There are blockbusters and then there are 1980s Steven Spielberg blockbusters. 1982 Topps E.T. The Extra Terrestrial trading cards stems from one of the latter. In fact, it’s the director’s highest grossing film of all-time. A phenomenon at the time of its release, trading cards are just one place where the strange alien botanist’s adventures were captured. That said, outside of recycled online images of E.T. hanging with Michael Jackson, these cards might represent some of E.T.’s most lasting pop culture appeal.
1982 Topps E.T. The Extra Terrestrial Checklist Details
The checklist has a modest 87 cards. Standard for sets of movie trading cards at the time, it covers the movie’s key moments from start to tear-jerking finish. Spaceship landings, glowing fingers, mysterious scientists, frog freedom and BMX getaways are all here. There’s also a small look behind the camera as well a couple for a scene left out of the final film.
It’s a chronological retelling so the story portion of the checklist starts with E.T.’s arrival and ends with the emotional finale
The events of cards #34 and #35 didn’t make it into the final cut of the movie, offering a seldom seen look at a scene with an appearance from a Hollywood icon. After getting in trouble for leading the charge in the release of dozens of frogs in science class, Elliott is hauled away to the principal’s office by a couple of nurses. The principal, played by Harrison Ford, gives him a dark lecture without showing his face. Elliott’s chair starts to rise up in a magical moment captured on card #35.
A handful of cards at the end of the base set highlight star Henry Thomas, director Steven Spielberg and a little bit on the making of the classic.
1982 Topps E.T. The Extra Terrestrial has one of the company’s more iconic designs of the decade. A lot of that is build into the film’s popularity and how the cards were received. For long-time card collectors, there’s also the fact that the mix of blue and stars is a reminder of the original 1977 Topps Star Wars set.
Stickers
A dozen stickers round things out. Landing one per pack, most use film strip frames to further highlight key moments. Two of the sticker cards act as sheets for 16 much smaller stickers.
Backs are a puzzle showing the iconic shot of Gertie and E.T. sharing one final moment together.
It is worth noting that the final three stickers (#10-12) are considered short prints. This means they appear less frequently than the other nine.
Standard wax packs come with ten cards and one sticker. Tougher to find are rack packs that contain 42 cards, almost half of the set.
1982 Topps E.T. The Extra Terrestrial Checklist
Click on the links to shop for cards on eBay or to check current market values.
Set size: 87 cards
Cards per pack: Wax – 11, Rack Packs – 42
Packs per box: Wax – 36, Rack Packs – 24
Shop for 1982 Topps E.T. The Extra Terrestrial packs and boxes on eBay.
Base Set
87 cards.
Buy on eBay:
1 Title Card
2 Alien Visitors!
3 Stranded!
4 Mysterious Glow!
5 Elliott’s Search
6 Fright in the Woods!
7 An Alarmed E.T.!
8 The Vigil
9 E.T. Approaches
10 Fear of the Unknown
11 A Trail of Candy
12 The Friends Meet
13 A Boy’s Best Friend?
14 The E.T. and Me
15 Among Elliott’s Toys
16 Reading a Comic Strip!
17 Where Do You Come From?
18 E.T. and the Flower
19 A Hungry E.T.!
20 Gertie Says “Hi!”
21 A Quick Disguise!
22 Alone in the House
23 Up to Mischief!
24 A New Found Friend!
25 What’s in the Fridge?
26 Time for a Snack!
27 Unearthly Thirst!
28 Elliott in School
29 E.T. Lives It Up!
30 E.T. Watching T.V.!
31 Frog Madness!
32 The Tipsy Alien!
33 Trouble for Elliott!
34 What’s Wrong with Elliott?
35 Uplifting Moment!
36 Dressed Up By Gertie!
37 Comic Strip Strategy!
38 They’re Coming To Get Us!
39 The Listeners
40 A Present for “Mom”!
41 It’s Halloween!
42 Elliott’s Disguise!
43 Off On Their Mission
44 Trick or Treat!
45 Night Ride
46 In the Woods
47 E.T. Phones Home!
48 Testing the Communicator
49 Message Into Space!
50 Did They Hear You?
51 Their Home Besieged!
52 Spaceman at the Door!
53 The Investigators
54 Sterilizing the House
55 The Air Hose
56 How Can We Save Him?
57 You’re Killing Us Both!
58 The Emergency Ends
59 Don’t Die, E.T.!
60 The Escape Plan
61 All Bundled Up!
62 Van to Freedom!
63 They’re Gaining!
64 To the Landing Site!
65 Bicycle Chase!
66 For the Love of E.T.!
67 A Mother’s Concern!
68 E.T.’s Glowing Heart
69 Sighting the Aliens!
70 The Spaceship Is Coming!
71 Cosmic Landing
72 Michael’s Farewell
73 A Present for E.T.
74 Gertie’s Goodbye Kiss
75 The Friends Depart
76 A Final Farewell
77 Entering the Ship
78 E.T. and His Gift
79 Spaceship Interior
80 Interstellar Garden
81 Return To Outer Space
82 Elliott’s Family
83 E.T.’s Director
84 Filming the Aliens
85 An Amazing New Star!
86 Friendly Face from Space!
87 Checklist
Stickers Checklist
12 cards.
1 per pack.
1 E.T. Dressed Up
2 E.T. with Dog
3 E.T. Wrapped in Blanket
4 E.T. Touching Nose
5 E.T. Screaming
6 E.T. and Elliott in Forest
7 4 x 4 Sheet – E.T., Elliott, E.T., Mary
8 4 x 4 Sheet – E.T., Elliott, E.T., Gertie
9 Mary Holding Gertie, Elliott
10 E.T. – Blue Background SP
11 E.T. – Yellow Background SP
12 E.T. – Red Background SP
