1986 Topps Baseball Official Thread

Stingray · January 9, 2009 1:58AM

Could not find one so I thought I would start one. Just bought my first graded one. Was wondering who on these boards collects this set and why. Pass along anything on this set that you can.

DavidPuddy · January 9, 2009 2:20AM

Here's all the info I have on this set;
It's tough!

mmsportscards · January 9, 2009 2:36AM

Sting

86's are tough as puddy said.

From what I take out after cracking tons of product. That racks provide pretty good corners but the black is not that plush.
Ive found some FACTORY SETS have the deep glossy black. Some cards just pop and other remain to be dull. It very hard
to find the team letter in solid color. Biggest problem is corners they seem to be brittle and the cards seem to be thin.

Im doin it raw and selling my dups graded. My last batch I just ran are some of the best Ive seen. Reason why I like the set
I just love the black borders honestly and the challenge.

Grading them very hit and miss you wont make much money if any unless you hit the 10's.

BugOnTheRug · January 9, 2009 2:45AM

I'm going to build a 1986 Topps all-psa 10 set. Yipee!

Rogermnj · January 9, 2009 9:27AM

I've sold over 50 psa 10s over the last year and most go for $15-$50 with the majority right around $20.00.

There are a few people working on this set in psa 10 and i think one day more people will appreciate just how touch it is.

After cracking tons of 80s cases i would probably put this 2nd behind 1981 as toughest 80s topps set.

If all the rookies from 1986 topps traded would be in the regular set, it would probably be 50x more popular on the registry.

artimus · January 10, 2009 3:33AM

Does anyone need a #380 LaMarr Hoyt psa 9 or a #786 Twins Leader Mickey Hatcher psa 9?

Stingray · January 11, 2009 5:52AM

Looks like that Reggie Jackson PSA 10 is going to sell for a pretty penny. Was over $100 with just over 10 minutes left.

lsutigers1973 · January 11, 2009 12:49PM

I have subbed a handful and just sent in some more. So far I have received one PSA 10 and it was for my personal collection. The ones I sent to resell if they came back as 10's, all got 9's except for one PSA 7 Vince Coleman.

msohn · January 11, 2009 2:42PM

I collect 1986 Topps baseball because it was the first set that got into collecting as a grade-schooler. I remember saving every dollar that I had to buy packs from the local convenience store. I spent many nights going through every card I had, memorizing stats and everything else.

Stingray · January 11, 2009 8:40PM

<< I collect 1986 Topps baseball because it was the first set that got into collecting as a grade-schooler. I remember saving every dollar that I had to buy packs from the local convenience store. I spent many nights going through every card I had, memorizing stats and everything else. >>

That is what I use to do with the cards I collected back in the mid-70s. Are you collecting this set graded or raw??

msohn · January 13, 2009 4:02PM

I am trying to complete the set graded -- all PSA 10. It is going to take a while --- 14% done so far.

rbdjr1 · January 13, 2009 5:51PM

Ripped a couple of cello boxes and a couple of wax boxes too!

rd

HoofHearted · January 17, 2009 11:07AM

<< Cheap!

approx. $24.00 for two cello boxes (+ BBCE, UPS shipping) (that's 48 cello packs!)
>>

You're getting me excited about doing another rip. The last one I did was the '75T minis back in ???. I only opened one of those packs and have the rest as received.

I just checked my '86T inventory and I've got 3 raw sets and about 1,000 dupes. Maybe I could help complete someone's set eventually?

Best of luck on the rip and on completing your Registry Sets!

rbdjr1 · January 17, 2009 10:40PM

rbdjr1 · January 18, 2009 10:36PM

here's what we really want

(credits: scans pulled from the PSA set registry, thanks!)

mickeymantle24 · January 19, 2009 3:53AM

Nice cards everybody!!

rbdjr1 · January 19, 2009 8:04PM

Here are my first additions to my new registry set!

Stingray · January 19, 2009 8:12PM

Are you trying for an all PSA 10 set??

rbdjr1 · January 20, 2009 12:49AM

<< Are you trying for an all PSA 10 set?? >>

yes!

Stingray · January 20, 2009 1:06AM

Good luck on that, not if a ton of this has been graded, mostly the star cards I believe. Some commons still with no PSA 10s!!

