How much are Garbage Pail Kids cards worth today? Produced by the Topps Company beginning in 1985, these sticker trading cards were meant as a spoof of the Cabbage Patch Kids dolls. When the license to create trading cards for the ubiquitous dolls was too expensive, the company chose to parody them instead. The idea was shaped by Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Art Spiegelman, who was a consultant for Topps. He is best known for writing and drawing the unforgettable World War II epic Maus. Spiegelman worked on the cards with fellow cartoonist, Mark Newgarden, and Topps creative director, Len Brown. Artist John Pound drew the entire first run, though many artists would wind up working on the cards over time.
Garbage Pail Kids eventually became as successful as the dolls they parodied, leading to a live-action movie in 1987, as well as an animated series – though the latter was postponed on account of parental complaints. There were fifteen original series released in the U.S. and many sets circulated in other countries as well. Due to the grotesque nature of the cards, they were banned in many schools. Perhaps the least amused by Topps’ sense of humor were the makers of Cabbage Patch Kids, who sued the company for copyright infringement. Topps eventually agreed to alter the appearance of their characters to make them look less similar to the famed dolls, but by 1988, sales had slowed and series 16 never happened. However, nothing evoking this much nostalgia stays buried forever and Garbage Pail Kids cards have since been resurrected several times.
So, what is the actual value of Garbage Pail Kids cards? Well, like most collector’s items, the prices that owners hope to sell them for on eBay are often higher than the amount of money that most people are willing to pay, though there are exceptions. Two versions of each card were made with the same artwork, but different character names, such as “Adam Bomb” and “Blasted Billy” – those being some of the most sought after cards from the original series. Much like comics, professionally graded cards go for more. A graded mint “Adam Bomb” went for as much as $470, but even an ungraded one in good condition sold for $175. Also from the first series, a gem mint (the highest grade) “Evil Eddie” actually sold for $2,224, while his ungraded counterpart, “Nasty Nick”, went for over $90, despite being in poor condition.
Like with other collectibles, error cards are rare, so they go for more money. Cards from other countries are in demand as well. Unopened packs seem to continuously sell for over $100. Series 1 cards are the most valuable, with complete sets listed upwards of $300. A full set of series 1-15 sold for well over $1,000, but a completed series 1 alone went for over $1,000 as well. The price is mostly dependent on the condition of the cards, but there are other factors as well, such as whether they are matte or glossy. The majority of the other early series aren’t worth nearly as much as the first, but some of the rarer sets can still bring in a decent amount of money.
Since the original Garbage Pail Kids cards were released so long ago, it’s not easy to find a complete set, especially of series 1. It’s even more difficult for someone hoping for their cards to be NM or higher. So, if anyone has a full set in decent condition, it might be time to get rid of them. Even if all they have are random cards, it’s still worth doing some research to see if any are from the first series. At this point, it’s likely everyone who grew up in the ’80s is wishing they’d taken better care of their cards – anyone who did might just be sitting on a gold mine.