The Toughest Topps Baseball Sets From the 1980s

While digging through my archives, I found a list from another collector on what they felt were the hardest Topps sets of the decade to complete. I don’t have the original source, but it’s worth sharing, so I’ve added brief notes on each set, and plan to explore them in more depth down the road.

1980 Topps Test Coins

The Standard Catalog describes the 1980 Topps Test Coins as follows: “These silver-dollar size (1-3/8’’ diameter) metal coins appear to have been a Topps test issue. The coins have a player portrait at center on obverse. On reverse center is player personal data and a Topps copyright line. Coins have been seen in compositions resembling bronze, silver and gold. Some of the coins have a hole at top.”

Huggins and Scott sold this Reggie Jackson Silver test coin for $1800 in April 2014.

For more on the sets, check out this series of articles on The Topps Archives blog.

1982 Topps Blackless

The 1982 Topps Blackless set is made up of 396 cards. Apparently, during production, some A, B, and C sheets were printed without black ink, eliminating the cards’ facsimile autographs.

1985 Topps Minis

The 1985 Topps Minis were never released for sale but still reached the hobby market. Topps was said to have commissioned O-Pee-Chee to make this test mini set, so sometimes you will see them referred to as OPC cards. I’ve read that about 130 test sheets made it out of the factory, along with ~10 blank-backed proof sheets with vanilla paper stock and ~5 proof sheets with tan card stock. Collectors can find only 132 of the 792 cards (the single sheet) from the Topps set in the mini version. 

1984 Topps Encased or Head in Box

These cards are referred to as 1984 Topps Proofs, Encased, or Head in Box cards. Sixty-six cards (half of an A production press sheet) made their way into the hobby. The cards are blank-backed. The portrait photo in the lower-left corner is entirely within the black frame on these cards.

1988 Topps Cloth

The 1988 Topps Cloth Experimental Issue was produced on heavy textured paper, like a high-quality paper towel. Somehow the set made its way onto the market in a “limited way.” The 121 cards in the checklist are blank-backed.

1989 Topps Heads Up!

Sometimes you will also see these cards referred to as Big Head Suckers. The 24-card test issue was made up of superstars and came one per pack.

1989 Topps Batting Leaders

One batting leader card was included in each Kmart blister pack. The red-bordered cards aren’t super hard to find individually, but you’ll rarely find a complete set for sale. The set has 22 cards.

1989 Topps Doubleheaders Mets/Yankees

The “regular” Double Headers All-Stars set is very common. But the 24 Mets/Yankees cards were regionally issued and much tougher to track down, and the 8 Mets/Yankees proofs are even more challenging. The Standard Catalog states, “Each double header plastic frame holds miniature versions of the player’s 1989 Topps card, and his first Topps card, printed on thin paper.”

The 1980 Topps Pepsi Test issue feels like it belongs, too. What other challenging Topps sets from the decade stand out to you? I’d love to hear in the comments or on X.

Happy Collecting!