Buzz Break: 1985 Topps Super Baseball pack

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The pack: 1985 Topps Super baseball cards pack
Where to buy: Where/if you can find

Cards per pack: 3
Base set completion: 
3 of 60 (5 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards – Mark Langston, Rick Sutcliffe, Lance Parrish

Insert cards: None

Autographs/Memorabilia: Not for a few years

What's Buzz-worthy: For a three-year stretch in the 1980s -- 1984 to 1986 -- Topps trotted out these jumbo sets of cards with top stars and others of note from the time as a Super way of collecting that didn't involve having to collect all 792 cards. The first year? It had 30 cards. This year? It exploded to 60 cards with three per pack. The final year -- one not easily found at all these days in pack form (I've never seen it, let alone ripped it) -- also had 60. These cards are just under 5-by-7 and are basically identical to the standard cards save for the card number. They also are printed with the same stock but a little cleaner for this particular year compared to what you'll find if you bust the standard stuff. This pack? It was far stronger back then than it is now but it's still a set I'd dig into. Why? It's inevitably rarer than the standard cards and far cheaper. It includes Ryne Sandberg, Don Mattingly, Tony Gwynn, Dwight Gooden, Dale Murphy, Mike Schmidt, Gary Carter, Rickey Henderson, Tim Raines, Eddie Murray, Nolan Ryan, Steve Carlton, Alan Trammell, Reggie Jackson, Darry Strawberry, Tom Seaver, Pete Rose, Robin Yount, George Brett, Ozzie Smith, Cal Ripken Jr., Jim Rice and Dave Winfield along with a number of others. That's a stacked lineup. You can see the whole checklist in the gallery below. Topps has been producing a number of 5-by-7 sets as part of its wall art lineups the last few years and they've been something for player collectors to chase -- and for buyers to break and sell -- but the singles aren't always super-pricey. Why? Storage of these guys is a little tougher than standard cards. (There are top-loaders and pages out there.) Another plus for these cards? Their size can get you a larger autograph if you opt to get them signed -- those can look pretty good, actually.

Product Grade: A
Pack Grade: C-
Fun Grade: A-

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