The 1987 Burger King Baseball Cards represented a major leap for one of the most ubiquitous promotions in the sport’s history – the fast food baseball card. From 1978 to 1997, Burger King issued 40 different series of baseball cards as part of their highly successful “BK Baseball Card” promotion. The 1987 edition stands out as arguably the most desirable and collectible of the entire promotion.
The 1987 cards marked the tenth anniversary of the Burger King baseball card program and the company spared no expense to commemorate the milestone. For the first time since the promotion began in 1978, the 1987 cards featured custom artwork instead of reprints of action shots from Topps or other traditional card brands. Burger King hired the renowned illustrator Dick Perez to create original drawings depicting players from all 26 Major League teams at the time. Perez’s dynamic pen and ink style added a new level of visual appeal that collectors found highly memorable and aesthetically pleasing.
In addition to the original Perez artwork, several other factors contributed to the heightened popularity and value of the 1987 BK cards. First, the inclusion of all 26 teams for the first time allowed collectors to chase complete primary team sets in addition to chasing individual star players. Previous BK issues often left out smaller market clubs which frustrated completionists. The 1987 set also featured league leaders and All-Stars including Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Tony Gwynn, Kirby Puckett, Barry Bonds and many more.
Perhaps most importantly, Burger King massively increased production numbers to meet anticipated demand for the 10th anniversary promotion. Previous BK issues tended to number in the millions of cards produced whereas estimates suggest 1987 production reached over 50 million cards inserted into specially marked kid’s meals across the country. The combination of desirable content, original artwork, inclusion of all teams and high print run opened 1987 BK cards up to a much wider collecting audience beyond the niche of previous issues.
As one of the most widely distributed sports promotions ever, the 1987 BK cards gained instant mainstream popularity upon release. It was in the decades since that really cemented their status as one of the Holy Grails of the vintage food promotion era. Factors like the custom Perez artwork, the nostalgia of players popular in the late 80s, and the sheer number in circulation have kept serious collectors actively pursuing 1987 BK cards for over 30 years.
Some key things continue to drive interest and demand. The Perez drawings have aged remarkably well and appeal to adult collectors with childhood memories of the issue. The visual novelty compared to typical reprint driven card promotions also gives 1987 BK cards a unique aesthetic nostalgia. Sets of entire teams can still be challenging to assemble due to the high original print runs sustaining the market. And the fact that nearly every serious vintage collector chased these as a kid means a certain percentage will always look to upgrade rosters as the years pass.
1987 BK cards also carry cultural nostalgia as iconic representations of 1980s baseball cards before the specs boom of the 1990s. Burger King promotions today tend to lack the visual splendor or mass appeal of their golden age issues from the 70s/80s. A complete 1987 set instantly transports collectors back to a simpler time of youth baseball fandom.
Prices have risen steadily over the decades since issue to reflect all of these factors. Near mint examples of the most coveted stars today sell for hundreds while pristine team sets can command thousands. The highest price ever paid at auction for a 1987 Burger King card was $1,845 in 2018 for a mint graded Kirby Puckett. Clearly the potential rewards outweigh the risks for collectors still searching high and low for that elusive Perez artwork of their childhood favorite player.
For all these reasons, the 1987 Burger King Baseball Card issue is remembered as the crowning achievement of the longest running fast food sports card promotion ever. It represents the pinnacle of design, content, production values and collectibility within the category. Serious vintage collectors continue filling inexhaustible desires to revisit their youth through pursuing the icon that started it all – a 1987 Burger King Bazooka Joe’s kid’s meal baseball card. The legacy and mystique of this modern classic is sure to endure for collectors old and new for decades to come.
