The 1987 Kmart baseball card set is one of the more intriguing and valuable sets from the junk wax era of the late 1980s. Produced as a special promotion by Kmart stores, the set showcased major league players from that season in vivid color photographs on standard size cards. While the set does not receive as much attention today compared to flagship releases from Topps, Donruss, and Fleer, savvy collectors know there is value to be found in scoping out stars, rookies, and oddball varieties from the Kmart issue.
One of the more appealing aspects of the 1987 Kmart cards lies in the photography and design. Snapped by renowned baseball photographer William R. Glading Jr, the portraits capture the players in crisp detail with vibrant colors that pop off the cardboard. Each player is shown head-on against a plain white or gray background, letting their face and uniform take center stage. Basic card stats are printed on the reverse along with a memorable Kmart slogan “You’ll Love It!” The fronts have a clean look devoid of any logos save for small Kmart and Glading credits in the bottom corners.
While production numbers for the set are unknown, they were likely quite high given Kmart’s widespread retail presence. Not all cards made it to the retail level as promotional inserts were also found in some packs. Perhaps due to the lower hobby shop and show availability compared to the Big Three releases, the 1987 Kmart cards never quite reached junk status and prices have held steady over the decades. Common players in Excellent condition can be had for 50 cents to a dollar while stars command $3-5.
Rookies and prospects in the set that debuted in 1987 include future Hall of Famers Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux for the Atlanta Braves as well as pitcher Bruce Hurst for the Boston Red Sox. All are reasonably priced between $5-10 even in high grade. Those who emerged as true stars have increased value such as Tim Raines’ Excelsior-refractor parallel which nets $40 due to his stolen base prowess for the Montreal Expos. Mark McGwire, slugging for the Oakland A’s in his rookie season, commands $15-20 despite not being a particularly scarce card.
The biggest star and most desired card is unsurprisingly New York Mets phenom Dwight Gooden. Known as “Doc” for his trademark glasses and overpowering fastball, Gooden exploded onto the scene in 1985 by winning Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young award. He followed that up with an equally dominant 24-4 season in 1987 to earn his second straight Cy Young. Gooden’s pristine Kmart portrait captures his boyish cheeks and thick mustache during his playing prime. High grade versions in the $15-25 range are reasonably priced despite his legend, with flawless Mint specimens bringing over $50.
Outside of the stars and prospects, error varieties exist that spike certain players’ values through scarcity alone. The rarest is Gene Garber of the California Angels whose photo is inadvertently printed upside down, fetching upwards of $100 due to the one-of-a-kind mistake. Other oddball varieties include promotional die-cuts and box-top redemption inserts that offer stats and fact parallels. Staple stars like Ozzie Smith, Don Mattingly, and Mike Schmidt command $5-10 each regardless of condition.
While perhaps not as iconic as the major sets, avid collectors appreciate the 1987 Kmart baseball cards for their unique photography and affordable prices across the board. Future Hall of Famers, award winners, and infamous errors make select cards well worth hunting down to add pop and affordability to any junk wax-era collection. With vibrant designs, big names, and a compelling manufacturing backstory, it’s clear to see why this oddball issue from a supermarket chain has endured as a memorable footnote in baseball card history.
