The 1980's...

[jb217676]

The "holy grail" thread got me thinking. Since I'm a kid from the '80's, I'm starting a thread dedicated to holy grail cards from my early collecting years (1980-1989), the cards I always wanted growing up. I consider these four cards I own as the most important from the big four sports. So dudes, let's see your totally gnarly '80s cards!

[Robextend]

I totally agree with Jeff, those are definitely the premier cards of their respective sport for the 1980's. Being primarily a baseball card collector, besides the Griffey, these are my favorites that I own.

[jb217676]

I was too young to buy 1980 Topps when they were released, but I bought a bunch in the mid-to-late '80s. Only ever pulled one Rickey Henderson RC and I remember the centering was pretty bad.

[JasonL]

think you need to add the Marino rookie to the football list for collecting focus back then.

And there was no craze like the Mattingly rookies...

[Doug]

I don't own one, but I was always fond of the '85 Topps Mark McGwire USA Baseball Team card. The first packs I ever bought as a kid were '85 Topps and I remember that card standing out based on how the '84 USA team cards had a different design than the regular '85 Topps cards. As a five year old I didn't know anything about baseball and I thought being the first baseman meant you were the best player on the team. I actually based that theory on the '85 Topps Pete Rose card listing him as the first baseman/manager. Being a kid in the Cincinnati area, Pete Rose was the first player I remember ever hearing about so when I saw that card I remember thinking "He's the first baseman and the manager! That guy must really be good!" Using that logic I figured if Mark McGwire was the first baseman for the USA Baseball team he must be the best player in the country!

[Doug]

Originally Posted by JasonL

And there was no craze like the Mattingly rookies...

This was probably a regional thing, but there was a huge craze here over 1985 Topps Eric Davis rookies. I remember people thinking he was the next Willie Mays and they were going to make huge fortunes off of those cards. I hope they had a backup plan...

[k-dog]

Cool thread. I was not a collector until the early 90's, but here are a few of my favorite cards from each sport:

[JasonL]

Originally Posted by Doug

I don't own one, but I was always fond of the '85 Topps Mark McGwire USA Baseball Team card. The first packs I ever bought as a kid were '85 Topps and I remember that card standing out based on how the '84 USA team cards had a different design than the regular '85 Topps cards. As a five year old I didn't know anything about baseball and I thought being the first baseman meant you were the best player on the team. I actually based that theory on the '85 Topps Pete Rose card listing him as the first baseman/manager. Being a kid in the Cincinnati area, Pete Rose was the first player I remember ever hearing about so when I saw that card I remember thinking "He's the first baseman and the manager! That guy must really be good!" Using that logic I figured if Mark McGwire was the first baseman for the USA Baseball team he must be the best player in the country!

skills as a 5 year old!
makes total sense.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by JasonL

skills as a 5 year old!
makes total sense.

Yeah, I always had a suspicion that I was the inspiration for Dr. House on the Fox TV show.

[ALR-bishop]

I have all the Topps 80s sets. Some Topps 80s sets that were tough for me:

1980 Coins
1982 Blackless
1984 Encased Proofs
1985 Minis ...in blank back and regular back...and partial red back
1988 Cloth

[David W]

Originally Posted by Doug

This was probably a regional thing, but there was a huge craze here over 1985 Topps Eric Davis rookies. I remember people thinking he was the next Willie Mays and they were going to make huge fortunes off of those cards. I hope they had a backup plan...

Our local card dealer "Snyders Coin Shop" had a sign on his marquee back in the day "Buying Eric Davis rookies $10".

The interesting thing was back in 87 or so when they were hot, people really only wanted Topps, now looking back Fleer and Donruss were a lot tougher to find.

[Doug]

I guess this excerpt from Wikipedia explains all of the hype back then, but the last sentence pretty much explains why not to "invest" in these hyped up rookies. Kinda like that Strasburg guy that's already been on the DL twice.

