The 1987 Topps Traded baseball card set showcased some of baseball’s biggest stars and hottest rookies that were traded or dealt in that season. Unlike the flagship Topps base set, the Traded set focused exclusively on players who found themselves on a new team via trade or waiver deal. With only 86 cards in the set, it contained many iconic and valuable cards worth far more today than their original retail prices.
Perhaps the most notable and valuable card in the entire 1987 Topps Traded set is card number T1 – Nolan Ryan of the Houston Astros. At the time, Ryan was still one of baseball’s most dominant pitchers at age 40 and had just been traded from the Mets to the Astros before the 1987 season. His Traded card shows him in an Astros uniform for the first and only time. In near mint condition, the Ryan T1 card can fetch prices up to $450 or more due to his legendary status and the scarcity of highly graded copies still around today.
Another extremely coveted and valuable card is T5 – Ozzie Smith of the St. Louis Cardinals. Many collectors and fans consider Smith to be the greatest defensive shortstop of all time. His Traded card was one of the first to show him as a Cardinal after being part of one of the largest player trades in MLB history that offseason. High grade Ozzie Smith T5 cards can sell for over $250.
Two other valuable rookie cards found in the 1987 Topps Traded set include T15 – Mark McGwire of the Oakland A’s and T82 – Jose Canseco also of the A’s. Both McGwire and Canseco went on to have Hall of Fame caliber careers and helped power the A’s dynasty teams of the late 80s and early 90s. Near mint or better grades of their rookie Traded cards frequently trade hands for $100 to $150 each due to their first appearance in an A’s uniform and tremendous importance to baseball card collectors and investors.
Remaining stars whose Traded cards hold value include T3 – Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox ($75-$100 NM), T4 – Wade Boggs also of the Red Sox ($50+ NM), T6 – George Brett of the Kansas City Royals ($50+ NM), T7 – Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies ($40+ NM), T10 – Fernando Valenzuela of the Los Angeles Dodgers ($30+ NM), T19 – Dwight Gooden of the New York Mets ($25+ NM), and T61 – Dave Henderson of the Boston Red Sox ($25+ NM).
All told, there are around a dozen cards in the 1987 Topps Traded set with reasonable valuations starting at $25 or more for higher graded near mint or mint condition copies. The true holy grails are the previously mentioned Ryan, Smith, McGwire and Canseco rookie cards worth upwards of $100-$450 each in top condition due to strong, consistent collector demand.
The distinctiveness and overall quality of photography and design featured on Topps Traded cards from the 1980s make them a beloved niche within the larger umbrella of baseball cards from that era. Because they solely spotlighted newly acquired stars on different clubs, they captured pivotal career moments in unique uniform debuts. They remain a favorite among not only players collectors but also fans curious to see legends from seasons past on new ballclubs before they further cemented their legacies. While the initial print run numbers are unknown, sufficient quantities still circulate to satisfy most collectors’ budgets depending on the specific card and its rated preservation. The 1987 Topps Traded set presents a tangible investment opportunity for today’s savvy collectors.
The 1987 Topps Traded baseball card set highlighted some true icons of the sport during pivotal transitions to new teams. Cards like the rookie offerings of McGwire, Canseco and stars like Ryan, Smith, Brett and others maintain robust collector demand due to incredible talent, memorable imagery and significance in the hobby. With prices already climbing for higher graded versions, savvy collectors would do well to seek out affordable opportunities to add examples from this renowned niche release to their portfolios before values appreciate further with time. The 1987 Topps Traded set stands tall among the most coveted and valuable traded sets in the entire hobby.
