The 1988 Topps Big baseball card set was the first series of larger trading cards released by Topps following their “Big” banner. Standing out significantly larger than standard size cards of the time at approximately 3 inches by 5 inches, the mammoth cards provided baseball fans with larger images and more detailed stats and information on their favorite players.
Containing 206 total cards in the base set, the 1988 Topps Big cards included major leaguers, managers, umpires, and team checklists just like a standard size set would. The bigger size allowed for bigger portraits that really popped compared to regular cards. The vibrant color photos jumped off the card bringing the players to life more than ever before. Crisper details could be seen in uniform numbers and logos at this larger scale as well.
On the back of each card, in addition to the standard stats and career highlights text found on rookie and star players, more in-depth stats were included due to the added available space. Boxed stats sections provided career batting and pitching totals as well as season by season breakdowns. This allowed collectors to really analyze player performance more thoroughly right on the card.
Additional boxes highlighted season and career leaders in various pitching and batting categories. For example, Orel Hershiser’s 1988 card noted that he led the NL in wins that season with 23 as well as shutouts with 8. These extra stats nuggets added to the collectability and provided flashier, more information packed cards for the collector.
The gigantic size of Topps Big cards also lent itself well to including larger, more impressive photos. Whereas a standard sized card may have had a headshot sized picture of the player, many of the 1988 Topps Big cards sported nearly full body photos that filled much of the front of the card. This gave fans a real sense of the players in action on the field in a way that hadn’t really been achieved to that point in the history of the hobby.
Examples include Jose Canseco’s monster home run swing being captured or Ozzie Smith’s acrobatic defense being highlighted. Full body action shots were a real novelty on cards at the time that took advantage of the bigger real estate the Topps Big format allowed for. Celebratory group photos after big games became more dramatic as well fitting across the larger space.
The back of the cards also featured more creative designs and layouts thanks to the expanded size. Along with layered blocks of text stats, graphics were included such as pennants and banners fitting team colors or icons reflecting career highlights. A rod of three trophies appears behind Roger Clemens’ stats recognizing his Cy Young wins for example. This enhanced the visual presentation compared to the plain mostly text based backs ofstandard cards.
In addition to the aesthetic differences, Topps Big cards had other distinct aspects that added to their collectability and value. A logo was imprinted on the upper right hand corner reading “1st Series.” This denoted the first large format release by Topps and was an identifying marker for the pioneering 88 set. Serial numbers were also included on the reverse ranging from 1 to 206 matching the card number in the overall checklist.
The gigantic oversized cards also came individually shrink wrapped in flimsy thin cellophane oversized coin envelopes as protection during packs. This helped preserve the condition but was unconventional compared to the traditional waxed wrapper most cards came in at the time. The novelty factor of the bigger packaging added a unique unboxing experience for collectors as well as an identifying aspect for slabbed graded examples decades later.
When first released in 1988, the Topps Big base set retailed for $1.99 per pack containing 5 oversized cards instead of the normal $0.25 for a pack of mostly common players. This premium price point reflected the increased production costs of the larger cards but kept boxes affordable at $9.99 for 20 packs. Some chase parallel short prints were also present at ratios like 1 in 10 packs with silver foil signatures included.
In the years since, as the hobby has boomed the 1988 Topps Big set has become highly sought after by collectors nostalgic for their childhood or wanting to revisit baseball’s stars from that vintage era in a novel larger than life oversized format. PSA and BGS gem mint graded examples of stars like Kirby Puckett, Ozzie Smith and Roger Clemens routinely sell for hundreds if not thousands due to their scarce supply and iconic pioneering nostalgia factor within the industry.
The breakthrough large card concept launched by Topps in 1988 paved the way for future oversized releases and experiments. The nostalgia and novelty they provide as the original “Big” baseball cards ensures the 1988 Topps Big 1st Series remains both a historic set in the industry as well as a highly coveted crown jewel for enthusiasts of the vintage era and premium product collector alike decades later.Their massive size, newfangled stats, and enlarged vibrant graphics made a great first impression that has lasted in the hobby.
