Although, 1986 Topps baseball cards weren't necessarily my favorites as a kid, the nostalgia surrounding them has really grown on me in recent times.
And, I think this is true for many collectors these days...
Back in the day, many collectors didn't care for the design and the set lacked the rookie card power that others in the 1980's had.
But, nowadays, it seems like collectors are becoming quite forgiving to this set and are snatching up PSA 10 examples these cards for hundreds of dollars in some cases.
The prices of some of these cards may surprise you...
And in this guide, we take a look at the 10 most valuable in the set.
Let's jump right in!
1986 Topps #100 Nolan Ryan
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $2,250
Nolan Ryan was infamous for two things throughout his Hall-of-Fame career: power and durability.
Both were on display in 1986, but one characteristic stood out more than the other.
Now in his seventh season with the Houston Astros, Ryan struck out 194 batters on the season at a rate of 9.8 per nine innings.
Not bad for a 39-year-old.
The power was still there, obviously.
But it was Ryan's durability that was even more eye-popping.
After tearing a ligament in his elbow during the season, Ryan made two trips to the disabled list.
Ignoring suggestions to shut down and opt for surgery, Ryan kept throwing the rest of the season and even started Game 2 of the NLCS against the New York Mets.
Ryan took the loss that day and the Astros eventually fell 4-2 in the series.
During the offseason, Ryan again ignored calls for surgery.
Somehow, his elbow miraculously healed on its own.
And not only did he not regress in 1987, Ryan went on to pace the NL in ERA (2.76) while finishing tops in the Majors with 270 strikeouts.
1986 Topps #500 Rickey Henderson
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $2,000
Next, we have one of my favorite players ever: Rickey Henderson.
Yes, he may be famous for speaking in the third person but he's also incredibly famous for his production on the field.
In my opinion, he was one of the most exciting players to watch.
He could hit.
And man, could he run...
If I had to form the perfect lineup in history, I'd probably want this guy to be my leadoff hitter.
The all-time leader in runs scored and stolen bases is definitely deserving of a spot on this list.
1986 Topps #690 Ryne Sandberg
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $2,000
Ryne Sandberg is a Hall of Famer and former MVP so there's no questioning his status as one of the all-time greats.
But it still might be surprising why his 1986 Topps card in PSA 10 condition may be worth nearly as much as guys like Nolan Ryan and Rickey Henderson.
His is another case of where scarcity comes into play in a big way as there are currently only seven PSA 10 examples of this card in circulation.
The shock factor isn't quite as strong in this case compared to Eric Davis, however.
This card features a great image of Sandberg with a bright smile on his face.
I'm not a Cubs fan but it would've been nice to see Sandberg get a World Series ring...he was a classy player.
1986 Topps #1 Pete Rose
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $1,100
Speaking of great hitters, next on our list is the game's all-time hits leader: Pete Rose.
As controversial as he is, Rose remains one of the game's greatest and most popular players in history.
Known for his extreme dedication and hustle, Rose piled up hit after hit over his career and spearheaded some great ball teams.
Will he ever be inducted into the Hall of Fame?
It's a question that seems to pop up year after year...
1986 Topps #28 Eric Davis
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $850
Eric Davis broke out in 1986 and finished 12th in MVP voting after hitting 27 home runs, driving in 71 runs, and scoring 97 runs.
And since Davis was not a Hall of Famer, it may seem odd that his card tops this list when you consider the other players on it.
But it is true... when his card comes up for sale in PSA 10 condition, it typically sells for much higher prices than what you might think.
It's not his rookie card. Nor was 1986 a significant year for the Cincinnati Reds.
The high price tag mostly has to do with the fact that there are currently only three PSA 10 examples of this card in existence as of the time of this writing.
It's a prime example of how baseball card values aren't always just based on the biggest names alone...
1986 Topps #180 Don Mattingly
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $500
If it wasn't for Roger Clemens' historic 1986 campaign, Don Mattingly may have taken home his second consecutive MVP award.
This was Donnie Baseball at his peak.
Perhaps the most important piece of the New York Yankees' pennant race puzzle, Mattingly put on a hitting clinic all year long.
The 25-year-old first baseman was an automatic extra-base hit with an MLB-best 53 doubles, 31 homers, and two triples.
Mattingly set a career-high with a .352 average and topped the Majors in slugging percentage (.573), OPS (.967), OPS+ (161), total bases (388), and hits (238).
