The American Dream’s Greatest Topps Cards
There are legends in sports entertainment, and then there’s “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes. The celebrated Texan and “son of a plumber” broke into the world of sports entertainment in the late 1960s. He was a fixture of pro wrestling’s early territories system, winning three World Heavyweight Championships.
Known for having one of the greatest minds in the sport’s history, Rhodes invented countless match concepts and was a beloved coach for the up-and-coming Superstars in NXT. These are five Topps cards that celebrate his career.
Dusty Rhodes’ Top Cards to Collect
2009 Topps WWE Cody Rhodes and Dusty Rhodes Dual Auto
Superstar Info
· Cody Rhodes took his nickname “The American Nightmare” to honor his father
· Cody Rhodes “finished the story” at WrestleMania XL, capturing the title Dusty sought but never won
Card Info
· One of a four-card insert set in the 2009 Topps WWE line
· First Dusty Rhodes autograph in a Topps release and only dual autograph with son Cody
What They Said
· “I have this little, tiny Dusty Rhodes figure they make in Japan that people always give me in my bag. I set it next to the title and took a picture of it in my bag. That was my big goal in the industry. I wasn’t able to achieve that in his lifetime, but he always believed.” – Cody Rhodes
2016 Topps WWE Road to WrestleMania Hall of Fame Commemorative Ring Relic Dusty Rhodes
Superstar Info
· Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2007 by his two sons
· Memorialized with a bronze statue in 2016 following his passing
Set Info
· 30-card insert set in 2016 Road to WrestleMania numbered to 299
· Includes numbered parallels: Bronze /50; Silver /25; Gold /10; Red 1/1; Printing Plates 1/1
What They Said
· “Whatever your legacy is in life, you want to have peace of mind in what you leave behind, and I have peace of mind with this business.” – Dusty Rhodes
2006 Topps WWE Insider Legend #L2 Dusty Rhodes
Superstar Info
· Adopted the name Dusty Rhodes in the 1970s while competing in Texas territory World Class Championship Wrestling
· Defeated Harley Race to win his first World Heavyweight Championship
Set Info
· 22-card Legends insert set is part of Topps UK’s 2006 WWE Insider line
· Available exclusively in Europe, set featured German and Italian language versions
What They Said
· “I’ve wined and dined with kings and queens, and I’ve slept in the alley eating pork and beans.” – Dusty Rhodes
2007 Topps Heritage III WWE #74 Dusty Rhodes
Superstar Info
· First joined WWE in 1989 under new nickname “The Common Man” and wearing polka dots
· Won WWE’s first Mixed Tag Team Match at WrestleMania VI
Set Info
· 90-card base set with various inserts and parallels
What They Said
· “I love teaching. I love coaching. I love teaching communications class. I love giving back to the kids and the industry.” – Dusty Rhodes
2016 Topps WWE Road to WrestleMania Dusty Rhodes Tribute #1
Superstar Info
· Competed in final match against Randy Orton at The Great American Bash 2007
· Inspiration of NXT’s Dusty Rhodes Classic tag team tournament
Set Info
· 10-card insert set in 2016 Road to WrestleMania line
· Insert covers Rhodes’ career from 1989 WWE debut to final WWE match in 2007
What They Said
· “Hard times are when a man has worked at a job for 30 years – 30 years – and they give him a watch, kick him in the butt, and say, ‘Hey, a computer took your place, daddy.’ That’s hard times!” – Dusty Rhodes