Pittfan · January 20, 2009 2:46AM

This is one tought set. Just cracked a 6 box rack case sent in the best 3 cards from the whole case and got 3 9's.

rbdjr1 · January 20, 2009 4:57AM

<< Good luck on that, not if a ton of this has been graded, mostly the star cards I believe. Some commons still with no PSA 10s!! >>

Thanks Kirk! I know this will be a $10,000 mistake!

I must love "pain & suffering"!

I always liked this set! So here I go again!

rd

rbdjr1 · January 20, 2009 5:00AM

<< This is one tought set. Just cracked a 6 box rack case sent in the best 3 cards from the whole case and got 3 9's. >>

Pittfan, I should be receiving two original cello boxes (from BBCE), 48 cello packs, ...1,200 cards! Maybe I'll do better than you and pull 4 9's?

rd

ldferg · January 20, 2009 11:11AM

rd,
good luck. i hope you have the will power to tough it out. i'll submit a few for you. i've cracked 2 rack cases recently (6-box and 3-box) and have 200+ in card saver I's waiting to send.

i'll be rooting for you. hopefully you can keep us updated in your quest and bring a few more others on board.

rbdjr1 · January 20, 2009 1:03PM

<< rd, good luck. i hope you have the will power to tough it out. i'll submit a few for you. i've cracked 2 rack cases recently (6-box and 3-box) and have 200+ in card saver I's waiting to send. i'll be rooting for you. hopefully you can keep us updated in your quest and bring a few more others on board. >>

Thanx David!

ripped 12 cellos (out of 48 packs) so far! (maybe I'll find something worth grading? I'm to tired to "look and loop" tonite!)

There seems to be some nice commons, centered with decent looking corners, plus I scanned all the stars in those first 12 cello packs (...the good, bad and ugly!): here's some:

rd

rbdjr1 · January 20, 2009 1:12PM

<< rd, good luck. i hope you have the will power to tough it out. i'll submit a few for you. i've cracked 2 rack cases recently (6-box and 3-box) and have 200+ in card saver I's waiting to send. i'll be rooting for you. hopefully you can keep us updated in your quest and bring a few more others on board. >>

Thanx David! You know "I'll pull the trigger"!

ripped 12 cellos (out of 48 packs) so far! (maybe I'll find something worth grading? I'm too tired to "look and loop" tonite!)

There seems to be some nice commons, centered with decent looking corners, plus I scanned all the stars in those first 12 cello packs (...the good, bad and ugly!): here's some:

rd

Wabittwax · January 22, 2009 2:37AM

I used to grade a lot of 1986 Topps. Absolutely brutal. In my opinion, possibly the toughest set of all time. The quantity of product that you have to open to get even 1 PSA 10 is unparalleled, even with 1975 Topps. I think I averaged about 1 black bordered PSA 10 per about 1000-2000 cards coming from rack packs, which is traditionally the highest quality product. You'd think PSA would cut a little slack being they are so tough but they don't. Huge payoffs though if you hit a star card in PSA 10. I remember when the first Ryan 10 sold on Ebay, it was sick money. If the day comes that PSA 9's routinely sell for grading fees, you will see many more people collecting this set. I think that's the only draw back so far is people not wanting to lose their butt on a stack on 9's.

Boopotts · January 23, 2009 1:16AM

<< I used to grade a lot of 1986 Topps. Absolutely brutal. In my opinion, possibly the toughest set of all time. The quantity of product that you have to open to get even 1 PSA 10 is unparalleled, even with 1975 Topps. I think I averaged about 1 black bordered PSA 10 per about 1000-2000 cards coming from rack packs, which is traditionally the highest quality product. You'd think PSA would cut a little slack being they are so tough but they don't. Huge payoffs though if you hit a star card in PSA 10. I remember when the first Ryan 10 sold on Ebay, it was sick money. If the day comes that PSA 9's routinely sell for grading fees, you will see many more people collecting this set. I think that's the only draw back so far is people not wanting to lose their butt on a stack on 9's. >>

I think this set is a real sleeper. In another fifteen years or so, when people roughly my age (b. 1972) start to enter their late 40's, I bet we'll see interest in this set start to really pick up.