Mattingly wasn't just lethal in the batter's box.
He was also the shoo-in choice for a Gold Glove and the most durable player out there, registering an MLB-leading 742 plate appearances.
Clemens' stat lines jumped off the page and landed him 19 of a potential 28 first-place votes.
Mattingly came in second with five, outdistancing Boston's Jim Rice with four.
1986 Topps #10 Tony Gwynn
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $450
You know Tony Gwynn's a shortlist candidate for the GOAT of hitters.
What you may forget is that there was a time when he was the best defensive right fielder in the NL.
Gwynn was league-average with the glove in his first two years before breaking out in 1984 and 1985.
With the help of his teammates and newly retired middle infielder Rob Picciolo, the Padres legend spent every day of the 1986 season playing wall ball.
Thousands of practice caroms, flies, and grounders gave the 26-year-old a valuable source of reps.
Gwynn's batting line was typically magnificent.
He slashed .329/.381/.467 with a new career-high 14 home runs and 59 RBIs in 160 games.
Gwynn paced all National Leaguers in hits (211), WAR (6.7), at-bats (642), and runs (107).
Most excitingly for Gwynn, he won his first Gold Glove in right with an NL-best .989 fielding percentage and 337 put-outs.
"Half the world doesn't know I have (five Gold Gloves)," Gwynn wrote later. "When I won my first one in 1986, I jumped up and down on the bed."
1986 Topps #340 Cal Ripken Jr.
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $400
Cal Ripken Jr. already had the reputation as the American League's most potent hitting shortstop going into the 1986 season.
After all, he had a 1982 Rookie-of-the-Year Award, the 1983 MVP, and three consecutive Silver Sluggers to show for it.
The offensive firepower wasn't just there; it was expected.
However, when his defensive work began to rival his hitting output, that's when Cooperstown really started calling.
Ripken put up standard Ripken numbers in '86: a .282/.355/.461 slash line, 25 home runs, 35 doubles, 70 walks, 98 runs, and 81 RBIs in his customary 162 games.
He posted the exact same OPS as 1985 (.816) yet added over a win to his WAR total (6.7).
Why?
Well, Ripken put in a ton of offseason work to lift himself to an elite D level at short.
It worked, as the 25-year-old led the Majors in assists (482) while posting a new career-best .982 fielding percentage.
1986 Topps #700 Reggie Jackson
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $400
1986 wasn't exactly a "lame duck" season for Reggie Jackson.
But it was close...
Now 40 and heading into the final year of his deal with the California Angels, Jackson was linked to his former Oakland A's squad for months of rumors.
Jackson won three consecutive titles with the Athletics from 1972 to 1974, and enough time had passed since his sour exit to Baltimore in 1976.
They still had to play games in '86, though, and Jackson was a productive middle-of-the-order bat for the AL West champs, slashing .241/.379/.408 with 18 home runs and 58 RBIs in 132 games.
Now a liability in the field, Jackson played all but four games at DH.
The Angels made it to October for the second time in Jackson's stay, but "Mr. October" didn't quite show up.
Reggie hit just .192 in his final six postseason games with no home runs as the Angels fell to Boston four games to three.
Soon thereafter, Jackson was back in the trademark green and gold for one last hurrah.
1986 Topps Traded #50T Bo Jackson Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $500
The 1986 Topps Traded Bo Jackson rookie cards is his most desirable and most expensive card you can find.
In fact, his 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany card can be worth over $2,000 in PSA condition.
Remember, the Tiffany versions were produced in much smaller quantities and were printed on premium card stock.
Finding them in PSA 10 condition is much tougher, hence the high price tag.
I've always loved this card and it's probably my favorite one in the set overall.
Bo Jackson was huge when I was a kid and his popularity is still quite high to this day.
1986 Topps #300 George Brett
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $350
George Brett gritted his teeth through the 1986 season to put up All-Star numbers yet again.
The pain started for the Kansas City Royals' third baseman on July 1st against the Seattle Mariners.
As per usual, Brett went all-out on a diving attempt at a defensive stop.
He landed awkwardly on his side and injured his right shoulder.
The Royals played it safe with Brett, giving him rest whenever possible.
The 33-year-old also opted out of the All-Star Game to rest up during the break.
Although he was still obviously hurt, Brett continued to rake in the second half.
He ended the year slashing .290/.401/.481 with 16 home runs, 28 doubles, 70 runs, 80 walks, and 73 RBIs in 124 games.
