1985 Topps Garbage Pail Kids Series 1 is where it all begins — the snot, the slime and Adam Bomb. It was the birthplace of a new generation of gross-out trading cards that would soon start causing controversy and parental preaching about good taste. And kids ate it up.
Not only is this one of the most important modern trading card sets, it’s one of the most iconic of all-time. Many of the characters continue to live on with new cards and additional merchandise. One could also look to how strong the original cards still sell for today no matter the condition.
1985 Topps Garbage Pail Kids Series 1 Checklist Details
The 1985 Topps Garbage Pail Kids Series 1 checklist lays much of the groundwork for what would follow in the 14 ensuing series that made up the original run as well as the dozens that have been released in the decades since.
If you want to boil it down to its most basic, a set has 82 total cards. As far as artwork goes, it’s just 41 pieces. But Topps doubled things up — thus making collectors buy more packs with minimal additional cost to them — by giving each character two names. Thus, the A/B Name Variations were born, something that has carried over to every mainstream GPK set since.
Six cards also have two different backs. One is a checklist back and the other has either an award or license gag. For some, that brings the base set up to 88 cards. That said, many collectors are perfectly content with a standard numerical set of 82 cards.
If that weren’t complicated enough, all 88 cards can also be found with both a matte finish or a slicker glossy finish on the back. Glossy cards are the scarcer of the two.
But wait, there’s more. For those who really want to dive deep into 1985 Topps Garbage Pail Kids Series 1 variations, cards can also be found with one asterisk (*) or two (**) in the copyright area on the back. These differentiate between printings.
Most Valuable 1985 Topps Garbage Pail Kids Series 1 Cards
For most old-school pop culture trading card sets, there aren’t necessarily singles that stand out as far as values go. Maybe the first and last cards or different short prints. Exceptions exist, but for the most part all cards sell for similar amounts if condition is the same. 1985 Topps Garbage Pail Kids Series 1 is more like a set of sports cards, though, with some all-stars that command more than others.
The most valuable 1985 Topps Garbage Pail Kids Series 1 card should be a given seeing as how he’s essentially the line’s figurehead and mascot. Of course, it’s Adam Bomb, number 8a.
His 8b counterpart, Blasted Billy, also sells for more than common GPKs but it’s not at nearly the same level.
Other top GPK OS1 cards include Dead Ted/Jay Decay, Nasty Nick/Evil Eddie, Tee-Vee Stevie/Geeky Gary, Brainy Janie/Jenny Genius, and Mad Mike/Savage Stewart.
Over the decades, Garbage Pail Kids have taken aim at plenty of pop culture icons. They started early in OS1 with Ashcan Andy who has more than a small resemblance to R2-D2 from Star Wars.
1985 Topps Garbage Pail Kids Series 1 Checklist
Click on the links to shop for cards on eBay or to check current market values.
Set size: 82 cards (41 different a/b name combinations)
Cards per pack: 5
Packs per box: 48
Boxes per case: 24
Base Set Checklist
82 cards.
88 cards including variations.
Buy on eBay:
1a Nasty NICK
1b Evil EDDIE
2a Junkfood JOHN
2b RAY Decay
3a Up CHUCK
3b Heaven’ STEVEN
4a Frying’ BRIAN
4b Electric BILL
5a Dead TED – Award Back
5a Dead TED – Checklist Back
5b JAY Decay – Award Back
5b JAY Decay – Checklist Back
6a ART Apart
6b Busted BOB
7a Stormy HEATHER
7b APRIL Showers
8a ADAM Bomb – Cheaters License Back
8a ADAM Bomb – Checklist Back
8b Blasted BILLY – Cheaters License Back
8b Blasted BILLY – Checklist Back
9a Boozing’ BRUCE
9b Drunk KEN
10a Tee-Vee STEVIE
10b Geeky GARY
11a Itchie RICHIE
11b Bugged BERT
12a Furry FRAN
12b Hairy MARY
13a Ashcan ANDY
13b Spacey STACY
14a Potty SCOTTY
14b JASON Basin
15a Ailin’ AL
15b Mauled PAUL
16a Weird WENDY
16b Haggy MAGGIE
17a Wacky JACKIE
17b Loony LENNY
18a Cranky FRANKIE
18b Bad BRAD
19a Corroded CARL
19b Crater CRIS
20a Swell MEL
20b Dressy JESSE
21a Virus IRIS
21b Sticky VICKY
22a Junky JEFF
22b Stinky STAN
23a Drippy DAN
23b Leaky LOU
24a Nervous REX
24b Nerdy NORM
25a Creepy CAROL
25b Scary CARRIE
26a Slobby ROBBIE
26b Fat MATT
27a Brainy JANIE
27b JENNY Genius
28a Oozy SUZIE
28b Meltin’ MELISSA
29a Bony JOANIE – Checklist Back
29a Bony JOANIE – Diploma Back
29b Thin LYNN – Checklist Back
29b Thin LYNN – Diploma Back
30a New Wave DAVE
30b Graffit PETEY
31a Run Down RHODA
31b Flat PAT
32a Frigid BRIDGET
32b Chilly MILLIE
33a Mad MIKE
33b Savage STUART
34a KIM Kong
34b ANNA Banana
35a Wrinkly RANDY
35b Rocken’ ROBERT
36a Wrappin’ RUTH
36b TOMMY Tomb
37a Guillo TINA
37b CINDY Looper
38a Slimy SAM
38b Lizard LIZ
39a Buggy BETTY
39b Green JEAN
40a Unstitched MITCH
40b Damaged DON
41a Mean GENE
41b Joltin’ JOE
Glossy Variations
82 cards.
88 cards including variations.
