The 1987 Topps All Time Greats baseball card set marked a special anniversary for Topps as it was their 30th year producing baseball cards. To celebrate this milestone, Topps created a unique 100 card set that featured some of the all-time greatest players from baseball history. Rather than focusing on current players like a typical base set, the 1987 All Time Greats cards paid tribute to legends of the past.
One of the most unique aspects of the 1987 Topps All Time Greats set was the card design and photograph selection. For each player featured, Topps aimed to choose their most iconic baseball card image ever rather than a standard new posed photograph like in contemporary sets. This allowed collectors a chance to own some of the most legendary vintage card images ever released by Topps in a modern format. While the photos dated back to the early 1950s in some cases, incorporating them into the 1987 set gave the cards a true nostalgic and retro feel.
Another special element of the 1987 All Time Greats cards was that each one featured statistical career highlights of the player on the back rather than standard annual stats from the previous season like typical modern baseball cards. This highlighted just how great the careers of these all-time players had been. Standout stats, records held, and career achievements were emphasized to truly capture why each star was considered among the best to ever play the game based on their long-term success, not just a single recent year.
Some of the most notable and valuable players featured in the 1987 Topps All Time Greats set include Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Stan Musial, and Nolan Ryan among many other Hall of Fame legends. The cards selected some of the most iconic vintage rookie and early career photos ever produced by Topps to highlight these all-time talents. For example, Babe Ruth’s 1954 Topps card photo is used showing him as a member of the Boston Braves later in his career. Some of the earliest Topps cards ever made in the 1952-1956 era provided the perfect historically significant images to include.
Being limited to just 100 cards in the set, Topps had to be selective in choosing which all-time greats to feature. The selection criteria seemed to focus on true 5-tool all-around superstars who dominated both offensively and defensively at their positions, set numerous MLB records, and often led their teams to championships over long, Hall of Fame worthy careers. Icons from every franchise and era of baseball history were recognized to some degree to craft a balanced and comprehensive collection of the sport’s all-time finest ambassadors and Ambassadors of Baseball.
While not a full hall of fame set by any means due to the limited size, Topps did a commendable job of including players representing all decades of MLB’s first century as well as each franchise to recognize stars from across the sport’s history on a national level with the 1987 issue. Examples of this include inclusion of Brooklyn Dodgers legends like Jackie Robinson and Duke Snider as well as Boston Red Sox greats like Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski. The timing of the set’s release also paid homage to Topps’ own storied history in the industry.
When it was released in 1987, the Topps All Time Greats set received widespread praise from collectors for preserving iconic baseball images and capturing career highlights in a classy commemorative package. As one of the most unique special hobby releases ever issued by Topps, it set the standard for anniversary inspired subsets that highlighted legends of the game in innovative new ways beyond the usual seasonal format. The retro vintage flair also ushered in a new nostalgia trend that remained highly influential in the card industry for decades to follow.
While production numbers were high for the 1987 issue year, demand has steadily increased for vintage examples of the 100 card Topps All Time Greats set in the years since. With no parallels, inserts, or refractors like modern issues, the original release maintains its integrity as a true collector’s piece. Keys like the Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle cards frequently trade hands for $50-100+ in top graded gem mint condition due to their historical significance and place within the broader heritage of the hobby. The 1987 Topps All Time Greats baseball cards remain a true collector’s set over 30 years later as a testament to the enduring legacies of the players featured.
In concluding, the 1987 Topps All Time Greats set achieved timeless status upon its initial release by beautifully capturing the careers and accomplishments of 100 true legends in baseball’s first century. While intended as a celebratory anniversary release at the time, it has grown to take on much greater meaning as a preservation of invaluable baseball history in card form. The innovative retro design blending iconic photos with career stats still feels ahead of its time. It was a fitting way for Topps to commemorate their milestone 30th year of production by honoring the heroes who helped build the national pastime.
