The 1987 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic releases from the genre’s golden era of the 1980s. Featuring 660 total cards with modern designs and photography of all major leaguers from that season, the ’87 Topps set remains a hugely popular target for collectors to this day. As with any vintage release that has withstood the tests of time, professional third-party grading from PSA has become invaluable for preserving condition and providing certification to 1987 Topps cards.
Released in March 1987 as Topps continued its run as the exclusive baseball card licensee, the design was a transition from the intricate border patterns of the past decade to cleaner foil stamped logos and borders incorporating just a team name across the top. Photographs showed players in action shots from the 1986 season with minimal embellishment. Rosters included all 30 MLB clubs along with managers, coaches and some minor leaguers. The set also had 32 cards devoted to team checklists, leaders, and records.
While production numbers for ’87 Topps were massive compared to modern issues, years of circulation and potential mishandling have taken a toll on most surviving examples. PSA grading provides assurance that a given card has avoided the most damaging forms of wear such as creases, corners rounding, edge nicks or stains. Their standard for Near Mint highlights extremely well-kept copies that may still exhibit a hint of whitening on the edges or a faint fingerprint—a much higher bar than a non-graded Loose near mint would suggest.
Key rookie cards that are greatly benefited by PSA certification include Barry Larkin, Mark McGwire, Gregg Maddux, and Cal Ripken Jr.’s update issue after winning the AL MVP award. Each have found stable markets for high-grade PSA 9 and 10 copies as staples in collections and for speculative holding. Other stars like Nolan Ryan, Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith and Tony Gwynn command strong prices across all PSA levels as well due to their important placements in the set and careers.
Condition rarities that bring premiums include Gwynn’s standard issue PSA 10, McGwire PSA 9.5, or Larkin and Boggs Gems. While not impossible to find unworn originals, time and handling have made true pristine Near Mint to Mint copies exceedingly scarce for ‘87 Topps outside of its biggest icons. PSA encapsulation lends credibility as an independent assessment and archive-quality long-term storage method. Slabs provide a consistent look across eBay sales and are familiar to potential buyers, increasing liquidity.
The allure of high-numbers like #1 Nolan Ryan or #660 Ozzie Smith team checklist have kept interest robust for graded examples as display pieces. Even commons hold steady values across most PSA grades from 8.5-9 due to demand outstripping freshly surfaced population reports. Short prints like #648 Tommy Herr or #658 Mike Herr are also enhanced finding well-preserved copies as rarities within the set. Supplemental PSA services such as autograph verification are applicable to autographed editions as well.
While not the flashiest or most visually striking set from the decade, 1987 Topps has achieved classic status that benefits tremendously from rigorous authentication, attribute verification and secure long-term protection that PSA provides. Slabbed 8’s still sell smoothly given their relative scarcity compared to lower graded pieces. Condition Census rolls emphasize the difficulty of higher scores even for the biggest stars. As one of the most collected vintage issues ever, third party grading ensures 1987 Topps cards can be enjoyed safely for generations to come.
The steady appreciating values and collecting interest surrounding the 1987 Topps set means PSA certification is an invaluable asset for condition-sensitive examples. Modern sports collectors demand the reassurance and marketability it provides. High grades deliver multiples over raw near mint copies for iconic rookies, stars and inserts. PSA gives 1987 Topps the documented verification and protection levels that have made them a pillar of the vintage baseball card market for over 30 years running.