He also led the AL with 18 walks despite missing nearly a quarter of the season.
Brett's '86 numbers are even more impressive when you consider that Brett reaggravated his shoulder in late August and was forced to undergo offseason surgery.
1986 Topps Traded #11T Barry Bonds Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $325
Technically Bonds' rookie card is part of the Topps Traded set but I decided to include it and a couple others from the set on this list given how iconic they are.
The 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany version of Barry Bonds' card can be worth big bucks, as much as $1,250 in PSA condtition.
Of all the cards in this set, I think Bonds' is one of the best-looking and most memorable.
The huge yellow lettering of the Pirates team name across the top paired with that awesome retro Pirates jersey and cap make this card really pop.
Bonds' legacy will forever be shadowed in controversy, but with or without PEDs there is no question he was one of the game's most talented players who ever stepped onto the field.
Had he not been involved with PEDs, there's no doubt he would be a Hall of Famer.
1986 Topps #400 Rod Carew
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $300
Rod Carew didn't want to fade off into the sunset as another player past his prime.
So, when he didn't receive a fair contract offer to start the 1986 season, the former Rookie-of-the-Year and MVP just kept waiting and pondering.
After all, Carew had over 3,000 hits in the bag, over 1,000 RBIs and walks, and over 1,400 runs scored.
He was a Hall-of-Fame contributor for both the Minnesota Twins and California Angels, amassing 18 consecutive All-Star appearances and seven AL batting titles.
Still, Carew didn't get the contract love his sizeable resume called for.
Rather than taking over as a coach somewhere or settling for a chance unbefitting of his accomplishments, Carew took the hint and announced his retirement in early June.
"I don't want people to see me looking bad," Carew said. "I want people to remember me with good skills. I don't want to relive the past."
1986 Topps #520 Keith Hernandez
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $300
The 1986 season was huge for the New York Mets as they would go on to win the World Series title that year.
On a team that featured Darryl Strawberry and Gary Carter, Hernandez wasn't necessarily their most explosive or powerful hitter.
But he was easily one of their most well-rounded and popular players and would go on to finish fourth in MVP voting that year.
I think this card featuring playing first base is fitting since that was arguably what he was best known for: the guy was a fantastic defender and would win 11 Gold Glove awards over his storied career.
1986 Topps #661 Roger Clemens
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $275
Roger Clemens was a victim of his own success and his own mouth.
That's what makes his best seasons so vexing.
In 1986, Clemens deserved the MVP award, which he won despite multiple media protests over a pitcher taking home the honors.
"The Rocket" won a career-best 24 games for the eventual AL champion Boston Red Sox, the highest total in the Majors.
He also led the Junior Circuit in ERA (2.48) and fell a handful of strikeouts short of a Triple Crown.
Clemens joined fellow '86 Cy Young winner Mike Scott as the only two qualifying starters with a WHIP under 1.000 (0.969).
However, it wouldn't be a Clemens season without drama.
After he set a new single-game record with 20 strikeouts, the 23-year-old asked the media to back off a bit.
"The attention I enjoyed and appreciated at first after breaking the strikeout record soon became stressful," Clemens said.
The pressure cooker kept steaming, though, as the Sox marched to within a game of breaking the Bambino's Curse.
Clemens remained Boston's ace, but the mumbles around him were starting to get louder.
1986 Topps #386 Cecil Fielder Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $250
The Toronto Blue Jays never figured out how to get the most out of Cecil Fielder.
Their indecisiveness eventually became the Detroit Tigers' gain.
After an impressive 1985 cameo at the Skydome, Fielder was a player to watch in 1986 Spring Training.
New Jays manager Jimy Williams was impressed by the 22-year-old's dedication, especially considering he dropped nearly 20 pounds during the offseason.
Williams was intrigued by the possibilities with Fielder, but never found much of a place for him.
The Toronto skipper wondered aloud if the kid would be best as a left fielder, but Fielder only saw one game in left across his two '86 Big-League stints.
Fielder bookended the campaign with brief appearances in Toronto, ending up with just 90 plate appearances in 34 games.
He played primary DH most of the time with a few exceptions around the diamond.
Fielder's numbers never really justified the DH role, especially his bleak .157 average and .222 on-base percentage.
1986 Topps #250 Dwight Gooden
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $225
New York Mets ace Dwight Gooden had a "letdown" season during arguably the greatest season in franchise history.
To be honest, he set himself up for it with one of the greatest Cy Young campaigns of all time.
