The 1987 Topps complete baseball card set is considered one of the most beloved and iconic release from the card company’s long history. Following decades of dominance in the baseball card industry, Topps reached the peak of their popularity with their 1987 offering which featured rookie cards of future Hall of Famers Barry Larkin, Greg Maddux, and Tim Raines along with 712 total cards covering all 26 MLB teams.

Inside plastic packaging wrapped in colorful artwork highlighting star players like Kirby Puckett and Ozzie Smith, the 1987 Topps set transitioned card design from the 1980s by minimizing color saturation and increasing white space. Front images featured headshots of players along with team logos and fun fact callouts. Backs listed career stats and biographical info in a clean layout devoid of clutter. Topps produced the cards on a thicker, higher quality stock paper compared to previous years which aided in preservation.

Rookie cards were the most coveted with Maddux, Larkin, and Raines all debuting in this iconic set. Maddux’s card in particular is one of the scarcest and most valuable from the series, frequently grading and selling for over $10,000 in pristine condition due to his Hall of Fame career. Other notable rookie debuts included Juan Gonzalez, Tom Glavine, and Mike Mussina who all went on to have all-star caliber MLB tenures. Veteran stars like Nolan Ryan, Wade Boggs, and Tony Gwynn anchored the checklist as well which maintained collector interest decades later.

Beyond the impressive rookie class, subsets added to the collectability. Included were 32 Turn Back The Clock black and white reprints of cards from the 1930s and ’40s, leaderboards highlighting single-season records, and manager/coach cards at the end. Error variations like the “reversed name” Maddux also captured the attention of set builders seeking completeness. Completing the flagship 1987 Topps set in high grade became an iconic goal of dedicated cardboard collectors.

While production numbers for that year’s Topps release are unknown, distribution was widespread in stores, vending machines, and via the company’s mail-away offer for several years after. As a result, most 1987 Topps cards can still be acquired with diligent hunting and patience even decades later. The surge of 1990s collectors as the baseball card market boomed meant that premium rookie cards and star players steadily appreciated in secondary market pricing over time.

In the modern card collecting era, the 1987 Topps set remains iconic for encapsulating 1980s baseball and pop culture. Its simplistic yet effective designs established the visual blueprint that Topps would refine for future standard releases. Featuring all-time great players and some of the most significant rookie cards ever made, 1987 Topps will likely stand the test of time as one of the most treasured complete sets among old school collectors and investors alike for decades to come based on its historicchecklist and the quality/popularity peak it represents for the long-running Topps brand in the print card medium.

Those seeking a comprehensive yet detailed dive into the acclaimed 1987 Topps baseball card set would be remiss not to highlight the iconic rookie class headlined by Maddux, Larkin and Raines alongside the crossover star power of veterans, innovative subsets, simple yet effective designs, widespread distribution and enduring retro appeal that cemented its place as a true benchmark release and pinnacle achievement in the hobby’s history.

The 1981 Topps Baseball Card set is among one of the classic and most popular issues ever produced by the Topps Company. Issued in 1981, the set contains a total of 792 cards including base cards, stars cards, rookie cards, and manager cards. The iconic design features white borders around each photo with stats and team info printed in blue on the bottom portion. Every facet of the 1981 Topps design has stood the test of time and remains highly coveted by collectors today, with the complete 792 card ‘master’ set still very difficult to assemble in mint condition due to the sheer number of cards involved.

One of the most famous rookie cards featured in the 1981 Topps set is #2 Ozzie Smith of the San Diego Padres. Widely considered one of the greatest defensive shortstops of all time, Ozzie Smith made his major league debut in 1978 but 1981 was his first appearance in the Topps flagship set as a rookie card. His iconic leaping pose, perfectly capturing his tremendous range and elite athleticism, has made the Ozzie Smith #2 one of the most instantly recognizable and valuable rookie cards ever produced. In pristine mint condition, graded gem mint 10 by services like PSA or BGS, the Ozzie Smith #2 routinely sells for thousands of dollars today.

The condition and centering of any Ozzie Smith #2 rookie card is paramount to its potential value. Even graded as lower mint 9 condition, the card usually still commands hundreds of dollars due to Smith’s Hall of Fame career and the iconic photo and design of the 1981 Topps issue. Proper edges, corners and surface make or break whether a copy can achieve the elusive and valuable gem mint 10 grade. With sharp corners, thick borders all around, and perfectly centered image, the Ozzie Smith #2 rookie has stood the test of time as one of the most aesthetically pleasing cards in the entire 1981 Topps set.

The reverse side of the Ozzie Smith rookie card contains statistics from his rookie season of 1980 where he played in 69 games, accumulated 59 hits, scored 28 runs with 5 home runs and 27 RBIs while showing off his defensive prowess with 6 doubles plays and a .264 batting average as he broke into the major leagues with the Padres. Also listed are his vital stats, birthdate and spot in the Padres’ lineup as their #8 hitter toward the bottom of the order. A fascinating snapshot into Smith’s early career right before breaking out as a superstar and 13 time Gold Glove winner.

