1991 Topps American Gladiators trading cards offer an affordable and fun throwback to what was essentially the NERF Olympics wrapped in the pageantry of professional wrestling. Releasing shortly before inserts and chase elements took over the hobby, it’s a simple release that follows the patterns of other Topps entertainment releases from the 1970s and throughout the 1980s.
1991 Topps American Gladiators Checklist Overview
The base set has a total of 88 cards, showcasing the show, the various games and its stars. Most of it uses shots taken from the show but some are also posed.
The design is a busy one with the background split into two halves. One is a solid red while the other is blue with white stripes, evoking the same patriotic vibes as the American Gladiators logo.
While there’s still no movement towards chase cards in 1991 Topps American Gladiators, the quality of the cards does show that things were changing. Rather than the usual cardboard-style stock, the set is glossy. That means a slick touch on the front and bright, white backs that are much more vivid than most Topps trading card sets up to that point.
Eleven Stickers, which are the usual one per pack, manage to get even busier than the base cards with more stripes, more angles and even some stars.
Gladiators like Nitro, Zap and Ice might be the stars of the show but for many card collectors, the announcers could prove to be more interesting. Larry Csonka is a football Hall of Famer who is no stranger to the hobby. His colleague, Mike Adamle, also played in the NFL and was also an announcer.
While there are no autographs here, Jim Starr (Laser) has a signature in 2013 Topps 75th Anniversary. This card incorporates one of his 1991 cards into the design
Don’t expect to get rich off of 1991 Topps American Gladiators trading cards. They’re still easy to find today with enough stock to keep prices reasonable.
1991 Topps American Gladiators Checklist
Click on the links to shop for cards on eBay or to check current market values.
Set size: 88 cards
Cards per pack: 9
Packs per box: 36
Shop for 1991 Topps American Gladiators boxes and packs on eBay.
Base Set Checklist
88 cards.
Buy on eBay:
1 The American Gladiators
2 Entering the Arena
3 Breaking the Ice
4 Zapped!
5 Nitro’s Deadly Grip
6 Thunder Giving Chase
7 Out of Thunder’s Reach
8 Diamond’s Around Her Neck
9 Whoa!! (Holding Back Diamond)
10 Aiming the Rocket Pistol
11 Ducking for Cover in Assault
12 Assault with a Deadly Weapon
13 Aiming for the Bull’s-Eye
14 An Ice-y Stare
15 He Who Laughs Last
16 Let’s Do Launch
17 Gemini Bites the Dust
18 Caged Fury
19 Merrily We Roll Along
20 Scoring in the Atlasphere
21 Taking a Pod Shot
22 Knee-Jerk Reaction
23 Lord of the Rings
24 Nitro Triumphant
25 Ice Hangs Tough
26 Ice’s Vise Grip
27 Ice’s Unbreakable Leg Lock
28 Getting a Grip
29 Tag! You’re It!
30 Turbo and Mike
31 The Joust
32 Slugging It Out
33 Surely You Joust!
34 Ice Lands a Blow
35 Overwhelming the Contender
36 Pugil-istic
37 Storm Front
38 A Moment of Rest
39 Eluding a Tackle
40 Good as Gold
41 What a Heel!
42 A Giant Step for Mankind
43 Hanging by a Thread
44 Hosting the Gladiators
45 Pretty in Pink
46 Jammin’!
47 All Strung Out
48 Back to Back
49 He Flies Through the Air…
50 Up for Grabs!
51 In the Swing of Things
52 Toppsy-Turvy
53 Tilt!
54 The Maze
55 Roadblock: Gemini
56 Stopped in Their Tracks
57 Storm in the Maze
58 The Eliminator Treadmill
59 The Hand-Bike
60 Grinding the Gears
61 Bike Race
62 Net Weight
63 Cargo Net
64 Photo Finish
65 Flooring It
66 Gemini the Victor
67 Nitro-Glistening
68 High Five for Gemini
69 Gold
70 Rolling Thunder
71 Blaze
72 Laser
73 Laser’s Back
74 Ice, Ice Baby
75 Zap
76 Turbo-Charged
77 Lace
78 Dynamic Duo
79 Diamond
80 Gemini
81 Ice Speaks
82 Turbo Cowboy
83 Zap Attack
84 A Well-Deserved Ovation
85 Your Hosts Zonk and Mike
86 Adamle in Action
87 Checklist
88 Checklist
Stickers Checklist
11 cards.
1 per pack.
1 American Gladiators
2 Mike Adamle / Nitro / Gemini / Larry Csonka
3 Ice
4 Laser
5 Nitro
6 Zap
7 Climbing the Cargo Net
8 Grabbing the Rings
9 Thunder
10 Four Gladiators
11 Ten Galdiators