gosteelers · January 23, 2009 4:18AM

<< 

<< I used to grade a lot of 1986 Topps. Absolutely brutal. In my opinion, possibly the toughest set of all time. The quantity of product that you have to open to get even 1 PSA 10 is unparalleled, even with 1975 Topps. I think I averaged about 1 black bordered PSA 10 per about 1000-2000 cards coming from rack packs, which is traditionally the highest quality product. You'd think PSA would cut a little slack being they are so tough but they don't. Huge payoffs though if you hit a star card in PSA 10. I remember when the first Ryan 10 sold on Ebay, it was sick money. If the day comes that PSA 9's routinely sell for grading fees, you will see many more people collecting this set. I think that's the only draw back so far is people not wanting to lose their butt on a stack on 9's. >>

I think this set is a real sleeper. In another fifteen years or so, when people roughly my age (b. 1972) start to enter their late 40's, I bet we'll see interest in this set start to really pick up. >>

Freudian slip or direct comparison to the '71 set with the tough black borders? In 15 years, the '86 set would be around for 38 years...the same time difference as the '71 set is to the present time. As Cosmo Kramer once said, 'I just blew my own mind'...

Stingray · January 23, 2009 4:20AM

But will demand ever out strip the supply??

Boopotts · January 23, 2009 1:13PM

Ha! Cool observation, gosteelers. That didn't occur to me (although I wish it had).

Hard to say on the demand/supply issue, because technically supply never outstrips demand (unless the price goes to zero). There will always be plenty of this stuff floating around, I imagine, although it's probably worth pointing out that this was the last set Topps issued before they really opened the production floodgates. It's also by far the most condition sensitive set of the '80's, and like Wabbitwax said before I think the cardstock on this issue was the worst Topps ever used. It's just terrible-- very soft and mushy.

It'll never rival the high profile vintage sets, but as the years go on we'll probably start seeing occasional bidding wars on PSA 10 commons and semistars, with prices at times going over $75 per PSA 10. That wouldn't surprise me a bit, considering how cyclical PSA 'registry wars' tend to be. It probably won't sustain at those prices, but it will likely happen at least occasionally.

ldferg · January 24, 2009 2:06AM

i had these 2 graded at one time. i no longer own them. the gwynn is one of the toughest i've found to be centered along with schmidt and brett.

Fabfrank · January 24, 2009 6:54AM

This was the first year I started buying Topps product in bulk. As with most product, Rack cases are the way to go. I repeat- CASES. Because of sequencing, packs were frequently "thumbed" during this and subsequent years. That just adds to the issues this year has.
I basically agree with Boopotts. Demand is cyclical. 10's are hard to get, but currently don't demand large premiums.
Like most modern sets in PSA 10, build it for love.

rbdjr1 · January 30, 2009 12:21PM

Newbie

rbdjr1 · January 31, 2009 7:22PM

newbies!

HighChopper · January 31, 2009 11:32PM

Is the Ryan off top to bottom?

You guys shouldn't have started this thread. I'm jumpin' in.

HighChopper · January 31, 2009 11:33PM

Oooops ...

Boopotts · February 1, 2009 6:33AM

<< rd,
good luck. i hope you have the will power to tough it out. i'll submit a few for you. i've cracked 2 rack cases recently (6-box and 3-box) and have 200+ in card saver I's waiting to send.

i'll be rooting for you. hopefully you can keep us updated in your quest and bring a few more others on board. >>

FWIW if you found 200 cards that you think could grade a PSA 10 from nine rack boxes you're almost certainly going to take an epic bath on that submission. Legit black-bordered PSA 10 candidates usually fall about 2-3 per rack box, IMExperience-- and that assumes you have a 'good box'. You might be able to find a few more if you mix in the Team Leader cards, or some of the Commemerative AS cards, but the pops on all of those have exploded to the point where they aren't worth submitting.

jradke4 · February 1, 2009 8:04AM

from the looks seem likes 10's might be a little easier that thought. 3 out of the same sub?

rbdjr1 · February 1, 2009 12:12PM

<< Is Ryan off top to bottom?

