The 1987 Donruss baseball card set brought some very memorable and valuable rookie cards to the hobby. While not the flashiest design ever, the 1987 Donruss set featured several future Hall of Famers and all-time great players that started their careers in 1987. Many of these rookie cards have stood the test of time and remained highly collectible and expensive to this day.
One of the most well-known and valuable rookie cards from the 1987 Donruss set is that of Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Joe Carter. Drafted in the 4th round of the 1981 MLB Draft out of high school in California, Carter spent several years in the minors developing before making his MLB debut with the Cleveland Indians in 1984 at age 22. After a few seasons with Cleveland, Carter was traded to the Blue Jays during the 1987 season. His rookie card in the 1987 Donruss set pictures him as a member of the Indians, but still remains one of his most iconic baseball cards due to his legendary career.
Carter went on to have a spectacular 20-year MLB career, spending 12 seasons with the Blue Jays along the way. He was a 3-time All-Star and won back-to-back World Series championships with Toronto in 1992 and 1993. His walk-off World Series home run in the bottom of the 9th inning of Game 6 in 1993 is considered one of the most iconic moments in baseball history. Due to his successful career and World Series heroics, Joe Carter’s 1987 Donruss rookie card has become enormously popular with collectors and is one of the most valuable cards from the entire set. Near mint to mint quality copies routinely sell for well over $1000 today.
Other extremely valuable and sought after rookie cards from the 1987 Donruss baseball set include Cardinals greats Ozzie Smith and Vince Coleman. Smith made his MLB debut in 1978 at age 22 with the Padres and was traded to the Cardinals prior to the 1982 season. He went on to have a Hall of Fame career primarily with St. Louis, winning 13 consecutive Gold Gloves at shortstop from 1980-1992 and being named to 15 All-Star teams. His slick fielding and acrobatic plays making him one of the most entertaining and decorated defenders in baseball history. Despite being in his 9th MLB season in 1987, Ozzie Smith’s rookie card in Donruss is still desirable because it features his first Cardinals card. Higher graded versions can sell for $500-1000.
Vince Coleman was an electric player that made his Cardinals debut in 1985 at age 21 after being drafted 3rd overall in 1981. He immediately made an impact, stealing 110 bases in his rookie season to set a new MLB record. Coleman went on to steal over 300 bases during the 1980s to cement his status as one of history’s greatest base stealers. While injuries slowed him down later in his career, his 1987 Donruss rookie card is valuable since it portrays the beginning of his fantastic stolen base prowess with St. Louis. PSA Gem Mint 10 copies can sell upwards of $1000 online due to the card’s significance in capturing one of baseball’s all-time speedsters.
Two future Hall of Fame starting pitchers also had valuable rookie cards included in the 1987 Donruss set. Greg Maddux began his legendary career with the Chicago Cubs in 1986 at age 20 after being drafted out of high school. During his first full season in 1987, Maddux started to make his case as one of the greatest pitchers ever with a very impressive 16-6 record and 2.91 ERA at age 21. His smooth, economical motion and mastery of location would serve him tremendously over a 23-year career that saw 355 wins, four Cy Young Awards, and election to Cooperstown in 2014. Maddux’s 1987 Donruss rookie card remains highly sought after by both Cubs and Braves fans, selling for $200-500 each.
Another rookie card pitching star in the 1987 Donruss set was Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Roger Clemens. After making his MLB debut with the Red Sox in 1984, Clemens broke out in 1986 and cemented himself as one of baseball’s most dominate hurlers starting in 1987 at age 25. That season, Clemens went 22-9 with a 2.97 ERA and leading the AL in wins, strikeouts, and ERA en route to his first of seven career Cy Young Awards. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013, Clemens is considered one of the greatest pitchers ever alongside Maddux. His rookie card from Donruss is one collectors love to own, selling in the $300-700 range depending on condition.
Perhaps the most sought after and valuable card from the entire 1987 Donruss baseball set is that of Chicago White Sox outfielder/designated hitter Frank Thomas. Drafted 7th overall by the Sox in 1989 out of Auburn University, “The Big Hurt” made his MLB debut in 1990 at age 22 and got his first baseball card in Donruss the following year. What makes Thomas’ rookie card so desirable is that it predates his incredible offensive prowess he displayed starting in 1991. Between 1991-2003, Thomas slugged 448 home runs and batted .304 while twice leading the league in HR’s and RBI’s. He was named MVP in 1993 and 1994, the only player ever to win back-to-back AL honors. Inducted the Hall of Fame in 2014, PSA 10 quality rookie cards fetch well over $2,000 to this day due to rarity and Thomas’ legendary hitting statistics.
The 1987 Donruss baseball set holds a special nostalgia for collectors of that generation. While the design may not rank among the most attractive ever, the standout rookie cards it included for soon-to-be all-time MLB greats like Frank Thomas, Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux, Ozzie Smith, Vince Coleman and Joe Carter ensure it will always be iconic and valuable to the hobby. Seeing these players in their beginning rookie card forms at the start of their careers adds to the enjoyment and intrigue surrounding the collectability of the 1987 Donruss baseball set over 30 years after its original release. The rookie cards from this set truly captured lightning in a bottle by portraying future Hall of Famers and MVP winners before they reached the absolute peak of their enormous talents in Major League Baseball.
