The Topps Traded set and the 1980s were practically made for each other. Just at the point when Topps lost its trading card monopoly with the appearances of Donruss and Fleer in 1981, the company decided it was time for a new product– a 132-card set of traded veterans and rookies who debuted too late for inclusion in Topps’s regular set.
Make no mistake, the name is traded, but the rookies stole the show. Sure, the veterans were interesting, but in a one-series card world, not having to wait a full year for a card of a star rookie was an immediate hit. Add in that Topps made the 132-card sets on a higher quality of stock than their normal cards and sold them only as sets, and you can see why the product worked perfectly.
Yes, the Traded set existed before, but just as a tack-on to Topps’ regular set, and it existed after the ’80s, but in 1990, it was sold in packs and it soon disintegrated like Topps bubble gum in the 1990s. But here are the top five 1980s Topps Traded cards– not necessarily in price, although the big hitters are here, but in terms of impact, importance, collectability, and fun.
1981 Topps Traded Fernando Valenzuela
Fernandomania helped drive the original Topps Traded set in 1981. | CardLadder
In 1981, Fernando Valenzuela was a supernova across baseball. He brought a new audience to the game, kept the Dodgers relevant, and gave a major spike to 1981 Topps Traded. Fernando isn’t in the Hall of Fame and probably won’t 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 for $100-$200 in a PSA 8.
1982 Topps Traded Cal Ripken Jr.
Unlike Ripken’s 3-in-1 1982 Topps rookie, his Traded XRC is his and his alone. | CardLadder
Cal Ripken Jr. has a 1982 Topps card. But it’s a 3-in-1 rookie and so collectors who wanted the king of the Orioles on his own card had to nab his 1982 Topps Traded card. One massive record and a Hall of Fame career later, it’s one of the best cards of the 1980s. It’s still available today in raw condition for around $150, and it commands significantly more in a high grade, with PSA 9s selling for around $500.
1986 Topps Traded Barry Bonds
Bonds was part of an epic 1986 Topps Traded set | CardLadder
The best Topps Traded set is probably 1986. In its heyday, the rookies of Jose Canseco and Bo Jackson drew perhaps the most attention. There’s a nice Will Clark rookie in there too. But as time has gone by, Barry Bonds has become the biggest rookie of the bunch. Then and now, the card’s price hangs low. Maybe it was initially because Bonds played in Pittsburgh, maybe it was because then or now, he could be a bit difficult to embrace. Of course, there is the PED elephant in the room. But it’s an iconic rookie that can be bought raw for $5-$10 and in a PSA 9 for around $50.
1987 Topps Traded Greg Maddux
Maddux’s wood-paneled rookie is another budget must-have. | CardLadder
Once a relatively anonymous young Cubs pitcher, Maddux became one of the best arms of his era and the consummate thinking man’s pitcher. Still, his wood-paneled 1987 Traded rookie remains a bargain, available raw for $5 or so and even in a PSA 10, it often commands less than $100. Given that 300-game winners are becoming rarer and rarer, it’s a must-find.
1989 Topps Traded Ken Griffey Jr.
The Topps Traded Tiffany Ken Griffey Jr. rookie is a rarer and more valuable card than his Upper Deck rookie. | CardLadder
There’s been enough said about Ken Griffey Jr. and his rookie cards to fill this column and many more. But the card above is extra special. Not only was the Topps Traded set relatively limited, but Topps made a Tiffany version of the Traded set– and those high-gloss cards are very scarce. This PSA 10 Griffey Tiffany XRC recently sold for $7,600. So for the collector who thinks they have everything, the Tiffany Topps Traded sets linger as another high-priced challenge.
