1985 Topps Mini?

mygotta

I have collected in the years 1985-1991 and then back since last year. And have never heard of the 1985 Mini sets. Apparently there are not many, but I see no real stars in the lineup. Can anyone tell me more bout them?

CubsFan41

I have one for my registry set. Three versions, one with blank brown back, one with white blank, and the one in my registry is identical to regular issue.
Limited run of players included. Someone will chime in on how they were released.

ReggieCleveland

There's got to be a thread here that talks about them. I know I've seen Bob or Al wax poetic about them somewhere. Perhaps it was on N54.

MattyC

There are some stars like Yount, Schmidt, and Murray I believe. They can be pricey based on BINS, but I have personally never come across one at auction. That said I don't regularly search for them. I contemplated getting into them, as I am a huge 75 mini fan (even dig the white mini League Leader cards from the 80s). Many are blank back, and they weren't distributed from Topps directly to the public via packs, etc. Their market, I believe, is somewhat thin. Hence paying big loot didn't sit well with me. Very, very cool cards though. Wish Topps put them in packs. I recall that some use different photos from the regular issue, which would have been SWEET!

MiniDuff

Saw them at shows back in the 80s in NY and thought they were very cool. There has been an uncut sheet set on ebay for some time now as well. Very limited items.

grote15

IIRC, the impetus behind them was the 10th anniversary of the 75 mini set, but the idea never really caught on.

ldferg

I thought most of the stars in the 85 set were included in this: Ryan, Schmidt, Yount, etc...

mygotta

They look interesting, but a Schmidt at a BGS 9 for $1200 is not very interesting. Nor a BGS 8 at $1000. And it seems one seller (gotthecoin) has the market on them at the moment. Not much interest in them otherwise, based on past sales.

jackstraw

I always thought that they were printed in Canada to test OPC cutting techniques and thus
were not issued? I think all are back doored?

mikeschmidt

Rare to find, not so rare in high grade.

The MINT Schmidts that are available via Buy It Now are overpriced. You can probably by a slightly out of focus example in raw shape for slightly over $100-.

I think they are cooler than the 1982 Blackless cards...but like those, there are a few market makers that seem to have pricing that are not commensurate with auction pricing data.

M

calaban7

I have the lone Steve Rogers PSA 9 card . With Bob having such an incredible 85 Mini set , I almost feel guilty for having this one card , but my man love for Steve is greater than my admiration for Bob's great effort . ---- Sonny

ToadMan

This test issue looks exactly like the 1985 Topps standard-size counterparts, but measures a slightly smaller 2 3/8" by 3 9/32" and are printed on white OPC-like card stock. These cards were produced in extremely limited quantities and probably were supposed to be destroyed. I read once that employees pulled them from the dumpster. Only one of the six 132-card sheets were produced in this fashion, thus none of the key Rookie Cards exist in mini form. It is estimated that 100 or less of each card exists. Approximately 2/3 of the cards were printed with the complete backs while the others are blank backed. Values for the blank back cards are from the same value to 1.5 times the prices listed below. Card numbering matches the 1985 Topps issues.
Here's a list of the cards:

12 Davey Lopes
15 Jerry Koosman
17 Mike Scott
25 Steve Bedrosian
44 Dickie Thon
65 Bill Buckner
68 Von Hayes
72 Rick Sutcliffe
75 Willie Upshaw
82 Joe Price
88 Bryn Smith
91 Jeff Burroughs
95 Jose Cruz
96 Johnny Ray
109 Gary Roenicke
113 Tom Herr
114 Bob James
117 Greg Gross
120 Steve Kemp
121 Checklist
128 Ernie Whitt
148 Steve Yeager
150 Jim Rice
151 Moose Haas
154 Angel Salazar
156 Craig Reynolds
160 Lance Parrish
165 Dusty Baker
170 George Foster
178 Miguel Dilone
185 Al Holland
190 Rusty Staub
198 Eddie Milner
201 Burt Hooton
205 Steve Rogers
209 Bill Campbell
210 Gary Matthews
218 Doyle Alexander
222 Hubie Brooks
223 Tom Hume
225 Mike Boddicker
229 Dave LaPoint
230 Gary Carter
235 Garry Maddox
236 Mark Thurmond
237 Julio Franco
239 Tim Teufel
248 Terry Forster
250 Jesse Orosco
251 Brad Gulden
255 Lonnie Smith
261 Checklist
263 Mel Hall
266 Frank Voila
287 Walt Terrell
306 Rick Reuschel
310 Manny Trillo
313 Dave Schmidt
325 John Denny
330 Leon Durham
333 Willie Hernandez
340 Robin Yount
343 Bill Russell
345 Charlie Lea
352 Joe Morgan
355 Bert Blyleven
358 Tony Pena
360 Steve Carlton
362 Craig McMurtry
375 Jeff Reardon
379 Charles Hudson
415 Ron Darling
445 Tippy Martinez
446 Jim Sundberg
450 Steve Garvey
452 John Castino
464 Mike Mason
470 Steve Sax
485 Matt Young
487 Frank Williams
489 Bryan Clark
491 Rick Camp
495 Mario Soto
500 Mike Schmidt
501 Dan Schatzeder
504 Jerry Williard
511 Lee Smith
515 Dave Concepcion
520 LaMarr Hoyt
526 Dave Palmer
530 Dave Dravecky
538 Keith Moreland
545 Lloyd Moseby
551 Andy Van Slyke
554 Doug Flynn
556 Sixto Lezcano
560 Bill Madlock
563 Dick Ruthven
566 Ed Vande Berg
568 Cliff Johnson
569 Ken Oberkfell
575 Pedro Guerrero
580 Dwight Evans
589 Bob Dernier
592 Jeff D. Robinson
603 Rick Manning
608 Craig Lefferts
610 Jack Morris
613 Terry Puhl
615 Marvell Wynne
619 Jeffrey Leonard
625 Mark Langston
630 Tim Raines
634 Bill Dawley
670 Tom Seaver
673 Buck Martinez
674 Atlee Hammaker
685 Bill Caudill
700 Eddie Murray
725 Floyd Bannister
729 Don Sutton
731 Neil Allen
736 Jerry Mumphrey
748 Lee Mazzilli
753 Greg Brock
755 Ken Singleton
757 Willie McGee
760 Nolan Ryan
762 Eddie Whitson
775 Mookie Wilson
780 Mike Flanagan
782 Tom Neidenfuer

ToadMan

Big names would be:

150 Jim Rice
340 Robin Yount
352 Joe Morgan
355 Bert Blyleven
360 Steve Carlton
670 Tom Seaver
700 Eddie Murray
760 Nolan Ryan