Are 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth anything?

If you were an 80’s kid, you probably had been an avid fan of the Garbage Pail Kids. The Kids were released in 1985 and came in a sticker trading card form, with the sticker fronts in a die-cut so the image of the kid and name could be easily peeled off from the card backing. Fifteen sets of sticker trading cards were sold in the United States during their runtime. 

So if you own one of these rare sticker trading cards, how much are Garbage Pail Kids worth today? Let’s find out! 

15 Rare 1985 Garbage Pail Kids Cards & Their Estimated Worth 

1. Nasty Nick: #1a 

Are 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth anything?

Estimated Worth: Around $7,500 

Nasty Nick was technically the first Garbage Pail Kid ever released. He is a vampire holding up a life-size Barbie doll, his fangs coated in blood. Its 1a denotation meant that they were the first card in the first series ever printed -- this is noticeable in the way the sticker die cuts were slightly off-center. 

2. Adam Bomb: #6a 

Estimated Worth: Around $4,000

Are 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth anything?

Estimated Worth: Around $4,000 

Adam Bomb is probably the most popular Garbage Pail Kid, as his image was used most frequently in marketing materials. The sticker trading card features a child in uniform, with his brains “bombed” in a nuclear explosion. He is highly sought after by collectors. 

3. Evil Eddie: #1b 

Are 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth anything?

Estimated Worth: Around $2,200 

Evil Eddie features the same artwork as Nasty Nick, but you’ll notice that Evil Eddie is 1a on the printing list, versus Nasty Nick’s 1a. That’s because there are two versions to each card in a Garbage Pail Kids set, with the card backing differing among a checklist, writeup, or mock award. 

If you can’t get your hands on Nasty Nick, Evil Eddie will do just fine. 

4. Schizo Fran: #49b

Are 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth anything?
 

Estimated Worth: Around $1,000 

Adults found Schizo Fran extremely outrageous and offensive. It featured a little girl with two heads beating the hell out of the other. Mental health professionals thought that it made a mockery out of schizophrenia, a very real illness plaguing the lives of many. 

Topps quickly changed the card’s name to Fran Fran instead, making the first Schizo Fran run extremely rare. 

5. Junky Jeff: #22a 

Are 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth anything?

Estimated Worth: Around $1,000 

You can see Junky Jeff chilling amidst a pile of garbage in his sticker trading card. A cat is enjoying a meal out of his sawed-off head. The message of this card can almost be symbolic: it could mean that little kids’ minds were brimming with garbage due to what they see on television… or it could simply be the morbid cartoon style of the entire franchise. 

6. Jay Decay: #5b 

Are 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth anything?

Estimated Worth: Around $900 

Jay Decay was way ahead of its time -- he made zombies cool before they were even a thing! This sticker trading card featured a zombie child who had just clawed its way out of his grave under the pale light of a full moon. Parents weren’t such big fans, though -- they thought the grotesque imagery would be traumatic to any child. 

7. Nerdy Norm: #24b 

Are 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth anything?

Estimated Worth: Around $900 

While the other Garbage Pail Kids’ names didn’t leave much to the imagination when associated with their image, Nerdy Norm might leave you scratching your head. We see a child drinking way too much Coca-Cola and coffee in this card, with four lit cigarettes in his mouth. We can assume that the child was stressed from being a nerd, studying too much, and using these addictive substances as a coping mechanism. But then again, we can only assume. 

8. Blasted Billy: #8b 

Are 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth anything?

Estimated Worth: Around $850

Blasted Billy is Adam Bomb’s cousin. They feature the same artwork, but even we’re unsure why he seems to sell for a lot less. We think that his name doesn’t have that same ring to it as Adam Bomb does. 

Shop The Garbage Pail Kids Collection Now

9. Brutal Brad: #55b

Are 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth anything?
 

Estimated Worth: Around $750 

Had Brutal Brad been released today, it would not hear the end of those campaigning to end domestic violence against women. Brutal Brad is a caveman who appears to have just struck the brains out of a cavewoman, and is dragging her along by her hair. Harry Gary, the 55a card, is his counterpart. 

10. Slobby Robbie: #26a

Are 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth anything?
 

