A Look at the Set That Inspired 2025 Topps Series 1 Baseball
In anticipation of 2025 Baseball Series 1's upcoming release, Topps has been teasing some of the highlights and design points. While big news includes the return of Barry Bonds auto cards, we were also given a look at the insert card design that will pay homage to Topps 1990 Baseball, commemorating the 35th anniversary of the set. The insert will include auto versions from Bonds, Paul Skenes, Jackson Holliday, and more. 1990 Topps Baseball Chrome Autos will include Bo Jackson, Bobby Witt Jr., and Aaron Judge, among others.
Barry Bonds is Back in the Hobby
While the 792-base card set may be lacking overall from a secondary market perspective, Topps 1990 Baseball is nonetheless a memorable entry from the era. The markedly colorful base cards are easily recognizable and identifiable, and seeing some of the game's current stars, including Shohei Ohtani, given the 1990 treatment should be a fun trip down memory lane.
The original set features stars like Bo Jackson, Nolan Ryan and Barry Bonds, as well as rookie cards from Frank Thomas, Bernie Williams, and Sammy Sosa. The most (in)famous card from the set is #414 Frank Thomas. Not only did the Big Hurt have a great career, a small number of his rookies in this set were printed without his name on them. An error of this size and import is extremely rare, and the card remains highly sought-after these three and half decades later. A PSA Mint 10 sold in auction for almost $150,000 in November of last year. Per Goldin, the card is "one of only 279 copies holdered across all levels by PSA—as opposed to more than 23,000 PSA-graded "Correct" examples."
While not his rookie, Ken Griffey Jr.'s Topps 1990 baseball is a fun early card of the then-prodigy. The image was beautifully-chosen, featuring Griffey Jr. with bat in hand, looking out from the dugout. The All-Star rookie cup is a nice touch. A great card for any collector of "The Kid".
Despite not commanding much in the way of price, one intriguing piece of nostalgia is the Deion Sanders RC. From his brief stay with the Yankees, Sanders' card back announces that he had "acquired the nickname Prime Time" - the nickname stuck.
The Story Behind George H.W. Bush's 1990 Topps Baseball Card
One particularly fascinating oddity is President George H.W. Bush's special edition card with a red, white, and blue designed based on the 1990 Topps Baseball design. Featuring the then-sitting President from his time as a first baseman at Yale University. SI writer Clemente Lisi wrote a fascinating piece on the card back in October. Today, a version of the card sold for $8,000.
With the added attention from the commemorative insert celebrating 1990 Topps Baseball set, the original cards could get a fresh look from collectors.
Michael Terry is a writer based in Brooklyn. He specializes in sports, culture, and collecting. His work has appeared at Topps RIPPED, ESPN, Grantland, Vice Sports, and more.