The 1987 Topps Baseball Card set is one of the most iconic and valuable vintage baseball card sets from the late 1980s. With 792 total cards in the base set that includes players, managers, umpires and record breakers, finding a complete 1987 Topps set in mint condition can be quite rare and hold significant worth. Let’s take a deeper look at what makes this particular set so collectible and valuable when found complete and in top condition.
Released in 1987 as the main flagship baseball card issuer’s product, Topps continued its tradition of featuring every major league player on cardboard. Some of the biggest stars of 1987 that were highlighted in the set include Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, Kirby Puckett and Rickey Henderson. The design of the cards that year featured a blue border with white team logo in the upper left hand corner. On the back, it listed the player’s stats from the 1986 season below their photo.
One of the things that adds to the mystique of the 1987 Topps set is the inclusion of some truly iconic and historically significant rookie cards. Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, Mark McGwire, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and David Justice all had their MLB rookie cards in this set. Finding those particular rookie cards in pristine condition can exponentially increase the worth of a complete 1987 collection.
Beyond the star players and rookie cards of that campaign, there were also 70manager/coach cards and 36 record breaker/record holder cards mixed into the base issuance. This added more variety and statistical historical value to an already packed release. The manager cards featured skippers like Whitey Herzog and Dick Williams while the record breaker tallied hallowed MLB benchmarks.
In terms of rarity, the base 1987 Topps set has 792 total cards as previously stated. To have a true “complete” set, one must also track down the additional insert cards issued that year like the photo variation parallels and foil stamped subsets. Accounting for all special parallel and inserts, the total number of unique 1987 Topps cards climbs to 821. So finding a collection with each and every one present is an enormous challenge.
Grading is also an important consideration when assessing the worth of an intact 1987 Topps set. Only the crispest, sharpest examples that earn the elusive pristine Gem Mint 10 grade from services like PSA or BGS would be considered for the absolute pinnacle pricing. Most high-end intact sets fall into the Mint 9 or Near Mint-Mint 8 range which is still exceptionally collectible but will impact final valuation versus a true perfect 10 graded set.
So in summary – what is a complete 1987 Topps baseball set worth? When in top-of-the-line Gem Mint 10 condition across the entire release of 821 total unique cards, including all special insert cards parallels, a flawless collection could realistically achieve an asking price in the range of $30,000-$50,000 US depending on market conditions. For a set at the Mint 9 level, expect $20,000-$30,000. In today’s inflated vintage sports card market, it’s likely the values mentioned could be even higher for the right buyer. Condition is absolutely critical and finding a set this large fully intact is indeed a monumental task. This makes 1987 Topps an iconic year that earns bragging rights for any dedicated collector who can check it off their want lists.
The 1987 Topps Baseball Card set holds a revered place in the collecting hobby due to its inclusion of future all-time greats, its historically significant rookie cards, and its overall massive base set count. When a collector can obtain a true “complete” run including all parallels and inserts across the entire 821 card checklist, they will undoubtedly own one of the crown jewels of the vintage market. With prices ranging from $20,000 at the low-end to potentially over $50,000 for a perfect 10 example, owning this prized complete 1987 Topps set is a monumental achievement and valuable sports collectible asset.
