The Topps trade set and the 1980s were practically made for each other. At the same time that Topps lost its trading card monopoly with the appearance of Donruss and Fleer in 1981, the company decided it was time for a new product – a 132-card set of trading veterans and novices that debuted too late to be included in Topps’ regular sets.
Make no mistake, names are traded, but the rookies stole the show. Sure, the veterans were interesting, but in the world of one-series cards, not having to wait a whole year for a star newbie’s card was an instant hit. Add to this that Topps made 132-card sets on a higher quality of stock than their normal cards and only sold them as sets, and you can see why the product worked perfectly.
Yes, the traded set existed before, but as an option for Topps’ regular set, and it existed after the 80’s, but in 1990, it was sold in packs and it soon fell apart like Topps bubble gum in the 1990’s. But here are the top five Topps traded cards of the 1980s – not necessarily in price, although the big hitters are here, but in terms of influence, importance, collectibility and entertainment.
1981 Topps trade Fernando Valenzuela
In 1981, Fernando Valenzuela was a supernova in baseball. He brought new audiences to the game, kept the Dodgers relevant and gave the 1981 Topps trade a big boost. Fernando is not in the Hall of Fame and probably never will be. But he’s an icon, and his Topps traded rookie – a nice contrast to his three-player base 1981 rookie – can be had for $20-$40 raw or $100-$200 in PSA 8.
1982 Topps traded Cal Ripken Jr.
Cal Ripken Jr. holds a 1982 Topps card. But it’s a 3-in-1 rookie and so collectors who wanted the Orioles’ King on their card had to hold on to his 1982 Topps traded card. After a vast record and Hall of Fame career, this is one of the best cards of the 1980s. It is still available today for about $150 in raw condition, and in higher grades the price is much higher, with PSA 9s selling for about $500.
1986 Topps traded Barry Bonds
The best Topps traded set is probably from 1986. In their heyday, rookies Jose Canseco and Bo Jackson probably attracted the most attention. There’s also a nice Will Clark newbie. But as time went on, Barry Bonds became the biggest rookie of the group. Then and now, the card is worth less. Maybe it was initially because Bonds played in Pittsburgh, maybe because then or now, he might have been a little difficult to embrace. Of course, PEDs are the elephant in the room. But it is a reputable newbie that can be purchased raw for $5-$10 and in PSA 9 for about $50.
1987 Topps traded Greg Maddux
Once a relatively unknown young Cubs pitcher, Maddux became one of the best arms of his era and a well-rounded man’s pitcher. Still, their wood-paneled 1987 Traded Rookie is available at a bargain price for $5 or more, and even in PSA 10, it’s often under $100. Given that 300-game winners are becoming rare, this one is a must-see.
1989 Topps traded Ken Griffey Jr.
Enough has been said about Ken Griffey Jr. and his rookie cards to fill this column and many others. But the above card is extra special. Not only was the Topps traded set relatively limited, but Topps also made a Tiffany edition of the traded set–and those high-gloss cards are very rare. This PSA 10 Griffey Tiffany XRC recently sold for $7,600. So for collectors who think they have it all, the Tiffany Topps Traded set poses as another high-priced challenge.
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