One year removed from winning the pitching Triple Crown with MLB bests in wins (24), ERA (1.53), and strikeouts (268), Gooden had the shadow of one of history's greatest pitching seasons looming over his head.
He still had an impressive All-Star year, mind you.
Despite a WAR (4.5) around a third as big as the season before, Gooden finished 17-6 with a 2.84 ERA in 250 innings pitched.
The 21-year-old tossed 12 complete games and struck out 200 batters for the third straight year to open his career.
The magic, though, was more about the rest of the team and less about Gooden.
He took losses in three of his four postseason starts, compiling an unsightly 1.615 WHIP.
It didn't matter.
The Mets picked Gooden up in a six-game NLCS win over Houston and a seven-game Series victory over Boston, bringing home the franchise's second world championship.
1986 Topps #329 Kirby Puckett
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $225
When Kirby Puckett put his mind to something, there was little the rest of the American League could do to stop him.
Think about this.
In 1984, Puckett was a light-hitting rookie center fielder with zero home runs and only 17 extra-base hits in 583 plate appearances.
With 1985 factored in, the future Hall-of-Famer tallied just four homers in his first 1,327 PAs.
That's when Puckett went to work.
Partnering with Minnesota Twins hitting coach Tony Oliva, the 26-year-old added several new wrinkles to his swing, the most important being his signature leg-kick.
Just like that, Puckett was an elite slugger.
He won AL Player of the Month for April with a .396 average and a league-best eight home runs, four more than he hit in the first twelve months of Big-League games.
Puckett concluded 1986 with a career-best 31 home runs to go along with a pretty .328/.366/.537 slash, 96 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, 223 hits, and 119 runs.
He started in his first All-Star Game and took home both a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove.
1986 Topps #730 Ozzie Smith
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $225
1986 was the valley between two NL pennants for the St. Louis Cardinals.
It was a very deep valley.
For some reason, nearly the entire Cardinals club forgot how to hit from April through September.
St. Louis placed dead last in the Majors in several offensive categories, including runs per game (3.73) and batting average (.236).
The only reason they even sniffed .500 was the team's fourth-ranked pitching staff.
Giving up a run or two often proved lethal, so they had no choice but to pitch lights-out.
Oddly enough, it was the oft-maligned hitting of Ozzie Smith that bailed the Cardinals out throughout the year.
Smith led all St. Louis starters with a .280 average and trailed only utility infielder Jose Oquendo (.297) among lineup regulars.
If Smith had any sort of power, the Cardinals might have put together a winning season.
However, "the Wizard" went 0-for-the-season in home runs for the fourth time in his first nine Big-League seasons.
1986 Topps #170 Gary Carter
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $200
Gary Carter had two good years for the New York Mets.
The second of those is why he remains one of the most beloved players in franchise history.
Carter was the epicenter of New York's formidable 1986 batting attack, finishing third for NL MVP with a .255/.337/.439 slash line, 24 home runs, and 105 RBIs in 132 games.
The former three-time Gold Glove recipient also ushered the Mets' pitching staff to the Majors' best ERA (3.11)
However, Carter's NY immortality rests on one improbable swing during one improbable rally that turned the 1986 World Series on its head.
Carter had eight hits against Boston, but there was none bigger than his two-out, tenth-inning single in Game 6.
Down 5-3 and an out away from a Red Sox celebration, the Mets plated three to shock the Sox and set up a Game 7 party.
"If you watch the video with Gary walking to the plate, you see that sense of determination," teammate Bob Ojeda said. "He was not going to make that out."
1986 Topps #600 Dale Murphy
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $200
The first half of the 1980s was Dale Murphy's time.
The second half was much more challenging.
Three years removed from the second of his back-to-back MVP wins in 1983, Murphy remained in his usual middle-of-the-order slot.
However, the rest of the team was in flux, and the team's talent pool was pretty dang shallow.
The Braves weren't world beaters from 1980 to 1984, but they still had a playoff appearance and three winning seasons to show for themselves.
By 1985, the team's roster crumbled, and the Braves entered one of the worst periods in their long franchise timeline.
Things were so bad in 1986 that Murphy actually sat out a game to cut his consecutive games streak at 740.
Murphy's numbers were fine enough otherwise.
The 30-year-old made it five straight All-Star appearances and Gold Gloves, slashing .265/.347/.477 with 29 home runs and 83 RBIs for the last-place Braves.
