The 1987 Topps baseball card set is one of the most iconic and collectible issues in the modern era. While featuring numerous stars and hall of famers, it also stands out for its many variations that fascinate collectors to this day. With 792 total cards in the base set and several special subsets, there were plenty of opportunities for errors, changes, and one-offs to occur.
One of the most well-known variations from the 1987 Topps set is the Flip-stock Pedro Guerrero card (#150). Due to an error at the printing plant, some copies of Guerrero’s card were printed on the reverse stock, making the front gray and back colored rather than the standard format. This subtle change has made the flip-stock Guerrero one of the most coveted common variations.
Another interesting variation is the Cris Carpenter card (#363). The majority of Carpenter’s cards have a team name of “Cardinals” embossed in white ink on the upper-left background. A small number were mistakenly printed without the team name, giving collectors an obvious visual difference to seek out.
One of the most significant variations arises from the design changes made during the printing process. Early copies of the set featured a more vibrant color palette with neon hues popping on many cards. However, Topps received customer complaints that the colors appeared too bright and artificial. In response, Topps ordered their printers to tone down the vibrant colors starting with card #349 (Ron Darling). From that point onward throughout the remainder of the printing run, all cards feature more subdued and natural shades.
Sets printed with the bright early colors are known as “high-numbers” variations while those featuring the toned-down later colors are called “low-numbers.” The most popular cards to collect in both the high-number and low-number variations include superstars like Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire, and Ozzie Smith. Finding high-number versions of a star’s early card number with the bright colors is a real coup for any collector.
Another change was made to the Donruss-licensed subset included in the base set. The original printed proofs showed the Donruss logo on a colored circle background. The licensed deal fell through and Topps had to remove the logo from the production run. A small number of cards featuring the logo variation with the circle background are considered true errors.
Meanwhile, throughout the printing process, numerous tiny one-off variations could occur due to shifted color registers, missing ink, or other minor defects on individual cards. Cal Ripken Jr.’s mammoth #343 card seemed especially prone to these tiny changes, with multiple known variants involving missing text, shifted coloring, or print cuts. With Ripken being one of the most popular players, even minor one-off variations to his card stay highly sought after.
Beyond the base set, collectors also seek out variations within the coveted traded and update sets released after the baseball season. A scarce error from the 1987 Traded set involves the Jim Eisenreich card lacking the “Traded” designation found normally in white text along the bottom. Only a small run were printed sans the traded info.
The ’87 Update issue also featured a dramatic color change. The majority of the set uses a blue, beige and gray color scheme different than the base issues. Some copies were printed with a reverted vibrant color palette akin to the original high-number base cards, distinguishable by their border colors. High-grade examples command big money today.
Perhaps no other vintage set demonstrates the subtle nuances of variations as well as 1987 Topps. Every difference, no matter how minor, captured the interest of collectors and added to the iconic status of the entire release. Even now over 30 years later, seekers of potential one-offs still relish the hunt through wax packs, boxes and individual raw cards looking to discover something new within the ever-evolving realm of variations from baseball’s most beloved hobby release.