When Eric Davis first appeared in 1984, his physical talents gave him the potential to be one of the most exciting players in the game. He was a rare five-tool player with home run power as well as sheer speed on the basepaths. He made a habit of robbing home runs and elicited comparisons to Willie Mays.

Unfortunately, he was also highly injury-prone, never playing more than 135 games in any season.

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by David W

Our local card dealer "Snyders Coin Shop" had a sign on his marquee back in the day "Buying Eric Davis rookies $10".

The interesting thing was back in 87 or so when they were hot, people really only wanted Topps, now looking back Fleer and Donruss were a lot tougher to find.

When I was a weekend warrior in the late 80's and early 90's my partner and I sold a ton of Eric Davis Topps rookies in the $12-15 range, Topps Boggs rookies for about $30 and some others like unopened Donruss as Canseco after his 40/40 season enabled us to get a lot of $ for unopened packs, which we had hundreds of and had paid ten cents each for when they got blown out in discount stores after the season.

Everyone bitches about worthless, overproduced 80's cards today but if you had them at the right time you could do well. We had picked everything up at retail or cheaper as collectors at the time of issue and I remember we knew the runs for the Boggs rookie in '83 so picked up a zillion supermarket tray packs and always hit. All I can say is if you see a Tony Perez peeking thru a clear cello pack in 83 Topps, Wade Boggs will be under it!

[4815162342]

I collected Ryne Sandberg growing up in the 80's and 90's. In 1994, I had every card of his that was in Beckett, except for the Donruss Elite cards, which I would circle in every Beckett but know that I could never afford!

[jb217676]

Good stuff guys. Here are some other 'grails' from the '80's. If you had these, you ruled the schoolyard! (Back in the day, the McGriff RC was HUGE in Toronto!)

[FUBAR]

Jeff, your Canadian, you need the Leaf version of the Mcgriff!

[jb217676]

Originally Posted by FUBAR

Jeff, your Canadian, you need the Leaf version of the Mcgriff!

Jim, you were laughed at if you had a Leaf instead of a Donruss!

[FUBAR]

id rather have the Leaf, little more rare then the Donruss.... i might have an extra u can have....id have to look though

[cdn_collector]

Originally Posted by jb217676

Jim, you were laughed at if you had a Leaf instead of a Donruss!

Yup....Even the 'best' card would lose a bit of it's luster if it was the Leaf or OPC equivalent and not the Donruss or Topps version.


Regards,

Richard.

[JasonL]

not quite as sought after, and certainly ended quickly, but I recall chasing after Fernando Valenzuela, Tim Raines, Kal Daniels, Cory Snyder, and Juan Samuel rookies in their respective years...

[Beatles Guy]

Here's one of my favs.

[FUBAR]

when i was a kid, no one even knew the difference, nor really cared..... all you could buy where i was was OPC and they were in limited supply... when you seen them, you usually bought as many as you could convince your parents to buy you.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by FUBAR

when i was a kid, no one even knew the difference, nor really cared..... all you could buy where i was was OPC and they were in limited supply... when you seen them, you usually bought as many as you could convince your parents to buy you.

Makes sense to me. In 78 my family took a camping trip cross country with some time in Canada. Niagara to sault St Marie, and the Canadian side of Glacier Natl park. In the east I bought a bunch of 78 OPC baseball But in the natl park they had 1977s! When I commented that they must not sell many cards because they'd been there a year the staff was puzzled. Then a bit amused/mad when I showed them that the cards were a year old. Apparently they'd just gotten them in that week.

Steve B

[FUBAR]

reminds me of a story that happened when the card boom happened in the late 80's early 90's

There was a little chinese store in the town i lived in, and when the boom hit, he decided to pull out all the old unopened cards he had in storage, that never sold over the years. He sold them for face value. So guys were buying early 80's OPC hockey cards for 25 cents per pack and such. By the time i heard, someone had bought them all, i went in and asked the guy and he told me one guy bought the 30 cases or so he had. Sigh.. right place, wrong time...

