The 1985 Topps baseball card set is one of the most iconic and valuable sets from the 1980s. Issued at the height of the junk wax era, the 1985 Topps set is well known for featuring some true all-time greats of the game like Nolan Ryan, Reggie Jackson, and Mike Schmidt. While the massive print runs from that era hurt the long term value of most base cards, certain rookies and stars from the 1985 set have stood the test of time and have become quite valuable in the collector market.

One of the biggest storylines from the 1985 baseball season was Nolan Ryan’s pursuit of entering the elite 5,000 strikeout club. At the start of the year, Ryan was just 29 strikeouts shy of the milestone mark. Topps commemorated Ryan’s achievement with a special photo variation card, showing him celebrating after recording his 5,000th strikeout. Only about 100 of these super short printed Nolan Ryan 5,000th K variations are believed to exist, making it one of the rarest and most valuable baseball cards ever issued. In near mint condition, the Ryan 5,000 K card can fetch well over $100,000.

Another huge star featured prominently in the 1985 set was Reggie Jackson. Known as “Mr. October” for his clutch postseason heroics, Jackson was nearing the end of his Hall of Fame career. His Topps card shows him sporting a Detroit Tigers uniform, one of his final stops before retirement. High grade copies of the Jackson card can sell for over $1000 due to his popularity and legend status in the game.

While the base cards have little value today due to the immense production numbers during the junk wax era, there are a few key rookie cards that hold significance. One of the most iconic is Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dave Stieb. As one of the earliest Blue Jays cards in the modern era, his rookie is a must have for Jays collectors. In high grade, it can sell for over $200. Another noteworthy rookie is California Angels slugger Wally Joyner. Joyner went on to have a solid career and his rookie remains one of the more popular and pricey from the 1985 set, with PSA 10 examples selling for around $300-$400.

Perhaps the most famous rookie card from 1985 Topps is none other than Hall of Famer Barry Larkin. As the starting shortstop for the Big Red Machine Cincinnati Reds dynasty, Larkin was a hometown hero and future NL MVP. His rookie card shows promise of his skills and it’s regarded as one of the top rookie cards of the entire junk wax era. High grade Larkin rookies in a PSA 10 slab have sold at auction for over $2,000, making it one of the more valuable cards from the 1985 Topps set.

While the majority of the base cards hold little value today, there are some key stars, variations and rookies that remain highly sought after by collectors. The 1985 Topps set is unique for capturing some of the biggest names in the game at that time, including Nolan Ryan’s historic milestone. While it comes from a period defined by enormous print runs that hurt long term collecting, a few cards have overcome that stigma through historical and player significance. Even if most of the set is rather common today, cards like Ryan’s 5,000th K variation and the Larkin rookie ensure the 1985 Topps set maintains an honored place in the hobby.

While the 1985 Topps set exemplifies the boom of the junk wax era, certain key cards have proven to be quite valuable to today’s collectors. Rookies like Larkin and Joyner alongside stars like Ryan and Jackson remain must-haves for both collectors from the 1980s and modern fans of the game. While the abundance of most base cards from this set limits their value now, focusing on special variations, stars and major rookies ensures multiple cards from the 1985 Topps set continue to hold relevance, scarcity and demand decades after their original issue. The combination of huge stars, historical milestones and impact rookies captured make 1985 Topps an extremely noteworthy set that many collectors are still seeking out key pieces from to this day.