The 1988 Fleer baseball card set was a highly anticipated release during the baseball card boom of the late 1980s. Fleer held an exclusive license to produce cards for all Major League teams and players in 1988. With 792 total cards in the set and featuring some of the biggest stars and rookies of the time, Fleer ’88 remains a hugely popular vintage release among collectors to this day.

Some key things to know about the 1988 Fleer baseball card set include:

Roster size: The massive 792-card set featured every player on a Major League roster in 1988, including minor leaguers, managers, and coaches. This was one of the largest standard release sets of the decade.

Design: Cards had a clean, classic look featuring a solid color background with white borders. Player photos were large and crisp. Statistics on the back were comprehensive. The design held appeal for both young collectors and those with a nostalgic taste.

Rookies: Future Hall of Famers like Ken Griffey Jr., Tom Glavine, and Greg Maddux had their rookie cards in the ’88 Fleer set. Other notable rookies included Mark McGwire, Benito Santiago, and Barry Larkin. Many of these rookie cards are now extremely valuable.

Stars: The set showcased the era’s biggest names like Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, Rickey Henderson, and Jose Canseco. High-tier stars like Mike Schmidt and Nolan Ryan had some of their last mainstream baseball cards in this release.

Parallels: Fleer produced several parallel subsets within the base set, including “Photo Variations” with alternate images and “Action All-Stars” highlighting great defensive plays. Parallels added to the excitement of the product but are not as coveted by collectors today.

Packaging: Cards came in wax packs of 5 cards each. The iconic Fleer logo and colorful graphics on the wrappers built anticipation for what players may be inside. Unopened wax boxes from 1988 are highly sought after today.

Production: Fleer produced their ’88 cards through Printers Inc., a respected third-party manufacturer. Overall quality control was excellent compared to some other issues of the era. Centering, cuts and image clarity held up well over time.

Short prints: Certain cards were printed in lower numbers, making them more difficult to find. The most notable were Darryl Strawberry (#1) and Ozzie Smith (#728), two of the biggest short prints from the set.

In the years since, the 1988 Fleer baseball card set has grown massively in popularity and monetary value. Some key benchmarks and milestones include:

Early demand: Even as far back as the late 1980s and early 90s, the rookie cards of McGwire, Griffey Jr. and others were selling for premium prices on the secondary market. Sellers recognized their future potential.

Boom period: When the sports collectibles market exploded in the late 80s/early 90s, ’88 Fleer saw another surge of interest. Its size, stars and rookies made it a flagship vintage issue to chase.

Refinement: As the collecting hobby matured, ’88 Fleer took on higher levels of cachet. Grading companies like PSA and BGS helped collectors identify and preserve the set’s best examples.

Hall of Famers: Inductions of players like Griffey, Glavine and Maddux into the Baseball Hall of Fame in recent years kept enthusiasm strong for their iconic rookie cards from 1988 Fleer.

Auction records: Individual cards from the set have started breaking records. In 2021, a PSA 10 Griffey Jr. rookie sold for over $500,000, showing its status among the most valuable vintage issues.

Legacy and appreciation: Now over 30 years old, 1988 Fleer is respected as one of the true “classic” releases that helped propel the entire sports card industry forward. Its place in history is assured.

The 1988 Fleer baseball card set remains one of the most historically significant and desirable issues for collectors due to its massive size, star power, and high-value rookies. As long as interest persists in vintage sports memorabilia, ’88 Fleer is guaranteed to stay popular and hold tremendous nostalgic appeal for those who grew up with the cards in the 1980s and beyond. Its legacy is sure to be celebrated for decades to come.