The 1986 Fleer baseball card set was notable for several reasons. It was the final year before trading cards shifted to licensing agreements between manufacturers and professional sports leagues. This allowed Fleer to feature players across MLB without restrictions. At the same time, the 1986 set highlighted some of the biggest names in the game during a pivotal era.
One of the most iconic rookies featured was Roger Clemens, starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. His rookie card showed promise of what was to come as he went on to win 7 Cy Young awards and frame a Hall of Fame career. While not technically a rookie at this point, Clemens’ ascending star power made his 1986 Fleer card highly coveted. Another young arm gaining attention was Dwight Gooden of the New York Mets. After winning Rookie of the Year in 1984 and the Cy Young in 1985, his 1986 Fleer card captured him at the peak of his abilities before personal problems waylaid his career.
Few players ever dominated the game as well as Mike Schmidt did during the 1970s and 1980s for the Philadelphia Phillies. As a 3-time MVP and 10-time All-Star, Schmidt’s legendary career was entering its twilight in 1986 but he remained one of the top sluggers in MLB. His iconic Fleer card from this year preserves the memory of one of baseball’s all-time greats. Arguably the most famous player of the 1980s was Philadelphia’s own Pete Rose, the career hits leader. While his Fleer ’86 card didn’t know of the gambling allegations that would end his career, it commemorated an era when Rose was revered as Mr. Hustle.
Two legendary rivals of the day, and perhaps of all-time, that saw their 1986 Fleer cards gain lasting notoriety were Robin Yount of the Milwaukee Brewers and Cal Ripken Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles. Yount’s card showed him entering his age 30 season after back-to-back MVP awards in 1982-83, one of the game’s most complete players. Meanwhile, Ripken was displaying the durability and talent that would result in a then-record consecutive games played streak of 2,632. Both cards offer a glimpse of these sure-fire Hall of Famers in their prime.
The New York Yankees franchise player of the 1980s was undoubtedly Don Mattingly, and his ’86 Fleer RC captured the smooth-swinging first baseman winning the AL MVP and batting title in 1985. While injuries prevented a longer career, Mattingly was arguably the best hitter in baseball for much of the mid-80s. In Los Angeles, Fernando Valenzuela was still generating Fernandomania off his electric rookie season of 1981 for the Dodgers. The Mexican native’s captivating windup and accomplishments made his ’86 card a must-have.
Back in New York, the Mets featured two aces on their 1986 staff in Gooden and Ron Darling, both early in their careers. Darling’s card from this set shows him coming into his own as a starter after debuting in 1983. Out in Oakland, the “Bash Brothers” tandem of Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco was just beginning to take the league by storm. Their popularity exploded over the next few years, driving intense demand for their ’86 Fleer issues which also serve as their first major release.
While stars like Clemens, Gooden, Schmidt, Rose, Yount, Ripken, Mattingly, Valenzuela, Darling, McGwire and Canseco garnered much attention in the 1986 Fleer baseball set, other notable issues included Gary Carter, Ozzie Smith, Tim Raines, Wade Boggs, Tony Gwynn, Alan Trammell, and Kirby Puckett. In the decades since, changing player appearances and career arcs have made many of these cards iconic representations of their generation of MLB titans. For scholars of 1980s baseball culture and investors alike, the 1986 Fleer set endures as one of the most historicallyrelevant and investment-worthy in the hobby.
The 1986 Fleer baseball card set was a seminal release that captured the sport during an era of transition. Featuring young stars and established greats, many of the cards from this set have become highly coveted representations of their featured players. For capturing iconic names from Mike Schmidt to Roger Clemens to Don Mattingly, 1986 Fleer endures as arguably the top baseball card set from its decade.
