The Toronto Blue Jays debuted as an expansion franchise in the American League in 1977. As with any new MLB team, collectors were eager to get their hands on cards featuring the players from the upstart Blue Jays.
Topps had the exclusive license to produce MLB cards in the 1970s and wasted no time issuing cards of the inaugural Blue Jays roster. The 1977 Topps set included cards for almost the entire 25 man opening day roster. Some of the notable rookie cards included in that set were Dave Lemanczyk (#600), Dan Ainge (#611), and Alfredo Griffin (#629).
While the designs and photography of 1970s Topps cards left something to be desired compared to modern issues, these early Blue Jays cards remain highly collectible and desirable for Toronto fans and team set builders. The rarity of complete 1977 Topps Blue Jays team sets also adds to their value.
In subsequent seasons, Topps continued chronicling the Blue Jays’ progress with annual baseball card releases. Rookie cards of future stars like Dave Stieb (1978 Topps #609), Alfredo Griffin (1979 Topps #658), and Lloyd Moseby (1980 Topps #627) helped grow the fanbase. Expos prospect Tony Fernandez also made his cardboard debut as a Blue Jay in 1981 Topps (#656).
The early 1980s brought competition to Topps as rival card maker Donruss entered the MLB licensing game. Their 1981 and 1982 sets included Blue Jays cards alongside the main Topps issues of those years. The increased production helped drive down values of common players but provided more options for collectors.
A major milestone came in 1982 when Topps captured the first All-Star Game hosted in Toronto on its cards. The ’82 All-Star Game Subset featured cards of the American and National League All-Star teams at Exhibition Stadium. This marked the first time the Midsummer Classic was documented on baseball cards.
The arrival of stars like George Bell, Jimmy Key, and Tom Henke in the mid-1980s coincided with the Blue Jays’ emergence as contenders. Their playoff runs in 1985 and 1989-1992 made cards from those seasons very popular. The 1987 Topps Traded set included the first Blue Jays cards in the Traded subset.
Upper Deck broke Topps’ stranglehold on the baseball card market when it debuted beautifully designed and highly collectible cards in 1989. Their sets gave equal treatment to the Blue Jays and helped further grow the team’s fanbase. The 1990 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card is one of the most coveted in the hobby.
In the 1990s, licensing deals allowed more companies like Fleer, Score, and Leaf to produce MLB cards. This created a card boom and more Blue Jays were produced than ever before. Roster turnover increased card values for stars of the World Series years like Roberto Alomar, Pat Hentgen, and Paul Molitor.
The 2000s saw more players achieve rookie card status with the Blue Jays like Roy Halladay, Vernon Wells, and Carlos Delgado. Toronto’s return to postseason play in 2015-2016 has made cards from those seasons very popular as well.
Today, collectors can find Blue Jays cards from the team’s over 40 season history across various sets old and new. While the early 1970s and World Series era cards remain the most valuable, cards chronicling the franchise’s history are an important part of any Toronto baseball memorabilia collection. With a bright future ahead, more Blue Jays stars of tomorrow will soon have their cardboard debuts as well.
