The 1985 Topps baseball card set was one of the most iconic releases of the 1980s. While not quite as valuable as some previous years, the ’85 Topps set still contained many highly sought after rookie cards and stars of the era. With 792 total cards in the base set, collectors had plenty to hunt for in wax packs at the local convenience store or card shop. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the most notable cards from the 1985 Topps baseball release.
One of the biggest rookie cards from the 1985 set was Dwight Gooden’s. Gooden, known by his nickname “Doc”, had just come off a phenomenal rookie season with the New York Mets in 1984 where he won both the Rookie of the Year award and the Cy Young award. His dominant pitching made him one of the most exciting young stars in baseball. Gooden’s rookie card shows him in a Mets uniform with his signature high leg kick pitching motion. In high grade it can fetch hundreds of dollars due to his early career success and status as a fan favorite on a popular Mets team.
Another highly sought after rookie from 1985 was Bret Saberhagen of the Kansas City Royals. Like Gooden, Saberhagen also won both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards, establishing himself as an ace right out of the gate. His rookie card depicts him in the classic Royals powder blue uniform. Saberhagen would go on to have a solid career and help the Royals win the 1985 World Series, further adding to the appeal of his rookie card for collectors. In top condition it can sell for well over $100.
While Gooden and Saberhagen stood out as the best rookie cards, 1985 also featured the base cards of many other young talents breaking in like Barry Larkin, Mark McGwire, and Ozzie Smith. The set had a strong rookie class beyond just the top two. For veteran collectors, cards of pitchers like Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver’s last with the Chicago White Sox were also notable issues. But one card that stands above the rest for its historical significance is Ryne Sandberg’s.
As a two-time MVP and perennial All-Star for the Chicago Cubs, Ryne Sandberg is considered one of the greatest second basemen of all-time. His 1985 Topps card came during the prime of his career when he was beginning to get national recognition for his outstanding play. What makes Sandberg’s ’85 card so special is the photo, which captures him mid-swing and clearly shows the muscles in his forearms – a true action shot well before most baseball cards would feature such dynamic photography. It’s one of the most iconic and easily recognizable cards from the entire 1980s. High grade Sandberg rookies can sell for thousands of dollars.
While rookie cards and stars received much of the collector attention, 1985 Topps also included some interesting oddball parallel subsets. The most popular were the ‘Traded’ cards, which featured players that had been dealt to new teams since the prior season. These traded cards replaced the traditional team logo with a ‘Traded’ stamp. Players like Gary Carter, Rick Sutcliffe, and Don Baylor were among those featured after swaps. Other subsets included ‘Turn Back The Clock’ vintage-style reprints and ‘Glossy Sendbacks’ which were rare uncut sheet versions.
In terms of design, the 1985 Topps set had a clean and classic look. A solid white border surrounded each photo with team colors and logos prominently displayed. Statistics were included on the back along with a write-up of notable events from the prior season. The design held true to Topps’ traditional style while still feeling modern. Condition is especially important for the highly sought rookie cards, as even slight flaws can diminish a card’s worth. The 1985 Topps baseball release was a memorable one that produced some of the most iconic cards in the hobby’s history. Its mix of stars, rookies, parallels and memorable photography make it a highly collected set to this day.
While the 1985 Topps set lacked the true high-end star power of years past, it established several young future Hall of Famers like Gooden, Saberhagen and Sandberg. The design was clean and captured the nostalgic aesthetic baseball card collectors loved. Parallel subsets like the ‘Traded’ cards provided additional collecting and variety. Overall, 1985 was a solid year for Topps that produced cards which still hold value today for their memorable players and moments from baseball’s past. The combination of rookie stars, action shots, and classic design elements make several 1985 Topps cards stand out as some of the true greats from the entire 1980s decade.