Baseball cards weren't as popular here, but i still collected them cause there was no hockey cards to collect during the off season.

BTW Glacier national park is a nice drive.... it has gotten kinda touristy now but still nice!

[19cbb]

Originally Posted by toppcat

All I can say is if you see a Tony Perez peeking thru a clear cello pack in 83 Topps, Wade Boggs will be under it!

Wish I knew that when I was 9!
Started collecting that year and I think that 83 Donruss Ty Cobb puzzle (Which I still have framed) got me into vintage baseball.

[Irwin Fletcher]

Great thread guys.

Growing up in the 1980s and a Yankees fan, the "holy grail" card for me was definitely the 1984 Donruss Mattingly RC. I remember the card was so expensive, though, that it was always out of my price range. When I got back into collecting last year, I eagerly snatched up an SGC 96 example for around $35.

Also, don't lump Tim Raines in with flameouts like Juan Samuel and Kal Daniels! Raines should be in the HOF.

Speaking of rookie card flameouts, anyone remember Ricky Jordan and Jerome Walton?

[jb217676]

I remember Ricky Jordan and Jerome Walton very well. I also remember Eric Anthony, another bust.

[Robextend]

Originally Posted by Irwin Fletcher

Speaking of rookie card flameouts, anyone remember Ricky Jordan and Jerome Walton?

Wow Jerome Walton...there is a name for you, Dwight Smith to a lesser extent too.

I remember 1987 Bo Jackson Donruss Rated Rookie cards going for a premium as well...

[JasonL]

I was speaking more about how the cards and interest in them seemed to flameout...sometimes that happens to solid players. I recall a ton of interest in his cards for awhile and then that seemed to really die back alot...that's what I was referring to, not his career. I share your opinion of him.

and don't forget Dave Magidan!

[David W]

Originally Posted by Robextend

Wow Jerome Walton...there is a name for you, Dwight Smith to a lesser extent too.

I remember 1987 Bo Jackson Donruss Rated Rookie cards going for a premium as well...

Somewhere I've still got my 1990 Fleer card orders written down. I used to be able to walk into a store, look at the top card on the pack, and know if Walton or Smith were in that pack.

[slidekellyslide]

Anyone remember the hype for Wally Joyner cards?

[HRBAKER]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

Anyone remember the hype for Wally Joyner cards?

.........yes, and the Bo Jackson b/w Score card with football/baseball.

[FUBAR]

The Bo Jackson score card (dream Team), is from 1991. Still a great looking card, all the score dream team cards were pretty decent.

[Beatles Guy]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

Anyone remember the hype for Wally Joyner cards?

Kevin Seitzer and Chris Sabo too.

[HRBAKER]

Originally Posted by FUBAR

The Bo Jackson score card (dream Team), is from 1991. Still a great looking card, all the score dream team cards were pretty decent.

Jim,
I think that the Bo B&W was from 1990 actually but to me the 80s and 90s are kind of one big flusher of over produced cards anyway.

[vintagechris]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

Anyone remember the hype for Wally Joyner cards?

Speaking of Wally World, those 1986 Donruss Rookie sets were super hot!

[Wite3]

Busts...

Early '80s was Lonnie Smith, Baines, and Charboneau. They were really hot for awhile.

Late '80s was Greg Jeffries was huge for awhile...so was Mark Grace rookies. Steve Avery was also hot.

Joshua

[HRBAKER]

The list is seemingly endless..................Sam Horn, Ricky Jordan, Mike Greenwell and on and on and on. The aforementioned Gregg Jefferies though was the king of the age of unrealized hype.

[jb217676]

Being from Toronto, I vividly remember the hype for Junior Felix (Claim to Fame: Caught the last out of Dave Stieb's no-hitter)

[FUBAR]

I paid a ridiculous amount of money for a Leaf gold rookie of .... wait for it......


Todd Van Poppel.... he was the next big (cough strasburg) thing!

