1980-1989 Hockey Cards

The 1980s were an up-and-down decade for collecting in general. However, 1980-1989 hockey cards came out of the decade without the same problems seen by baseball. It also helps that the period featured rookie cards for some of the bigger names in modern hockey. Junk wax would arrive in hockey, but that did not happen until the 1990s. Once again, O-Pee-Chee and Topps were the two main options for collectors.

While none of the 1980s hockey cards could compete with the Wayne Gretzky rookie card in terms of hobby love, three rookie players were clear favorites for collectors. Mark Messier, Mario Lemieux, and Patrick Roy provide the highest values. Other popular rookies include Steve Yzerman, Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey, Joe Sakic, Jari Kurri, and Ron Francis.

1980-81 Topps Hockey Trading Card Set

1980-81 Topps Hockey Trading Card Set is notable for its scratch-off card fronts. A loaded rookie card checklist includes Ray Bourque, Mike Gartner and Mike Liut.

Product Details

1980-81 Topps Hockey Trading Card Set did something that had never been tried in any sport's base set. Trying to determine whether there was any interest in the concept, the company placed a scratch-off area over the player's name. In the past, scratch-off areas were relegated to the backs of cards and usually were a separate area that included a trivia question. This method made it hard to identify the player without a checklist, especially for those collectors who didn't know who the players were. However, cards that have been scratched have a severe hit on their values.

1980-81 Topps Hockey Trading Card Set fronts feature a player photo that is sometimes posed, but is usually a game-action shot. A puck graphic is in the lower right corner. The top part contains the player's name, but has been covered with scratch-off material. The player's position appears on the edge of the puck. A banner extends at an angle from the puck and contains the team name. On the back, another puck icon in the upper left corner contains a card number, and a strip extending across the card gives the player's team and position, but not his name. A box of vital stats appears, followed by a main area with year-by-year statistics and short bullet points if needed. A cartoon about the player appears on the right side.

There are 264 cards in a complete 1980-81 Topps Hockey Trading Card set. All-Star players are given their own subset, which runs from card 81 through 92. Players who were on the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team are given a shield designating their part of history. The first five cards in the set feature highlights and record breakers, cards 161 through 168 shows the league leaders in several categories and the final three cards in the set recap the playoffs. There are two checklist cards in the set, and a change in team cards leaves a single player featured as a leader in some category. Unlike previous years, these are scattered throughout the set.

Ray Borque is the most significant rookie in 1980-81 Topps Hockey trading card set, but there is actually a larger crop of first-year players than usual. Other notable rookies include Mike Gartner, Dave Christian, Mike Foligno, Michel Goulet, Mike Liut, Ken Nilsson, Brian Popp, Rob Ramage and Rick Valve.

How We Grade:

Gem Mint (GMT): (10.0) A flawless card. To be in Gem Mint condition, a card’s borders must have a ratio of 50/50 side to side and top to bottom. 

Mint (MT): (9.0-9.5) A perfect card. Well-centered with parallel borders which appear equal to the naked eye. Four sharp, square corners. No creases, edge dents, surface scratches, paper flaws, loss of luster, yellowing or fading, regardless of age. No imperfectly printed cards – out of register, badly cut or ink flawed – or card stained by contact with gum, wax or other substances can be considered truly Mint, even if new out of the pack. Generally, to be considered in Mint condition, a card’s borders must exist in a ratio of 60/40 side to side and top to bottom. 

Near Mint/Mint (NM/MT): (8.0-8.5) A super high-end card that appears Mint 9 at first glance, but upon closer inspection, may exhibit a very slight wax stain on reverse, slight fraying at one or two corners, or a minor printing imperfection. Centering must be app. 65/35 to 70/30 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse. 

Near Mint (NM): (7.0-7.5) A nearly perfect card at first glance, but upon closer inspection, may have slight surface wear, slight fraying on some corners, slightly out-of-register picture focus, a minor printing blemish or slight wax stain on reverse. Centering must be 70/30 to 75/25 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.

Excellent/Near Mint (EX/NM): (6.0-6.5) Card may have visible surface wear or a printing defect. A very light scratch. Corners may have slightly graduated fraying. Picture focus may be slightly out-of-register. Card may have minor wax stain on reverse, may have very slight nothing on edges. Centering must be 80/20 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.

Excellent (EX): (5.0-5.5) Corners are still fairly sharp with only moderate wear. Card borders may be off center as much as 85/15. No creases. May have very minor gum, wax or product stains, front or back. Surfaces may show slight loss of luster from rubbing across other cards. Dark bordered cards may have one or two small nicks.

Very Good/Excellent (VG/EX): (4.0-4.5) Shows obvious handling, but still looks nice. Corners may be rounded or have minor creases. No major creases, tape marks or extraneous markings or writing. Surfaces does exhibit loss of luster, but the printing is intact. May have paper wrinkles. May show major gum, wax or other packaging stains. All four borders visible, though the ratio may be as poor as 95/5. Exhibits honest wear. 

Very Good (VG): (3.0-3.5) A well-worn card, but exhibits no intentional damage or abuse. May be “Mis-cut or Off-Center” with no border visible. May have major or multiple creases, however, creases are not so deep as to show the underlying paper. This card is completely readable, has not been written on, and has no tape marks or holes. Corner rounding may extend well beyond the border. 

Good (GD) (2.0-2.5) Shows excessive wear, along with damage or abuse. Will show all the wear characteristics of a Very Good card, along with such damage as thumb tack holes in or near margins, evidence of having been taped or pasted, perhaps small tears around the edges or creases so heavily as to break the cardboard. Backs may show minor added pen or pencil writing or be missing small bits of paper. Still basically a complete card. 

Poor (P): (1.0-1.5) A card that has been tortured to death. Corners or other areas may be torn off. Card may have been trimmed, show holes from a paper punch or have been used for BB gun practice. Front may have extraneous pen or pencil writing, or other defacement. Major portions of front or back design may be missing. Not a pretty sight. 

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All cards will ship in penny sleeves, top loaders, team bag & bubble wrap envelopes.

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