When 1986 Topps baseball cards first hit store shelves that spring, expectations were sky high on the heels of a 1985 set that was jampacked with high-profile rookies. And, although the set fell flat in terms of stellar first-year cards, it still holds collector interest all these years later.
And it doesn’t hurt any that the 1986 Topps Traded set featured a couple of hobby heavyweights that continue to spark imaginations today.
With that in mind, here is a rundown of the most valuable 1986 Topps baseball cards … plus the most valuable 1986 Topps Traded baseball cards … plus a few bonus listings, all as determined by actual selling prices for cards graded PSA 9.
(Note: The following sections contain affiliate links to eBay and Amazon listings for the cards being discussed.)
25) 1986 Topps Dale Murphy (#600)
Although he was a couple years removed from his two MVP awards, Dale Murphy remained among the most popular players in the game as 1986 dawned.
After all, he won home run titles in both 1984 and 1985, and he was headed straight for the Hall of Fame.
As things turned out, of course, Murph had only a couple of truly standout seasons in him before a steep decline phase sapped his career totals.
Still, the die was cast as far as collectors were concerned, and Murphy’s cards – including this classic kneeling pose – still sell well today.
Value: $10-15
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24) 1986 Topps Tom Seaver (#390)
Seaver ended up on the southside thanks to the Mets leaving him unprotected in the 1984 free agent compensation draft, and he used the new start to post two winning seasons after two losing ones, with the Reds and Mets.
No matter, really, since Seaver was already a legend by then.
And, yeah, he STILL looks sort of odd in a White Sox uniform, but it’s better than the mess we’d find in the Topps Traded issue late that fall.
Value: $10-20
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23) 1986 Topps Carlton Fisk (#290)
At nearly 40 years old, Carlton Fisk should have been about finished when his 1986 Topps card hit store shelves, but he just kept on chugging into the early 1990s.
Fisk’s amazing Hall of Fame career keeps him popular among collectors today, and this card features Pudge in a classic shot, chugging out of the batter’s box.
Value: $15-20
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22) 1986 Topps Wade Boggs (#510)
Wade Boggs followed up his amazing 1983 batting-crown breakout (.361) with a more mortal .325 batting average in 1984.
For anyone who thought that opposing pitchers had discovered kryptonite in their rosin bags, though, let me tell you – Super Boggs returned in full force in 1985, to the tune of a major-league-leading 240 hits and .368 batting average.
Even a hobby built on the long ball couldn’t ignore that sort of prowess at the plate, and Boggs started to creep back up hot lists. By the spring of 1986, his Topps (and Fleer and Donruss) card was a premium pull.
Still is.
Value: $15-20
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21) 1986 Topps George Brett (#300)
At 32, George Brett managed to stay on the field for 155 games in 1985, the most he had logged since 1976, nearly a decade earlier.
But Brett didn’t just merely play – he hit a career-high 30 home runs, drove in 112 runs, and batted a robust .335, helping his Royals to another division crown … an American League pennant … and their first World Series title ever.
Coupled with a booming hobby, Brett’s rebound to health and superstardom pushed his cards forward and made all his 1986 issues must-haves for collectors.
We still love Mullet and his cardboard even all these years later.
Value: $15-20
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20) 1986 Topps Ozzie Smith (#730)
Ozzie Smith was already generally acknowledged as the greatest defensive shortstop of all time when this card was issued, but his lack of offensive firepower limited his hobby appeal.
A little more swagger at the plate and a run at 2500 hits – and, of course, enough Gold Gloves to field a couple teams – over the latter half of his career helped boost The Oz’s profile among collectors, and his cards are as popular as ever these days.
Value: $15-20