The 1987 Donruss Leaf baseball card set was one of the most popular and iconic releases of the late 1980s. While not as well-known today as some other sets from that era like Topps or Fleer, the 1987 Donruss Leaf cards captured the sport during one of its most exciting periods and featured some true legends of the game. The set showcased the stars and rising talents of 1987 in sharp, colorful photography on high quality cardboard stock. Over 30 years later, the 1987 Donruss Leaf cards remain a cherished part of baseball card history for collectors and fans.
Released in the spring of 1987, the base set for Donruss Leaf that year consisted of 524 total cards. This included photos and stats for all major and minor league players, as well as managers, coaches, and even umpires from the previous season. Some of the biggest stars to grace the 1987 Donruss Leaf cards included Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, Kirby Puckett, and Rickey Henderson. Each of these future Hall of Famers were entering their primes in 1987 and helped make the set one of the most desirable of the era.
In addition to chronicling the game’s biggest names, the 1987 Donruss Leaf set also highlighted many rising young talents who would go on to stardom, such as Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Greg Maddux, and Tom Glavine. For collectors, finding these rookie cards in the years since has provided a unique opportunity to own early pieces of history from legends before they achieved widespread fame. The photography in the 1987 Donruss Leaf set also remains top-notch, with bright, colorful portraits that really captured each player’s likeness and place them in the spotlight.
While the base set was the clear focus, Donruss also included several popular insert sets within the 1987 Leaf release that added to the excitement. One of the most coveted was the “Diamond Kings” parallel issue, which featured glossy photo variations of the game’s elite players. Other inserts like “Glossy Sendbacks” allowed collectors to mail away for autographed or memorabilia cards of their favorite stars. Even less prominent players had a chance to shine through niche inserts focusing on specific achievements, making it easy for any fan to find cards paying tribute to their favorite obscure player.
In addition to the on-field stars, another highlight of the 1987 Donruss Leaf set were the numerous managers, coaches, and even umpires included with full bios on the cardboard. For historians of the game, these extras provide a unique window into appreciating the many behind-the-scenes figures that helped shape baseball in 1987. Names like Billy Martin, Whitey Herzog, and Dick Williams took their place alongside umpires like Doug Harvey and Steve Palermo, acknowledging their importance.
While produced by the same company, the 1987 Donruss Leaf release had a much different aesthetic compared to the flagship Donruss set of that same year. Where Donruss utilized simple team-color borders and photos on a plain white background, Leaf opted for more elaborate colorful designs and logos behind each image. This gave the 1987 Leaf cards a premium feel that made them stand out among the crowded baseball card market of the late 80s boom. Their higher production quality also ensured they retained value better than many other issues from that period.
In the over 30 years since their original release, 1987 Donruss Leaf cards have grown greatly in demand from collectors. Fueled by the success of the players featured and nostalgia for the late 80s, sets are now difficult to acquire in high grade. Individual rookie cards like McGwire, Bonds, or Glavine routinely sell for hundreds or even thousands depending on condition. Even commons from the set command premium prices due to their iconic photography, design elements, and place in the history of the hobby. For many, the 1987 Donruss Leaf release was truly the pinnacle of the entire Leaf brand and remains a benchmark achievement in the industry.
In the end, despite being overshadowed at the time to some degree by flagship releases, the 1987 Donruss Leaf baseball card set has endured to become one of the most beloved and valuable issues from the 1980s trading card boom. By capturing the sport’s legends and future stars with top-notch photography amidst eye-catching designs, Leaf delivered a true time capsule of 1987 that remains a priority for collectors to this day. For both its on-field content highlighting a golden era and superb overall production quality, the 1987 Donruss Leaf baseball cards have cemented their place in card collecting history.