Estimated Worth: Around $750 

Slobby Robbie addresses an issue that’s present in both children and adults alike: obesity. We see this Garbage Pail Kid happily licking away at an ice cream cone while his other hand holds a box of candy on standby. The scale he’s sitting on explodes helplessly beneath him, his weight too much for it to handle. 

11. Leaky Lou: #23b

Are 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth anything?
 

Estimated Worth: Around $700 

Leaky Lou reminds us of Spongebob… as a human version. We see a young child drinking a glass of water, but the water pours out of the sizable holes all over his body. 

We’re not sure about the message this card is trying to tell as health professionals always tell us to drink more water, right?

12. Mean Gene: #41a

Are 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth anything?
 

Estimated Worth: Around $700 

Mean Gene looks like a one-person army. A roll of dynamite is strapped onto his head, and a grenade on standby at his hip. He is wielding a machine gun with the ammunition wrapped around his body like a belt. His black boots have spiked heels. Similar spikes are seen on his arm cuffs. 

The 41b version is named Joltin’ Joe, but Mean Gene is undeniably more popular. 

13. Electric Bill: #4b

Are 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth anything?
 

Estimated Worth: Around $700 

The name Electric Bill made us chuckle, but the image did just the opposite. A child prisoner is strapped onto an electric chair, and we can see his agonized state as he gets fried to a crisp. Unlike the other kids, he’s not smiling on this sticker. 

The 4a counterpart, Fryin’ Brian, is just as popular as Electric Bill. 

14. Sumo Sid: #83b 

Are 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth anything?

Estimated Worth: Around $650 

Sumo Sid isn’t nearly as controversial as the other kids in the lineup, considering how brutal other Garbage Pail Kids can go. We assume that the child in a sumo wrestler costume has just jumped, so the ground cracked beneath him. 

15. Bad Breath Seth: #70a 

Are 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth anything?

Estimated Worth: Around $600 

Bad Breath Seth is so plagued by a serious dental problem that not only do birds drop dead and plants wilt as soon as he opens his mouth, even his own nose has to be plugged in, so he doesn’t suffer the same fate! Another child in a protective gas mask is seen climbing his form on the right side. 

Perhaps good dental hygiene [1] is the message of this particular sticker trading card? 

FAQS 

How many Garbage Pail Kid original series was released?

A total of 15 original series were released by Garbage Pail Kids in the United States, but other countries released other sets. Other collectibles include a set of fold-out posters and two large-format card editions. 

What is the rarest Garbage Pail Kid?

Adam Bomb, Nasty Nick, and Schizo Fran are the rarest Garbage Pail Kids today. 

How many different Garbage Pail Kid cards are there?

There are a total of 88 different Garbage Pail Kids cards out there. 

Who would’ve thought that these grotesque cards 80s kids loved collecting would be worth so much money today? It’s also worth noting that these kids invoke nostalgia or are simply a unique item to have in your collection (we certainly don’t have anything like these out today!) -- and maybe that’s why people are willing to pay top dollar for them!  

If you’re a pop culture collector, check out our Garbage Pail Kids listings here! 

Shop The Garbage Pail Kids Collection Now

Reference: 

  1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/dental/art-20047475

What are 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth?

Prices for 1985 Garbage Pail Kids GPK Cards.

Which Garbage Pail Kids cards are worth money?

These are the most valuable Garbage Pail Kids cards of all time..
Nasty Nick – The Most Valuable Garbage Pail Kids Card. Value: $7,500..
Corroded Carl. Value: $6,000..
Adam Bomb. Value: $4,000..
Evil Eddie. Value: $2,200..
Jolted Joel. Value: $1,500..
Dirty Harry. Value: $1,400..
Schizo Fran. Value: $1,000..
Junky Jeff. Value: $1,000..

How many 1985 Garbage Pail Kid cards are there?

1985 Topps Garbage Pail Kids Series 1 Set Details The complete set of Garbage Pail Kids OS1 consists of 88 stickers: 44 A cards and 44 B cards. Matching A and B cards have the same images but different numbering. While most collectors focus on the front, there are variation backs for cards #5, #8 and #29.

How much do Garbage Pail Kid cards go for?

Item
Estimated Value
Single Card:
$0.15
Numerical Set of 88:
$22.00
Unopened Pack:
$0.75
Full Box of 48 Packs:
$35.00
Price Guide - Wayne's Garbage Pail Kids Referenceswww.wgpkr.com › GPK › PriceGuidenull