Most important 80s base set?

84 FU is ground breaking because people started to want the players FIRST card(MLB uniform). Not necessarily what Beckett told them was the RC.

Limited.
Star power.

85 Topps was loaded, but once people learned that Puckett and Clemens had stuff from the year before, it changed the game.

It was Bowman Draft 20 years ahead of time.

While I'll agree the 84 Update sets (D/F/T) carried more value, due to it's "limited" availability relative to the pack issued cards from 1985 Topps, the OP did say "80's Base set", not update sets or limited editions (Glossy,Tiffany's, Etc). My point, 1984 Fleer update wasn't a base set.

jbhofmann said:

84 FU is ground breaking because people started to want the players FIRST card(MLB uniform). Not necessarily what Beckett told them was the RC.

Limited.
Star power.

85 Topps was loaded, but once people learned that Puckett and Clemens had stuff from the year before, it changed the game.

It was Bowman Draft 20 years ahead of time.

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No love for the 1983 Topps set? It's a beautiful set with three pretty good rookie cards in it.

I'd agree with 89UD and 84D and 84 FUpdate, each can be argued. But how about 1981 Topps Update? Fernandomania was in effect, Topps just had their monopoly broken, and while they had the strongest base set entry, they wanted to show they were responsive to collectors. Rather than wait till spring to put out a Fernando card (not to mention a solo card of Tim Raines), but also get all the trades/FAs like Fisk, Sutter, and Morgan in their new uniforms (it was more of an update set than a rookie set, after all), they went back to their previous habit of putting out multiple series, although it was a special one-shot deal after the season. I can't recall if it was only available through card shops, but I think there was a way to order by mail. That began, or restarted, the cycle of late- or post-season updates, which then begat update sets from all 3 brands, then different kinds of updates when they saw how rookies drive product, then a return to actual multiple series, then the different brand lines, etc.

My Top 5 list (compiled by someone who collected in the 1980's)

1. 1984 Donruss

- Why? Anyone who was active in the hobby will tell you that this set all but saved the hobby single handedly. The set was 'the' set to have well in to the 90's and the Mattingly card almost dethroned the 1952 Topps Mantle as the most iconic card in baseball. It also had RC cards of Carter, Strawberry, and strong second year cards of Boggs, Gwynn, and Sandberg, not to mention very desirable cards (at the time) of Rose, Ryan, and Ripken. Anyone who actively collected throughout the 1980's will surely know the 1984 Donruss' importance to the 1980's and baseball cards as unrivaled.

2. 1985 Topps

- Simply put it was LOADED with value and set the standard for the RC card chase. At one time it contained desirable and valuable cards (to varying degrees) of Gooden, Clemens, Puckett, McGuire, Hershiser, Davis, Snyder, as well as some nice 2'nd and 3'rd year cards (when that still mattered). The USA cards were different than anything out there at the time and Topps still had a foothold on the hobby albeit Fleer and Donruss were catching up.

3. 1986 Donruss

From the very beginning this set was coveted as something different, something more desirable than Topps or the Fleer offering. When the Canseco card exploded it basically dethroned the Mattingly Donruss RC as 'the' card to have and solidified Donruss as the Top card manufacturer value wise. It also offered RC cards of McGriff, Dykstra, Fielder, and a few others that gained popularity and value on and off again throughout the years. In fact, I have not seen anything before or since that compares to the 1986 donruss craze when the Canseco card took off.

4. 1989 Upper Deck

The introduction of a base/premium brand ushering in such things as premium paper quality (for base cards), holographic foil, 'tamper proof' packaging, and a new feel/look for the hobby moving forward. Not to mention a excellent RC crop that included (to name a few) Randy Johnson, Sheffield, and Ken Griffey Jr. Oh and least we forget that the Jr. RC card was the card to dominate the iconic list for the next decade.

5. 1989 Bowman

The introduction of the 'modern' bowman card was born. It had a funny look and size but clearly was here to test the waters to see if the hobby was ready for something different. The lessons learned from that first set (and subsequent early 1990's sets) are what gave rise to what we have now.