Some other notable Hall of Fame rookie cards available in the 1981 Topps set include #119 Fernando Valenzuela, #214 Bobby Grich, and #622 Joe Charboneau. High grade copies of these iconic rookie cards also bring in substantial money despite not having the same long term mainstream recognition as the Ozzie Smith. Stars of the era like #1 George Brett, #3 Mike Schmidt, #11 Nolan Ryan, #79 Dave Winfield, and #99 Pete Rose all received higher photo quality “Stars” treatment in the design that year which adds to their already established collector value.

The massive undertaking of putting together a complete 792 card 1981 Topps Baseball Card set in pristine near-mint to mint condition takes a monumental amount of time, effort and deep pockets. Outside of the star players and Hall of Fame rookie cards, there is no shortage of other valuable and key cards that raise the cost of completion. This includes tougher short prints like #132 Bruce Sutter, #350 Darrell Porter, #423 Steve Carlton, and #626 Jerry Remy. The set is also notable for featuring future all-time hits leader Pete Rose chasing Ty Cobb’s longstanding record.

The 1981 Topps Baseball Card set endures as arguably the most collectible flaghip issue from the entire 1980’s decade. Featuring iconic photos, an instantly recognizable classic design aesthetic and the inclusion of legendary careers and all-time talents like Ozzie Smith in their rookie years, the 1981 Topps set is considered by many as the pinnacle of the vintage era of baseball cards. Assembling a true complete master collection in high grade takes dedicated effort and financial commitment but the final product represents one of the crown jewels in the hobby. The 1981 design proved so popular that it served as the basis for Topps issues well into the late 1980’s, a true testament to its timeless and enduring appeal among collectors.

The 1989 Topps baseball card set was the 58th series of annual baseball cards produced by the Topps Company. The set consisted of 792 total cards and featured players from all 26 Major League Baseball teams at the time. Some key details and highlights about the complete 1989 Topps baseball card set include:

The design of the 1989 Topps cards featured a simple and clean look compared to some of the more elaborate sets from the late 1980s. Each card had a white border surrounding a team color-themed background with the player’s picture in the center. At the top was the team logo and at the bottom was the player’s name and position. Some variations included action shots, rookie cards, and special subset cards. The design had a classic and timeless feel that has held up well over the past 30+ years.

The set was dominated by stars from the late 1980s such as Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, Kirby Puckett, and Jose Canseco. It also featured several young stars who were just beginning to emerge such as Barry Bonds, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and Frank Thomas. In total, the set contained photos, stats and bios for over 700 Major League players.

Some notable rookie cards in the 1989 Topps set included Gregg Jefferies, Eric Davis, Bobby Thigpen, and Sandy Alomar Jr. Jeffery’s card is one of the more valuable from the set, often fetching over $100 in top condition due to his early career hype. The Davis and Alomar rookie cards also hold value in the $20-50 range.

In addition to the base cards, the 1989 Topps set included several popular inserts and parallel subsets. The Topps Traded set featured 60 player cards that focused on offseason trades. Other subsets showcased the All-Star Game, League Leaders, and Topps All-Star Rookies. Parallel versions included Glossy Sendbacks, Desert Shield Patriots, and error variants.

The design featured team-colored borders for each MLB franchise, with the Cardinals, Reds, A’s, Tigers and Angels among those featuring some of the most visually appealing and collectible card designs from the set. Rarer variations like the “black-border” parallel are also highly sought after by collectors.

The condition of the cards from the 1989 Topps set has held up relatively well over the past 30+ years since they were released. Finding high grade examples of stars in Near Mint or better condition is still challenging but very possible. The sheer number of cards printed at the time has kept most mid-range star and common players readily available in at least Excellent condition.

In the years since its release, the 1989 Topps set has grown steadily in popularity and demand among vintage baseball card collectors. Prices have risen across the board for stars, rookie cards, and key inserts from the set. The affordable price points, classic design, and historical significance of capturing the late 1980s MLB season makes it a staple in most vintage card collections. For collectors looking to build or complete their 1989 Topps baseball card set, the sheer number of available cards at reasonable prices still provides an attainable and fulfilling collecting challenge decades later.

The 1989 Topps baseball card set was a pivotal release that captured the sport during an exciting era of emerging young talent and established veteran stars. Featuring clean and colorful designs, important rookie cards, and popular parallels, it has developed a strong legacy among collectors in the ensuing decades. For both its historical value and availability at affordable costs, the complete 792 card set remains one of the most accessible and enjoyable vintage collections for baseball card enthusiasts to pursue and enjoy.

