Take a poll of 792 veteran collectors asking them to name the best set of the 1980s, and I’ll lay dollars to gum stains that 1983 Topps baseball cards will be a strong contender for the top spot.
Sure, you’ll have plenty of people who can’t resist the nostalgia of 1987’s wood-grained borders or the (supposed) game-changing slickness of 1989 Upper Deck, but you can rest assured that 1983 Topps will be well-represented.
And why not?
With a clean-crisp-classic design, huge star power, interesting subsets, and — YES! — a heavyweight class of rookie cards, 1983 Topps offers something for everyone.
And that goes for the high rollers, too, those collectors/investors who want to sink their hobby cash into some blue chip cards.
Because, though you can’t claim that 1983 Topps baseball is limited in any sort of way, it also predates the explosive and soul-sucking Junk Wax Era by a bit, and these cards have held their own in the modern market.
In fact, the top pasteboards in this set are downright hobby classics, with plenty of money changing hands in the name of pursuing them, even here in the 2020s.
And that’s why we’re here today — to take a look at the very best the set has to offer, with an eye toward both nostalgia and card value.
What follows, then, are the most valuable 1983 Topps baseball cards, by measure of actual selling prices for copies in PSA 9 condition (the most common grade handed out for the set by the hobby giant).
And, if you keep reading past #1, you just might find some bonus listings PLUS the best of the best among 1983 Topps Traded baseball cards.
Ready for the show?
Great … let’s play ball!
(Note: The following sections contain affiliate links to eBay and Amazon listings for the cards being discussed.)
25) 1983 Topps Ozzie Smith (#540)
Ozzie Smith had a pretty decent first year in St. Louis after the December 1981 challenge trade of shortstops that sent Garry Templeton to the Padres in exchange for the light-hitting Wizard.
Not only did he win a third Gold Glove, but he also notched his first of 15 All-Star appearances.
And, oh yeah – the Cards ended the year as world champions.
The next season, collectors delighted in this sterling first Ozzie-Cardinals card (if you set aside his 1982 Topps Traded issue for the moment).
Value: $15-20
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24) 1983 Topps Carl Yastrzemski (#550)
Yastrzemski entered the 1983 season with more than 3000 hits, 440 home runs, an MVP award, a Triple Crown, 43 years of living under his belt … and nothing at all left to prove.
So, it was little surprise when he announced his retirement, but it also gave this final Topps card of his a bit more hobby oomph.
It’s still a classic today.
Value: $15-25
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23) 1983 Topps Reggie Jackson (#500)
Guess who led the majors in home runs in 1982?
Yeah, it was 36-year-old Reggie Jackson, who christened his Angels career by smashing 39 long balls to tie Milwaukee’s Gorman Thomas, while also driving in 101 runs.
All of that was good enough to land Reggie some MVP consideration (he finished sixth in voting) and one of the greatest cards of 1983 … if not of all time.
Value: $15-25
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22) 1983 Topps Andre Dawson (#680)
You couldn’t have a conversation about the “best player in baseball” during the 1980s without focusing on Andre Dawson, the Expos right fielder who could do it all: hit, run, crush, field, throw.
And, in 1983, we got to witness The Hawk in peak form, as he hit .299 with 32 home runs, 113 RBI, 104 runs scored, 25 stolen bases and finished second (to Dale Murphy) in National League MVP voting.
His crisp, vibrant Topps card was a favorite right out of the pack that year, and it only became more popular as Dawson piled up the stats.
Value: $20-25
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21) 1983 Topps Frank Viola Rookie Card (#586)
Viola’s rookie showing of 4-10 with a 5.21 ERA did little to make his 1983 Topps RC a hot item among kids or collectors.
Ditto his follow-up of 7-15, 5.49.
But, when Sweet Music fired up his orchestra to the tune of 18-12, 3.21 in 1984, we all sat up and listened.
And, by the time he nabbed the 1988 A.L. Cy Young award, this card was one of the stoutest of all 1983 Topps pasteboards.
Value: $20-25
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