1986 Topps #53 Len Dykstra Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $175
The 1986 New York Mets were known for two things: winning and nightlife craziness.
Center fielder Lenny Dykstra was right there for both of those pursuits.
On the field, Dykstra earned a regular spot in center as Mookie Wilson labored through injury rehab.
He quickly grew into a down-ballot MVP candidate, posting a .295/.377/.445 slash line with 31 stolen bases, 27 doubles, seven triples, and 77 runs scored.
Dykstra was even more crucial to the Mets' fortunes in the playoffs.
After hitting just eight homers in 147 regular-season games, Dykstra added three huge ones in 13 October contests, including a walk-off bomb to stun the Astros in Game 3 of the NLCS.
The Mets eventually won the title in a seven-game classic against Boston, and the party was on.
Oh boy, was the party ever on.
Dykstra was one of the ringleaders of New York's most notorious group of revelers and played a key role in organizing much of the gambling that went on among the players and their hangers-on.
1986 Topps #200 Mike Schmidt
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $175
Only three National League hitters have won three or more MVP awards: Barry Bonds, Stan Musial and Mike Schmidt.
Schmidt's third MVP win came in 1986 and was a bit of an upset, considering the Mets finished 22 games ahead of his second-place Phillies in the NL East and had two legit MVP candidates of their own in Gary Carter and Keith Hernandez.
In the end, Carter and Hernandez basically canceled each other out, and Schmidt finished comfortably ahead of Astros first baseman Glenn Davis for the historic honor.
Schmidt ended the '86 MLB season as the NL champion for home runs (37) and RBIs (119).
The 36-year-old third baseman also led the Senior Circuit in slugging (.547), OPS (.937), intentional walks (an MLB-leading 25), and OPS+ (153).
Schmidt did all of this while once again putting on a defensive clinic.
After snapping his Gold Glove streak at nine the year before, the Hall-of-Famer got his eleventh in twelve seasons.
1986 Topps #780 Robin Yount
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $175
Robin Yount spent his first eleven years as one of the game's best shortstops.
Injuries cut that short in 1984, but the Milwaukee Brewers icon was not deterred.
Not wanting to be stuck as a DH for the remainder of his career, Yount threw himself doubly hard into his offseason work before the 1986 season.
When he emerged during Spring Training, he was healthy, happy, and ready to do whatever the team needed out of him.
That included moving to center field full-time.
"He's a manager's dream," Brewers skipper George Bamberger said at the time. "Never complains, never wants to sit out, just shows up every day and plays."
Yount brought his lunch pail with him, and the numbers reflected his work ethic.
The 30-year-old became the seventh youngest player to reach 2,000 hits in early September and finished the regular season sixth in the AL with a .312 batting average.
1986 Topps #30 Eddie Murray
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $150
The 1986 season was a nightmare for Eddie Murray and the Baltimore Orioles.
The O's placed dead last in the AL East for the first time in the Divisional Era (1969).
They were an average-hitting team and a bad pitching squad, and that added up to 73 wins.
Gone was a four-year streak of winning seasons.
And gone were nearly all of the good vibes.
Much of that had to do with the infighting between Murray and O's owner Edward Bennett Williams.
After Murray was sidelined for a month in July and early August with a hamstring injury, the bickering really took center stage.
Murray called out Williams for dismantling the team after Baltimore's 1983 World Series win.
Williams countered by publicly chastising Murray for a perceived lack of effort.
The toxicity between the two would only intensify until Murray was traded to the Dodgers after the '88 campaign.
1986 Topps Baseball Cards In Review
For years, the 1986 Topps baseball set didn't get much attention in the hobby as many collectors thought the design wasn't all that great.
In fact, some even believed this set is one of the ugliest of any Topps ever produced.
However, in recent years, that opinion has changed.
And many of the cards in this set are now hugely popular.
Loaded with Hall of Famers, it will take them being professionally graded in gem mint condition to be worth much.
This set was a monster and contained a 792-card checklist in total.
Within the set were also several different inserts and subsets, including:
- Rose Special (Cards #2 - 7
- Turn Back The Clock
- Record Breakers
- All-Stars
- Glossy All-Stars (1 per rack pack)
- Team Leaders
- Managers
- Checklists
As you can see, some of the cards in this set can fetch a huge price tag in pristine condition.
But for those of us who grew up collecting these as kids, they'll always have a huge nostalgic factor even if they don't have the most monetary value.