>>

I think so!

rd

ldferg · February 1, 2009 12:26PM

boo,
you're probably right about the 86s. i may prescreen again before submitting. i'll do a 50 card lot first.

rbd,
is that your ryan?

rbdjr1 · February 3, 2009 4:30AM

<< rbd, is that your ryan? >>

David, the first one is from The Rocky Mountain Collection Set #5 (Nolan Ryan Basic Set - 45 cards). and the second scan is from Bob Couser's Nolan Ryan Basic Topps Set #2 (Nolan Ryan Basic Topps Set - 48 cards)

............... The Rocky Mountain Collection

............... Bob Couser's Nolan Ryan Basic Topps Set

rd

rbdjr1 · February 3, 2009 6:08AM

... And when I play poker, my "Pete Rose Bronze card protector"!

rd

mmsportscards · February 3, 2009 11:46PM

rb_

Could you tell me what those bronze roses are??? I have an 85 but no clue how or what.

PS THanks for the bids!!!! Guess it was a 35 dollar card afterall.

Gator

Stingray · February 4, 2009 12:53AM

<< rb_

Could you tell me what those bronze roses are??? I have an 85 but no clue how or what.

PS THanks for the bids!!!! Guess it was a 35 dollar card afterall.

Gator >>

Those bronze cards were put out by Topps in the 80s, not sure exactly what years. But the came in a special wooden case with about 12(?) or so star cards in bronze for that year. Each card is mini-sized I believe to about 1.5" or less in size. Each card I believe was in a plastic wrapper inside the case.

jradke4 · February 4, 2009 12:58AM

some also came included in Traded Set cases I believe.

ldferg · February 4, 2009 1:26AM

are these similar to the silver cards that were issued as well?

lsutigers1973 · February 10, 2009 12:54PM

21 1 14171067 GEM MINT 10 1986 TOPPS 80 DARRYL STRAWBERRY Card US
22 1 14171068 MINT 9 1986 TOPPS 83 PHIL GARNER Card US
23 1 14171069 GEM MINT 10 1986 TOPPS 600 DALE MURPHY Card US
23 2 14171070 MINT 9 1986 TOPPS 600 DALE MURPHY Card US
24 1 14171071 MINT 9 1986 TOPPS 741 PETE ROSE Card US
25 1 14171072 MINT 9 1986 TOPPS 780 ROBIN YOUNT Card US

Feel I got some love on 2 and got robbed on the rest. Really thought the 10s were 9s and the 9s were 10s.

rbdjr1 · February 12, 2009 8:13AM

<< 

<< rb_Could you tell me what those bronze roses are??? I have an 85 but no clue how or what. PS Thanks for the bids!!!! Guess it was a 35 dollar card after all. Gator >>

Those bronze cards were put out by Topps in the 80s, not sure exactly what years. But the came in a special wooden case with about 12(?) or so star cards in bronze for that year. Each card is mini-sized I believe to about 1.5" or less in size. Each card I believe was in a plastic wrapper inside the case. >>

Gator, all u need is one or two interested parties, and a ten dollar card becomes a 40 dollar item!

I also have one of these (about 1 1/2" x 1") Pete Rose teenie weenie bronze, put away somewhere. Stingray is correct, it comes in a plastic "blister wrap", on a piece of printed cardboard. It's the tiniest 1986 Topps #1 Rose card type item ever!

rd

mmsportscards · February 12, 2009 9:15AM

Rb---40 it hammerd at 74 or some odd deal then the underbidder wanted me to sell it to him anyway lol he forgot about it. Yeah for me I finally made money on 86's after 4 years. Btw Im sure I'll tank on the 100 I have in now

I am listing some real nice 9's tonight take a look at the puckett iyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiyiiiii

Gator

rbdjr1 · February 12, 2009 11:15AM

<< Rb---40 it hammerd at 74 or some odd deal then the underbidder wanted me to sell it to him anyway lol he forgot about it. Yeah for me I finally made money on 86's after 4 years. Btw Im sure I'll tank on the 100 I have in now

I am listing some real nice 9's tonight take a look at the puckett iyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiyiiiii Gator >>

I just got this one!

rd

PSA graced this card with a 10, even with a "white ink blemish" on the left edge reverse! (otherwise, a "looker" !!!)

1986 Topps Baseball Official Thread

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