The 1987 Score baseball card set is highly sought after by collectors due to the rookie cards it features of future Hall of Famers like Barry Larkin, Tom Glavine, and Greg Maddux. This was the final season that Score manufactured baseball cards before Topps acquired the license from Major League Baseball in 1988. As a result, the 1987 Score set has taken on greater significance as the last of its kind.
Several factors contribute to the value of individual 1987 Score baseball cards. Rookie and star player cards tend to command the highest prices. For example, the Barry Larkin rookie card is one of the gems of the set. As a future Hall of Famer and 12-time All-Star, Larkin’s rookie card from his rookie season with the Cincinnati Reds is highly valuable. In near mint condition, Larkin rookies have sold for over $1,000. Similarly, the rookie cards of Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, who also entered the Hall of Fame, can reach $500-$600 in mint condition due to their future success.
Stars of the late 1980s like Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, Rickey Henderson, and Kirby Puckett also have valuable cards in the 1987 Score set proportional to their playing careers. Boggs and Smith rookie cards aren’t in the 1987 set since they debuted earlier, but their base cards can sell for $100-200 depending on condition. Henderson and Puckett were already established All-Stars in 1987, so their base cards have lower values of $50-75 compared to rookie cards. Special parallel and serially numbered versions of star player cards can increase in value.
Condition is extremely important when determining the price of any vintage baseball card. On a scale of 1-10, the two highest condition gradings that maintain significant value are mint (9-10) and near mint (7-8). Anything graded 6 or below loses substantial value. Minimizing flaws from bending, creasing, edges, or corners is vital to preserve a high condition grade. Cards in pristine mint condition can be worth 5-10 times more than heavily played copies. Proper storage in protective holders is key to maintaining condition over decades.
In addition to player performance records, certain 1987 Score variants have increased rarity and demand. The “Photo Graphics” parallel subset featuring inset team photos inserted one per pack added a statistical wrinkle to the base set. These parallel variants tend to double or triple the value of base cards for star players. Another rare parallel is the “Action All-Stars” yellow parallel print that was even harder to pull. Serialized “000” and “010” subsets are some of the most prized insert cards.
Considering it was the final Score set before Topps took over, collectors are still discovering the nuances that make certain 1987 Score cards especially rare and valuable. A mint condition Nolan Ryan Photo Graphics parallel, for example, recently sold for over $1000 due to its statistical rarity. Similarly, Mike Schmidt and Don Mattingly Photo Graphics parallels reached the $300-500 range. Lower print runs and manufacturing quirks from Score’s final season led to subsets with exceptionally small populations that continue gaining recognition.
The 1987 Score baseball card market is thriving over 30 years later due to its historical importance and the elite rookie premieres within the set. Along with grading services like PSA and BGS authenticating condition, marketplaces on eBay let collectors discover the true values of their 1987 Score cards. The right parallel variant, star player, pristine condition grade or statistical anomaly can make cards from this set small investments worth far more than their original retail price. As interest grows in vintage 1980s baseball memorabilia, the final offering from Score maintains its status as a highly collectible release worth researching set prices.
Values of individual 1987 Score baseball cards are directly tied to the future Hall of Fame success of key rookies like Larkin, Glavine and Maddux. High grades for these star rookie cards as well as stars of the late 1980s can potentially be worth hundreds to over $1000 depending on condition and parallels. Serialized and rare parallel variations also increase rarity and price due to their low print runs. With the set marking Score’s finale before Topps, values remain tied to condition, scarce subsets and uncovering overlooked nuances that make certain 1987 cards surprisingly more valuable than peers over 30 years later.
