The 1987 baseball season saw exciting storylines develop across Major League Baseball. The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Minnesota Twins in a thrilling 7-game World Series. Elsewhere on the diamond, sluggers like Andre Dawson, Mark McGwire, and Don Mattingly had monster campaigns. Not surprisingly, the 1987 baseball card sets captured some of the most iconic rookie cards and moments from that campaign.
Over three decades later, cards from the ‘87 offerings still hold significant nostalgic and monetary value for collectors. The massive popularity and widespread distribution of brands like Topps, Donruss, and Fleer ensured many cards reached the hands of young fans at the time. As those fans aged and developed nostalgia for their childhood collections, demand rose for key ‘87 rookies and stars. Modern grading standards also allowed collectors to authenticate and preserve top condition specimens for greater appreciation down the road.
One of the most valuable 1987 baseball cards remains Ken Griffey Jr’s rookie from the Topps set. Widely considered one of the most talented outfielders in history, “Junior” lived up to huge expectations with a Hall of Fame career. His rookie card is one of the most iconic in the modern era, and high-grade specimens regularly fetch thousands at auction. A pristine PSA 10 example could easily sell for over $10,000 today given Griffey’s legendary status. Even well-centered near-mint copies still trade hands for hundreds.
1987 saw a few other future Hall of Famers debut as well. Larry Walker’s rookie in the Topps set is worth noting. While injury shortened his prime, Walker still had a outstanding career and demonstrates Canadian baseball fandom. His rookie typically sells for a few hundred dollars in mint condition. Another debut that year was catcher Mike Piazza for the Dodgers. His offensive prowess revolutionized the position, and his rookies remain hot commodities for Dodgers and Italian-American collectors. A PSA 10 could crack four figures.
While rookies draw the biggest bucks, stars from 1987 have maintained value too. Toronto slugger George Bell’s outstanding MVP campaign with the Blue Jays is commemorated in his ‘87 Topps and Fleer cards. Well-centered mint copies still sell for $50-100 given his status as one of the franchise’s early greats. St. Louis Cardinals 1B Todd Zeile also had a breakout ‘87 and still held starter value for over a decade – his rookies from Topps, Donruss and Fleer sell in the $25-50 range. Mark McGwire also had one of his first elite seasons with the A’s in 1987. Annointed as a star slugger already, his cards remain popular with Oakland and home run milestone collectors.
The 1987 Donruss set is especially admired by analysts, as the photography and design truly brought out each player’s personality. High-grade versions of rookie stars like Griffey, Piazza, and Walker are highly sought after from Donruss as well. However, ‘87 Donruss runs a deeper collecting well than just rookie cards. Star veterans like Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs, and Andre Dawson delivered MVP caliber seasons, and their mainstream appeal keeps mint copies of their Donruss cards trading around $20-50 still today. Meanwhile, error cards like Alan Trammell’s missing logo variation have taken on cult status.
Condition, of course, is paramount when assessing the true values of any vintage baseball card. While most 1987 issues have withstood the test of time protected in original wax packs all these years, the extremes of very poor or pristine mint can create huge price gaps. A Griffey or Piazza rookie in damaged shape might fetch just $50-100, compared to thousands for a true PSA 10. Still, for most collectors and fans, even a well-centered near mint ‘87 Griffey rookie or Piazza packs far more nostalgic worth than monetary value alone. Few card sets better capture the stars and stories of an iconic MLB campaign like 1987 did.
In conclusion, 1987 baseball cards retain strong collector interest and monetary value due to iconic rookie debuts like Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza. Stars from the 1987 season like Ozzie Smith and George Bell also hold lasting nostalgic appeal.condition is paramount, but many mid-range ’87 issues from Topps, Donruss and Fleer supply affordable nostalgia for fans of that era. The entire set is worth exploring for any collector seeking to revisit the players and storylines of a memorable year in baseball history.