** I intentionally omitted any Updated or Traded sets due to my understanding of the question at hand. If included, the 1984FU would have potentially made the list.

The topic is "Most important 80s base set."
'84 Fleer Update and '81 Topps Traded aren't base sets, so I don't know why those keep being brought up.

I'd say as most important to the hobby, the obvious answer is '81 Donruss and Fleer, since they broke the monopoly and changed collecting forever, leading to the '80s boom.

'89 Upper Deck would be second, forcing the other companies to produce premium base sets, like Leaf, Stadium Club, Ultra, Pinnacle, etc.

'84 Donruss completely changed the Hobby without changing the price point, production ways or even card backs.

It gets my Vote since it kinda opened the door for 1989 Upper Deck...

Well, I'd quibble over the semantics of what a "base set" is but the 1981 sets didn't break the monopoly. A judge broke the monopoly. The sets were the result of that ruling. So the answer may be the "set" of papers the judge wrote in handing down her decision. Otherwise, the answer is clearly 1989 Upper Deck, with nothing else close. While something similar may have come along eventually to start the market on the path that lead to where it is now, 1989 UD was that set.

Really interesting thread! I would toss my vote to 84 Donruss as well.

If we are saying that the 81 non-Topps didn't break the monopoly then I'll go with 89 UD for sure

89 Upper Deck

For me it would be 1987 Topps because it got me into collecting, but for the hobby I think it would be 1989 Upper Deck, changed everything.

Regardless of current value, 1988 Score was pretty revolutionary for a "base" set. Bright, bold and crisp colors, on the front and back. Color photos and full write-ups on the back...this was the first real "premium" card that the hobby saw. Sure, Upper Deck added a hologram a year later along with foil instead of plastic packaging...but don't under sell the importance of 1988 Score.

As for the 1984 Fleer Update set, I remember vividly going into Beulah Sports Cards in Glenview and seeing it for the first time...same thought when I saw stacks of 1986-87 Fleer Basketball and Bulls team sets..."no thanks."

The most important 80's base set was 84 Donruss. The most important set produced in the 80s, with any designation of update, tiffany, etc., was 84 Donruss. Based on all the OP's factors, it was 84 Donruss.

If you were collecting back then, you know. Card collecting wasn't just about the hottest RCs. Stars had a following and people paid money for them as well. There were also more rookies that people wanted besides Don Mattingly, at one point or another. I can recall Kevin McReynolds, Don Mattingly, Joe Carter, and Ron Darling to name a few.

Only one honest person here that will admit that 1986 Donruss was important.

Most turn their back on him now, but in the late 80's/early 90's , Canseco's RC and the 1986 Donruss set was the game changer.

Didn't it reach $100 at one point?

It's certainly an opinion based question and you could argue several products, but I don't think there is anything about honesty involved and 1986 Donruss wouldn't even crack my top 10 most important 80's base sets. 1986 was one of the most useless years ever produced (IMO).

CubsfanP said:

Only one honest person here that will admit that 1986 Donruss was important.

Most turn their back on him now, but in the late 80's/early 90's , Canseco's RC and the 1986 Donruss set was the game changer.

Didn't it reach $100 at one point?

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I think the discussion has taken two directions...
- important at the time of release
- important in the years following

With these two directions, there are a lot of correct/reasonably argued answers.

200lbhockeyplayer said:

Regardless of current value, 1988 Score was pretty revolutionary for a "base" set. Bright, bold and crisp colors, on the front and back. Color photos and full write-ups on the back...this was the first real "premium" card that the hobby saw. Sure, Upper Deck added a hologram a year later along with foil instead of plastic packaging...but don't under sell the importance of 1988 Score.

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Instantly disqualified for me because of terrible loose clear packaging that made the packs entirely searchable. Who was it I remember kids looking through packs for? Ellis Burks?

gracecollector said:

Instantly disqualified for me because of terrible loose clear packaging that made the packs entirely searchable. Who was it I remember kids looking through packs for? Ellis Burks?

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Jefferies

ThoseBackPages said:

Jefferies

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I thought he was 1989, no?