The 2016 Topps baseball card set was the 65th complete base set release from Topps and featured designs, rookies, variations and inserts that made it a highly coveted collection for both players and investors. The set was released in March 2016 and contained 60 cards each for all 30 MLB teams, totaling 2016 commons. It featured dozens of inserts, parallels, short prints, autographs and memorabilia cards that increased the challenge of completing the entire release.

One notable aspect of the 2016 Topps design was the return to a traditional fixed-photo look after several years of creative photo variations. The large 3.5″ x 2.5″ cards featured a headshot of the player against a solid color background in their team’s colors. Stats and career highlights were listed on the back along with trademarks of the Rookie Cup for first year players and All-Star logos for those who participated in the 2015 Midsummer Classic. While a more classic look, the clean design focused attention cleanly on the photography and allowed parallels to stand out more distinctly.

Key rookies and prospects featured included shortstops Corey Seager of the Dodgers and Dansby Swanson of the Braves, outfielders Nomar Mazara of the Rangers and Tyler Naquin of the Indians. Several had hits early and added demand to their base rookies and Topps Chrome refractors. Masahiro Tanaka’s first Topps Yankees card also created buzz as he emerged as the ace of their staff. Veterans making their MLB debut with a new team like Ian Desmond’s first Rockies card were also noteworthy additions to collectors.

Parallels were where the 2016 Topps set truly shined with its record-setting variety of parallel and short print versions of the base cards. The flagship parallels included Gold Foil (#/2016), Silver Pack (#/150), Red Foil (#/50) and Blue Foil (#/25). More parallels found in retail and hobby boxes included Camo, Rainbow Foil, Sepia and others numbered to smaller print runs that added scarcity. Retail-exclusive “Walmart” parallels were also introduced for the first time further adding to completion demands.

Topps Chrome, the premium refractor parallel counterpart to the base paper set, featured even more parallel options like Black, Spectrum Chrome, Purple, Orange and Green refractor variants. The 1/1 superfractor parallel became must-have chase cards on prospect rookies. Additional high-end inserts exclusive to hobby boxes like Topps Heritage Minors and Archives Signature Series autographs provided dedicated collectors countless chase cards at every collector level.

As the industry transitioned away from printed checklists, Topps introduced an innovative Master Checklist set format. Featuring a design paying homage to early Topps baseball issues from the 1950s and ’60s, subsets broke the massive checklist down into more manageable collector-friendly pieces that were inserted throughout the season-long release. The Master Checklist format became a beloved fan favorite in the years since. The 2016 installment included subsets focused on retired players from past Topps eras and rookie stars of tomorrow.

While the base card designs and available parallels provided depth, the 2016 Topps set also featured many dynamic and popular inserts outside the base checklist. Leading the way were the larger 3.5″ x 5″ Topps NOW real-time reaction cards featuring dramatic recent performances. Dozens were inserted through the season, including Cubs’ Jake Arrieta’s no-hitter and Indians’ Corey Kluber’s 20-strikeout game. Other Topps NOWs even captured postseason performances that became some of the set’s most valuable chase cards.

Additional inserts ranged from fun and nostalgic retro custom “Damaged” and woodgrain “Archive” cards to prestigious Diamond Anniversary tributes to the Topps brand. Sets paid homage to both the current stars as well as past greats with Flashback insert subsets to the 1965, 1975 and 1985 Topps designs. Miniaturized “Minis” inserts and sepia “T206-style” cards rounded out some of the most notable and collectible insert offerings. The vast variety made 2016 Topps one of the most comprehensive and rewarding sets to chase in recent years across all collecting levels.

In the years since, key cards from the 2016 Topps release have proven to be great long-term investments. Corey Seager and Dansby Swanson’s coveted rookie cards have held and increased in value considerably as they’ve developed into young stars. Autographs, relics and parallels of top rookie classes consistently trade hands among collectors. Popular inserts featuring players from the record-setting home run season like Kris Bryant, future MVPs like Jose Altuve and rookie standouts top the want lists of today’s collectors.

With its classic yet creative designs, record parallels and deep inserts focused on both modern stars and vintage throwbacks, Topps outdid themselves with the 2016 baseball release. It delivered everything serious collectors looked for in an annual set and established itself as a true “collect ’em all” challenge. The depth, quality and memorability of its contributions to the hobby seven years later make the 2016 Topps base set an undeniable benchmark year that will stand the test of time for dedicated collectors. Its complete set combines the builds of their single-year rosters into a lasting chronicle of iconic MLB talent during a truly memorable campaign.

The 2016 Topps baseball card release featured iconic rookies, record-breaking parallels, fun and nostalgic inserts and masterful overall set design that made it a beloved and rewarding complete collection for players and investors alike. Its mix of contemporary stars, retro throwbacks and investment-worthy chase cards established it as one of the premier Topps releases of the modern era. Several years later, its significance and collectibility continue to grow among dedicated baseball card collectors.