The 1987 Donruss baseball card set is one of the most iconic and valuable sets from the junk wax era of the late 1980s. While it may not have the same cache as some of the classic tobacco sets from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, the ’87 Donruss cards remain coveted by collectors for nostalgia and the star rookies they feature.
Released in 1987 as the third annual Donruss set, the design had some tweaks from previous years but maintained the minimalist style the company was known for. The cards used a white border with solid colors in the background and featured clean simple photos with black and white action shots dominating. Print run estimates for the ’87 Donruss set exceeded 500 million cards, further cementing it as a mass-produced “junk wax” release.
Some key things that add value and collector interest to certain 1987 Donruss cards include:
Star Rookies: Two of the biggest rookie cards from the late 1980s are featured – Ken Griffey Jr. and Mark McGwire. Griffey’s iconic upper deck rookie from 1989 may be more coveted, but his ’87 Donruss rookie remains quite valuable in top grades. McGwire’s breakout season and home run chasing in 1998 also adds nostalgia and value to his rookie herein ’87.
Frank Thomas Rookie: “The Big Hurt” would go on to have a Hall of Fame career and his rookie is one of the key chase cards from the set. It doesn’t have Griffey or McGwire popularity but still holds value as a premiere rookie.
Oakland A’s Stars: The Athletics were becoming a dynasty in 1987, coming off three straight AL pennants and a World Series title. Stars like McGwire, Jose Canseco, Dennis Eckersley and manager Tony La Russa are highly sought after.
Error Cards: A small subset of the ’87 Donruss cards had typos, missing team logos or other mistakes that make them rare variations worth significant value. The most valuable may be the Wade Boggs card lacking a Red Sox logo.
Low Print Runs: While overall print run estimates are huge, key cards like the Griffey, McGwire and Thomas rookies may have had lower initial runs that contribute to relative scarcity today.
Condition: As with any older set, the highest value 1987 Donruss cards will be in near-mint to mint condition. Well-centered cards with bright vivid colors are ideal. Even top rookie cards in poor shape have limited worth.
Investment Potential: The late 80s junk wax era has seen renewed collector interest and price jumps in recent years. The most coveted ’87 Donruss rookies could continue appreciating over the long term for savvy investors.
Looking at current PSA 10 gem mint sales data, some top 87 Donruss values include:
Ken Griffey Jr. RC – $800-1200
Mark McGwire RC – $300-500
Frank Thomas RC – $150-250
Dennis Eckersley – $50-75
Wade Boggs Error – $250-400
Jose Canseco – $40-60
In PSA 9 near mint+, prices would generally be around half of the PSA 10 values. Many of the star rookie and star player cards in this range still have values of $50 or more even in low-end PSA 8 fair condition.
For common players, even higher number ’87 Donruss cards still have demand. Solid recurring players from the late 80s can sell for $5-10 each in mint condition. Full set builders also drive interest. A complete 1987 Donruss base set with main rookies can be acquired for under $100 total in played condition.
While it may never reach the iconic heights of the 1952 Topps set, the 1987 Donruss release launched the careers depicted on iconic rookie cards and displays a unique time capsule of 1980s on-field stars. Savvy collectors who acquire and hold onto the premier rookie issues like Griffey, McGwire and Thomas over the long-term could realize strong returns on their investment. Even for nostalgia-minded collectors, select ’87 Donruss cards still carry attainable price points and represent one of the final true “junk wax” era releases before the baseball card market rebounded.