[mantleman]

Originally Posted by JasonL

not quite as sought after, and certainly ended quickly, but I recall chasing after Fernando Valenzuela, Tim Raines, Kal Daniels, Cory Snyder, and Juan Samuel rookies in their respective years...

HAHA the good ole days, I remember searching through rack packs looking for 87 Topps Rookies.

[David W]

Originally Posted by JasonL

not quite as sought after, and certainly ended quickly, but I recall chasing after Fernando Valenzuela, Tim Raines, Kal Daniels, Cory Snyder, and Juan Samuel rookies in their respective years...

I thought I would be a teen age millionaire because I had several "Fernand" Valenzuela error cards from 81 Fleer (I think).

[GoldenAge50s]

Anybody want to buy a stack of Andy Benes RC's?

[nfbuckeye]

Luis Medina and "Bam Bam" Meulens.

[JasonL]

Originally Posted by GoldenAge50s

Anybody want to buy a stack of Andy Benes RC's?

You might try giving the Benes home a ring...

[GoldenAge50s]

You might try giving the Benes home a ring...

I already did---They said "No Thanks"!

[DaClyde]

Originally Posted by Wite3

Busts...

Early '80s was Lonnie Smith, Baines, and Charboneau. They were really hot for awhile.

Charboneau was so hot, he even had a song written about him. What happened to those days? People used to write songs about players all the time and they actually got radio play and sold copies. These days, with the "democratization" of the music world on the Internet, where are the dozens of YouTube stars singing about Stephen Strasburg?

Originally Posted by nfbuckeye

Luis Medina and "Bam Bam" Meulens.

And what's wrong with Hensley "Bam Bam" Meulens?

The Hensley Meulens Gallery

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by jb217676

Jim, you were laughed at if you had a Leaf instead of a Donruss!

I was there for it! Nobody wanted Leaf, OPC baseball or Canadian Score Hockey!

This thread is not complete without at least mentioning Gregg Jeffries! The '88 Score was stellar!

[Rob D.]

Originally Posted by GoldenAge50s

Anybody want to buy a stack of Andy Benes RC's?

This made me laugh out loud.

I know it won't help the value of the stack of RCs you have of him, but for what it's worth, I don't think I ever played with or against anyone who was as dominant as Benes was for about a four- to six week stretch his first year as a professional.

After he signed as the first pick in the 1988 draft he was assigned to Class AA Wichita in the Texas League for the '89 season. I played outfield (and also rode the bench) for that team, so I had a great view of just about every start he made. He was 8-4 in Double-A before being promoted to Class AAA Las Vegas and then the Padres (where he went 6-3 as a 21-year-old.) But more than his record was the way he just overmatched hitters and sometimes just seemingly toyed with them.

I can't tell you how many times I'd be in center field and Benes would get ahead of a hitter 0-2. Then he'd work on his change-up two pitches in a row, miss with those, then maybe throw a curve that would miss badly ... and then blow the poor guy away with a fastball or exploding slider. It was like he knew he could get a hitter out whenever he wanted to by going back to the good stuff. During this one stretch he won three or four starts in a row, and I think he struck out 10 more more in just about every start.

I wouldn't have blamed anyone who saw him pitch that first year for investing in his cards. Heck, one game Bill James drove from Kansas City just to see Benes pitch. (The highlight of that season for me was meeting James in the clubhouse and telling him I was a huge fan of his work. He looked surprised, then looked at my stats listed on the insert of that night's game program and said, "Hey, you've got a good secondary average.")

Benes, by the way, was a good guy, too. His nickname in spring training was "Andy Bonus," and he took it just the way you should and never copped an attitude. Probably because he knew he was earning interest.

[Robextend]

Good stuff Rob.

And for the record even though he might not have lived up to his full potential, Benes still had a very solid major league career. I remember him having a couple very strong years early on with the Padres and then kind of rejuvenated his career with the Cards in the mid-nineties.