In 1988, Topps joined forces with retailer Kmart to create a special series of baseball cards commemorating the U.S. Olympic baseball team, dubbed the “Dream Team,” that would be competing in that summer’s Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Baseball was being reintroduced as an Olympic demonstration sport for the first time since the 1992 Olympics in Los Angeles. With Major League Baseball players now being allowed to participate, the United States sent an all-star caliber roster to Seoul expecting to dominate the competition in their sport’s return to the Games.
To help promote the Olympic baseball tournament and USA team, Topps crafted a special 88-card set exclusively for distribution through Kmart stores. Known as the 1988 Topps Kmart Dream Team set, it stands out from regular Topps baseball card issues of the time in many notable ways. First, the cards do not feature any regular season or career stats for the players as they would in a typical baseball card set. Instead, the bios on the back focus more on the players’ roles as Olympians and amateur athletes prior to reaching the big leagues. Most cards do not have player photos in traditional on-field action poses. Many feature more artistic conceptual portraits specially commissioned for this commemorative set.
Perhaps most significantly, the cards break from the traditional Diamond Kings subset found in Topps flagships sets of the era. Rather than including shorter printed parallels or variations of the base cards, the entire 1988 Topps Kmart Dream Team set is made up of shiny foil embossed cards with silver stamping and red and blue coloration. This premium material and distinct stylistic approach set the cards apart from standard cardboard issues at the time. With only 88 cards in the roster-sized set rather than the usual 572 found in the Topps Series One and Two releases that season, the Dream Team cards naturally became quite a bit more scarce and collectible than the typical Topps baseball offerings.
Some true icon players and future Hall of Famers were part of this star-studded Olympic roster. Names like Ken Griffey Sr., Wade Boggs, pitcher Orel Hershiser, catcher Gary Carter, and outfielder Oddibe McDowell who all went on to have stellar MLB careers were represented. The true standouts were the young up-and-coming superstars who were still early in their major league tenures at the time but would go on to define baseball throughout the late 80s and 90s. Players like Mark McGwire, pitcher Dave Stewart, and outfielders Willie McGee, Tom Brunansky, and Rookie of the Year Roberto Alomar appeared in their early prime on these special cards.
For collectors at the time, finding this unique 88-card Kmart Dream Team issue in stores provided a fun crossover between their baseball card and Olympic fandom during that summer. It was also a chance to acquire early cards featuring potential future Hall of Famers like McGwire before they achieved superstardom. Since Kmart was still a dominant national retailer then, availability was much wider than a typical limited retailer only release like previous oddball sets Topps had produced exclusively for discount chains. Demand was still high for the premium foil design, causing supplies to dry up more quickly than a typical Topps flagship series.
In the years since, the scarcity and now defunct Kmart retailer tie-in have made 1988 Topps Kmart Dream Team cards a true oddball niche issue highly coveted by specialized collectors. PSA and BGS slapped Dream Team rookie cards now command prices well into the thousands of dollars. Even common players can sell for hundreds due to their limited print run and distinctive premium foil styling. For modern collectors seeking out unique and visually striking early cards of future Hall of Fame sluggers like McGwire before the steroid era, a high grade 1988 Topps Kmart Dream Team rookie is a true treasure. The crosstown partnership between Topps and Kmart to memorialize America’s Olympic baseball ‘Dream Team’ created a one-of-a-kind commemorative issue that remains both a historical piece and highly investible rarity for enthusiasts.
The 1988 Topps Kmart Dream Team stands out as a truly unique limited edition baseball card set. From its timely Olympic tournament tie-in subject matter to the exclusive distribution through since liquidated big box retailer Kmart, it captured a moment in time for collectors. Featuring creative artist portraits, scarce supplies, and premium foil designs well ahead of its time, the set Kickstarted collector demand for oddball issues that endure to this day. Most importantly, it preserved on card for enthusiasts the early careers of stars who would go on to dominate America’s pastime for generations. Few oddball sets so simultaneously and perfectly blended timely pop culture, visual design, player selection and now scarcity to create an enduring collector phenomenon.
