The 1987 Topps baseball card set is renowned among collectors for featuring some of the most valuable and iconic rookie cards in the hobby’s history. Top rookies from the ’87 set like Barry Bonds, Tom Glavine, and Gregg Maddux would go on to have Hall of Fame careers and their rookie cards are highly sought after by collectors to this day.
One of the most popular rookie cards from 1987 Topps is that of Barry Bonds. As the 6th overall pick in the 1985 MLB draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bonds made his MLB debut in 1986 but was still considered a rookie by Topps in 1987 since he didn’t exceed the rookie limits of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the previous season. Behind only Mike Schmidt on the focus list, Bonds’ rookie card shows him leaning on a bat with “BONDS” across the top in yellow. High-grade copies of this card in mint condition routinely sell for well over $1000 due to Bonds going on to compile a Hall of Fame career and break the all-time home run record.
Another sought after rookie from the ’87 set is Tom Glavine of the Atlanta Braves. The 30th overall pick in the 1984 draft, Glavine made his MLB debut in 1987 and went 13-5 with a 2.81 ERA for the Braves. His iconic rookie card features an action shot of Glavine pitching with the Braves script across the bottom. Like Bonds, Glavine thoroughly lived up to the hype of his rookie card by winning 305 games and 2 Cy Young awards over a Hall of Fame career. PSA 10 graded copies of his ’87 rookie routinely sell for $500-1000.
Another member of the 1987 rookie trio who had a Hall of Fame career is Atlanta Braves pitcher Gregg Maddux. Drafted in the 2nd round out of high school in 1984, Maddux made his MLB debut in September 1986 but had only 32 innings pitched so he was still eligible for Topps as a rookie in 1987. His card shows Maddux in a follow through pitching motion with the Braves logo across the bottom. Over 23 MLB seasons, Maddux won 355 games and captured 4 Cy Young awards, cementing the value of his ’87 Topps rookie card at the $300-600 range for high-grade copies.
In addition to the superstar trio of Bonds, Glavine, and Maddux, the 1987 Topps set featured several other notable rookie cards that remain popular with collectors today. Chicago Cubs phenomenon Andre Dawson had one of the most memorable rookie cards from the set after a monster season where he won the NL Rookie of the Year and MVP awards. His card showcases Dawson diving for a catch in front of Wrigley Field’s famous ivy walls. High-grade versions can fetch $60-100.
Cleveland Indians catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. also had a big rookie year as he hit .257 in 109 games while handling one of the league’s best pitching staffs. His slick defensive skills made his a 6-time All-Star and 3-time Gold Glover over a 17-year career. The retro style of his ’87 Topps rookie card, with Alomar crouching behind the plate, has become a fan favorite worth $15-30 for top-quality copies.
Another Indians player to debut in 1987 was catcher/first baseman Brook Jacoby. After being selected 7th overall in the 1983 draft, Jacoby got his first extended stint in the majors in ’87 and hit a solid .270 with 7 homers in 104 games. His card showcases Jacoby from the shoulders up in an Indians batting helmet. Although he never emerged as the superstar his draft position and rookie year suggested, Jacoby still had a 13-year MLB career and his ’87 Topps RC holds value at $5-15.
While position players dominated the rookie spectacle in 1987 Topps, a few pitchers besides Glavine and Maddux also had noteworthy debut campaigns. Cincinnati Reds righty Rob Dibble was arguably the hardest throwing relief pitcher in baseball during his 8-year career. In 1987, he struck out 95 batters in just 67.1 innings as a rookie. His Topps card portrays Dibble mid-windup and shows why he was nicknamed “The Closing Machine”. despite issues with control, it can sell for $20-40 in top condition.
Another hard throwing arm was that of San Francisco Giants reliever Bill Swift. As a rookie in 1987, Swift made 59 appearances out of the Giants bullpen and racked up 119 strikeouts against just 34 walks in 103.2 innings. His “Swift Relief” rookie card illustrates him going through his windup and is valued around the $8-15 range for pristine copies. While his career was cut short due to injury, Swift flashed immense promise during an impressive debut campaign.
The 1987 Topps baseball card set will always be renowned and collected for featuring the rookie cards of future Hall of Famers Barry Bonds, Tom Glavine, and Gregg Maddux. It also showcased several other notable rookies like Andre Dawson, Sandy Alomar Jr., and Rob Dibble who made memorable impressions during their debut seasons. For modern collectors and investors, high-grade versions of these iconic rookie cards continue to hold strong long-term value based on their players’ excellent MLB careers and lore within the hobby. The 1987 Topps set set the standard for postwar rookie card collecting mania that continues strong to this day.
