworthy players featured as rookies in the 1986 Donruss set that could yield strong returns.
Perhaps the most iconic and valuable card from the 1986 Donruss set is the rookie card of New York Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden. Known simply as “Doc”, Gooden exploded onto the MLB scene in 1985 by winning both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards. His rookie campaign was one of the greatest ever by a freshman pitcher. Fueling enormous hype, his rookie card from Donruss is now considered the jewelll of any collection. In pristine mint condition, a Gooden rookie now regularly fetches tens of thousands of dollars. Even well-worn copies still sell for several grand. No serious vintage collection is complete without this legendary piece of cardboard.
Another ’86 Donruss gem is Oakland A’s slugger Mark McGwire’s rookie card. Known for breaking home run records in the late 1990s with St. Louis, “Big Mac” actually started his career in Oakland the year prior. While his stats were not jaw-dropping in his debut 1985 season, collectors recognize McGwire as one of the true icons of the steroid era. High-grade versions are worth thousands today and only expected to increase over time as McGwire’s home run chase with Sammy Sosa lives in infamy. Even heavily played copies still sell briskly due to name recognition.
Cleveland Indians pitcher Greg Swindell also made his MLB debut in 1985 and was featured prominently in the ’86 Donruss set as a top rookie pitcher. While not achieving the fame of Gooden, Swindell went on to carve out a very solid 14-year career mainly with Cleveland. His cards jumped in value in the mid-2010s as the vintage market boomed. Near-mint copies can sell for over $1000 now. Clearly, Swindell deserved the “Topps Traded” special rookie card variation he received in 1986 Donruss, a parallel edition that is itself valued around $500-1000 depending on condition.
Another burgeoning star rookie card from the 1986 Donruss set is Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken, Jr. While Ripken didn’t explode as a starter until 1987, collectors recognized his 5 tool talents from the get go. He’d go on to break Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played record and win two AL MVPs. High-grade ’86 Ripken rookies are worth $500-1000 now and should only rise over the long haul. Even played copies still sell for $100-200 due to Ripken’s iconic status in baseball history.
Staying with future Hall of Famers, the 1986 Donruss set features rookie cards of Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt and St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Keith Hernandez. Both were established players already by 1986 but still qualify as rookies in the set due to some rules technicalities. While Hernandez and Schmidt cards hold value mainly for their HOF pedigrees rather than rookie status now, pristine copies can still hit for $200-400 each.
Beyond the headliners, there are several other key rookies from the 1986 Donruss issue that have shown steady increases over the decades. Chicago White Sox pitcher Bobby Thigpen’s prospect card jumped remarkably after he broke the single-season saves record in 1990. New York Mets outfielder Lenny Dykstra, aka “Nails”, was favored by collectors before his 1993 All-Star campaign. Cleveland Indians third baseman Brook Jacoby and Houston Astros outfielder Billy Hatcher had hot prospects that never quite panned out longterm but still carry $50-150 valuations today.
Of course, no discussion of the 1986 Donruss set would be complete without mention of the massive demand for rookie cards of Chicago Cubs slugger Andre Dawson, who won the 1987 NL MVP in his first season with Chicago. Dawson’s prospect card and regular rookie sell briskly for $100-250 today despite tepid stats as a Montreal Expo in 1985, a testament to how beloved “The Hawk” became on the North Side.
While the overall 1986 Donruss set may pale in comparison to the true glory years of the 1970s, it contains the rookie gems that started some absolute legends of the past 35 years down the path to Cooperstown. Headlined by the legendary Dwight Gooden, but also featuring future stars and Hall of Famers like Ripken, McGwire, Schmidt and Hernandez, savvy collectors recognize this set as a veritable who’s who of all-time greats in their earliest cardboard form. With the vintage baseball market showing no signs of slowing, the rookies of the ’86 Donruss set profile as long-term keepers in any collection and could prove to be very worthwhile investments over the coming decades.
