The 1987 Topps baseball card set was unique in that it paid homage to the 1954 Topps design and feel from over 30 years prior. With a nostalgic theme of “turning back the clock”, the 1987 Topps set brought back the classic look and feel from one of the most iconic designs in the history of the hobby.

When Topps debuted the 1987 set, baseball card collecting was still immensely popular but entering a transitionary period. The advent of upperdeck in 1989 would challenge Topps’ monopoly and introduce premium card designs. Meanwhile, the junk wax era of the late 1980s saw an overproduction of cards that has depressed the value of many from that era.

Within this context, Topps made the creative decision with their 1987 design to harken back to the golden age of the 1950s. That was a time when baseball cards were primarily collected by children and held genuine appeal as a source of information and entertainment about the players and the game. The 1987 set captures the nostalgia of that era in its classic portrait-style design that resembles the legendary 1954 Topps set so closely.

Some of the key ways Topps successfully channeled the 1954 design in 1987 include:

Reverting to a classic vertical orientation after several years of landscape and other experimental designs. This harkened back to the original portrait style of 1954 Topps and earlier.

Using a similar color palette with bright solid colors for the borders and player photos against a white background. The 1954 set featured blues, reds, and greens that Topps mimicked in 1987.

Including just the player’s picture and factual information below in a similar simplified layout. No action shots or unnecessary frills like later 1980s sets had.

Featuring similar stylistic fonts and type treatments that harkened back to the early 1950s. From the block letters spelling TOPPS to the fonts used for statistics and other text.

Including the same factual data in the same order below each photo – player name, team, position, batting average. A recognizable template from the 1950s.

Even small details like the design of the team logo boxes at bottom were modeled after the classic 1950s Topps style.

While updating the 1987 designs slightly with color photos of active players instead of the black and white shots from the 1950s, Topps captured the overall nostalgic feeling of the earlier era. The brand helped bring baseball card collecting full circle at a time when the industry was rapidly changing.

For collectors and fans with memories of the classic 1950s Topps cards, the 1987 turn back the clock theme was very successful in tapping into that warm nostalgia. Suddenly the current players like Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, and Roger Clemens had designs just as iconic looking as legends like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron from earlier decades.

The 1987 set is also notable because the roster featured baseball superstars and upcoming talent from that period. Icons like George Brett and Nolan Ryan appeared in their prime alongside young stars like Mark McGwire in his rookie season. For both vintage and contemporary collectors, the players captured on the 1987 Topps cards have lasting value and memorability since many went on to careers in the Hall of Fame.

While not quite as valuable in the vintage sense as the original 1950s issues they drew inspiration from, 1987 Topps cards remain a sentimental favorite for collectors today because of their classic visual connection to the 1950s roots of the hobby. They help bridge collectors to baseball’s earlier decades. Condition-wise, they also tend to be found in nicer shapes than some later 1980s/early 90s designs that suffered more wear and tear risks as part of the junk wax era.

The popularity of the “Turn Back the Clock” theme also influenced Topps’ designs for several subsequent years. The 1988 and 1989 Topps sets continued the vertical photo portrait style and color palette nods to the 1950s. And even later into the 1990s, Topps occasionally incorporated design elements and color schemes that referenced their mid-20th century look from the 1954 and 1955 issues. The popularity of the nostalgic 1987s helped shape baseball card aesthetics and collecting interests for many years after.

In the decades since, as the initial collectors from the 1950s have aged, the 1987 Topps homage has taken on its own retro appeal. They reflect the era when today’s middle-aged fans first discovered the hobby. While never quite eclipsing the cultural cachet of the true 1950s vintage, the 1987 Topps set remains a unique bridge connecting generations of collectors to the early roots of the baseball card industry. Their Turn Back the Clock theme was an explicit showcase of the hobby’s history that resonated strongly with fans both young and old.