The 1987 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic and valuable sets from the 1980s. It was the 66th annual set produced by Topps and consisted of 792 total cards. Some key trivia and facts about the 1987 Topps set include:
Rickey Henderson Becomes the Cover Athlete: For just the third time in Topps history, a player was featured by themselves on the cover rather than as part of a team photo. Rickey Henderson graced the cover as he was coming off a season where he set an MLB record with 130 stolen bases. Henderson would go on to remain the career stolen base leader until 2015.
Introducing Traded Players: For the first time, Topps included “Traded” subsets highlighting players who were traded during the 1986 season. Eight cards made up the Traded subset, with the biggest names being Doug Drabek, Tom Candiotti, and Wally Backman. These subsets helped collectors keep up with all the midseason transactions.
Debut of Mark McGwire: Rookie card collectors in 1987 were treated to the debut card of Oakland A’s slugger Mark McGwire, who would go on to smash the single season home run record in 1998. McGwire’s rookie card is considered one of the key rookie cards from the late 80s.
Rare Error Variations: There were a small number of error variations discovered in the 1987 set. The most significant was an error on Don Mattingly’s card where the word “batting” was misspelled as “baatting.” Other minor errors included swapped team logos or other misprints. These variations fetch a premium among collectors today.
Star Rookies Abound: In addition to McGwire, other top rookie cards included Hall of Famer Tom Glavine, Juan Gonzalez, Gregg Olson, and Terry Mulholland. Collectors could start PC builds of future stars right from this iconic set.
League Leader Subsets: Topps’ League Leader subset highlighted statistical champs in 1986. A total of 24 cards featured hitters and pitchers who led their respective leagues in key categories like batting average, home runs, wins, ERA and more. The subsets provided stats geeks more content to pore over.
Trading Card Pioneer Retires: The 1987 set marked the final card issued of Hall of Fame third baseman George Brett. Brett’s 21-year career was highlighted by his .305 batting average, 317 home runs, and 3,154 hits. He remains one of the greatest right-handed hitters in baseball history and a true trading card pioneer from the 70s and 80s.
Growth of MLB Expansion: With the addition of the Montreal Expos and Minnesota Twins in 1969, Topps had room for four additional cards in the 1987 checklist compared to sets from earlier in the decade. This brought the total count to 792 cards, reflecting the continued growth and popularity of Major League Baseball across North America through the 1980s.
Increased Card Quality: The late 80s marked a shift in the production values for sports cards overall. The 1987 Topps set featured higher quality physical stock and improved color reproduction compared to issues in the late 70s/early 80s. The cards had a nice premium feel that card collectors appreciate to this day.
Unique Design Features: Topps’ designers crafted an array logo layout with team logos popped against a solid color banner across each card front. Statistics were neatly organized on the back. Subsets like Traded kept the same color pallet for easy identification. The visual continuity made for an attractive and organized presentation throughout.
Investment Potential Remains High: With the combination of star rookies, popular veterans, and quality designs, 1987 Topps cards retain significant collector interest and monetary value over 35 years later. A complete common set in near-mint condition can fetch over $2,000 today. Top rookie cards like McGwire and key stars like Henderson frequently sell for hundreds on the strong vintage baseball market.
The 1987 Topps set is considered among the most historically significant and visually appealing issues from the sport’s classic cardboard era. Featuring iconic players, valuable errors, and the rise of important rookies like McGwire, it remains an important part of the archetypal 1980s baseball experience for both young collectors at the time and those pursuing the vintage hobby today. The proven investment potential only adds to its repute as a collection cornerstone over three decades removed.
