The 1988 Score baseball card set was one of the most popular and memorable releases of the late 1980s. Produced by the Score Board Company, the 1988 Score set featured cards for over 800 major and minor league players. The design of the 1988 Score cards featured a clean and simple look that allowed the photography and players to take center stage. With its quality photos and affordable price point, the 1988 Score set became a favorite among collectors both young and old.
Some key things to know about the 1988 Score baseball card set include:
Size and Production – The 1988 Score set contained a total of 802 cards. This included current major and minor league players as well as managers, coaches, and retired stars. The cards had a standard size of 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches, which was the norm for most baseball card releases at the time. Production numbers for the 1988 Score set were high, making individual cards readily available to collectors for many years after the set was released.
Photography – One of the hallmarks of the 1988 Score cards was the sharp, vivid photography used on each card. Score utilized top photographers who captured great action shots and portraits of each player. This helped the players really pop off the cards. Backgrounds were often plain to let the focus remain on the athletes. The photos gave collectors an exciting glimpse of their favorite stars.
Design – The design of the 1988 Score cards was quite simple but very effective. Most cards featured just the headshot or action photo along with the team name and player’s name/position neatly printed at the bottom. Statistics were not included. This clean look allowed the photos to shine. The backs contained basic career stats and a small blurb about the player.
Rookies and Stars – The 1988 Score set featured rookie cards for future Hall of Famers like Barry Larkin, Roberto Alomar, and Tom Glavine. It also included stars in their prime like Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs, and Nolan Ryan. Collectors enjoyed chasing these stars and prospects while also finding value in commons from the set.
Affordability – At around $0.25 per pack with 11 cards inside in 1988, the Score baseball cards were very affordable for collectors. This allowed kids to rip and collect a large portion of the set without breaking the bank. Even today, complete 1988 Score sets and individual cards can often be found for reasonable prices due to the high production numbers.
Chase Cards – While there were no true short prints in the 1988 Score set, collectors enjoyed chasing after star rookie cards and special parallel “Traded” variations that showed players in the uniforms of teams they were later traded to. Other chase cards included the final cards for retiring legends or stars who switched teams in 1988 like Rickey Henderson.
Legacy – Thanks to its memorable photography, affordable price point, and inclusion of future stars, the 1988 Score set remains a very popular vintage release to this day. Many collectors who began their hobby in the late 80s still have fond memories of collecting and completing this set. Even casual fans enjoy looking through the cards to see their favorite old-time players in their athletic prime.
The 1988 Score baseball card set captured the sport perfectly during an exciting time for the game. With over 800 quality cards featuring the biggest names in baseball in the late 1980s, it gave collectors an affordable way to follow all of their favorite teams and players. Thanks to its clean and classic design that let the photography shine, the 1988 Score release remains one of the most beloved modern issues in the hobby.
