The 1987 Fleer Update series marked the first time that Fleer produced a supplemental baseball card set in the middle of the season to highlight new players and major events from that year. While the base 1987 Fleer set was released in February/March as usual, the Update arrived on shelves in July/August and became an annual tradition for Fleer through 2007. The 1987 Update set featured 133 total cards with checklist numbers between U1-U133. While not as iconic or valuable as the base ’87 Fleer issue, the Update set nevertheless provides a fun time capsule of that MLB season and several key rookie cards remain quite collectible and valuable today.
One of the biggest storylines captured in the ’87 Update was the debut of Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Steve Bedrosian. After a breakout season in 1986 that saw him lead the NL in saves, Bedrosian was featured prominently on card U1. While not exactly a true rookie card since he played parts of 3 prior seasons, Bedrosian’s U1 is still one of the keys to the set. High-grade examples in PSA/BGS 10condition have sold for over $100 in recent years. Another Phillies pitcher, defensive stalwart Steve Waterman, received card U84 in his lone Update appearance. Waterman’s card remains quite affordable for Phillies collectors.
Two of the true rookie gems from the ’87 Update are Toronto Blue Jays pitching prospects Dave Stieb (U40) and Mike MacDougal (U67). Both hurlers debuted late that season and continued developing in the Jays system in the late 80s/early 90s. High-grade copies of their rookie cards now sell for $40-70. Another potential Blue Jays breakout was featured, if brief, as outfielder George Bell’s incredible 1987 MVP season is highlighted on card U16. Bell went on to become the first Toronto player to win an MVP award that year.
Not to be outdone, the New York Mets also supplied some rookie talent to the ’87 Update. Hotshot pitching prospect David West (U41) and middle infielder Kevin Elster (U66) both received their sole rookie cards. While neither panned out as all-stars like many had hoped, their Update RC’s remain popular with Mets collectors. Elster in particular has seen recent PSA 10 sales around $75-100 given his status as one of the key rookie cards in the set.
One of the true heavy-hitting gems from the ’87 Update was the rookie card of Chicago White Sox slugging first baseman Frank Thomas (U43). “The Big Hurt” immediately began establishing himself as a future Hall of Famer starting in 1990. High-grade copies of his striking rookie card in aWhite Sox uniform have eclipsed the $1000 mark in pristine PSA 10 condition. Of course, no discussion of the ’87 Update would be complete without mention of the rookie card of legend Ken Griffey Jr. (U45), who was already taking the MLB by storm as a teenage phenom for the Mariners. High-end copies of his legendary rookie currently sell for thousands in top condition.
While not true rookie cards, several star veterans and eventual Hall of Famers like Ozzie Smith (U5), Don Mattingly (U9), Wade Boggs (U17), and Tony Gwynn (U39) highlighted their continued excellence on Update cards as well. These remain favorites for collectors of those all-time great players. On the flip side, the waning careers of aging vets like Luis Tiant (U76) and Tom Seaver (U115) were also acknowledged. Unfortunately, Seaver’s would prove to be his final major league card appearance before retirement.
In all, the 1987 Fleer Updaterepresented a fun mid-season snapshot of that baseball year. While it lacks the true vintage appeal of the base ’87 Fleer set, several key rookie cards like Thomas, Griffey, and others make it an intriguing supplemental set worth exploring for collectors. With condition-sensitive gems like the Elster and Frank Thomas rookies, building a high-grade ’87 Update set remains a lucrative long-term investment even today. It serves as a neat time capsule from when baseball card inserts were still a novel concept in the late 1980s.
