The 1987 Fleer Mini baseball card set was unique in the hobby for its smaller size compared to traditional trading cards. Measuring just 2 inches by 2.5 inches, the minis featured the same horizontal card design as regular Fleer issues of the era but were dubbed “mini-cards” due to their significantly smaller dimensions. While not as iconic or popular amongst collectors as full-sized issues from the same year, the 1987 Fleer Minis have developed a cult following of their own and prices for the 168-card checklist have steadily risen in recent years.
Released at the tail end of the baseball card boom of the 1980s, the 1987 Fleer Minis retailed for $1.49 per package which contained 16 cards and 1 sticker. Despite the lower cost compared to wax packs holding full-sized cards, the mini size proved a novelty and the set sold reasonably well upon issue. Lacking the flashy photography and bold color schemes of competing brands like Topps and Donruss that year, the Minis never achieved the same mainstream popularity. Coupled with the smaller card size making them less suitable for storage and play in penny sleeves and toploaders, the 1987 Fleer Minis were overlooked by many collectors at the time in favor of their standard counterparts.
Initial disinterest meant production numbers for the mini cards far exceeded demand after release. With abundant unchecked supplies entering the collecting marketplace for decades after, common cards from the set traded for just pennies apiece. Even key rookie and star cards from the checklist like Bo Jackson, Will Clark and Mark McGwire lingered around the $1-2 range ungraded for years. A perfect storm of factors has conspired over the past 5-10 years to greatly increase values across the 1987 Fleer Mini checklist.
As the generation that collected cards in the 1980s hit their peak earning potential and downsized collections, nostalgia has driven more focus onto oddball and peculiar vintage issues like the minis. Expanded exposure through sports card databases, auction sites and social media has shone a light on previously obscure sets. Diminished unchecked supplies as many of these cards have since been collected off the market has exerted upward pressure on prices as well. A thriving graded population has added documentation of condition and scarcity to valuable specimens through services like PSA and BGS.
Of course, none of this would mean as much without elite stars and important rookie cards within the checklist to drive collector demand. Major keys command the biggest premiums and 1987 Fleer Minis feature two of the most iconic rookies in the hobby’s history – Ken Griffey Jr. and Mark McGwire. A PSA 10 Griffey Jr. mini fetched $1,250 in a recent auction, evidence of its increasing rarity and significance. Even a PSA 9 brings over $500 due to Griffey’s all-time great career and lasting popularity amongst collectors. Likewise, a PSA 10 McGwire mini surpassed $600 with a grade 9 reaching close to $300. Both rookies are among the toughest pulls from the set in pristine condition after over 30 years.
Aside from star rookies, premiums apply to other prolific players as well. A PSA 10 Bo Jackson mini recently sold for nearly $400 given his short but sensational career. Other key Hall of Famers like Cal Ripken Jr., Wade Boggs, Rickey Henderson and Ozzie Smith typically run $50-150 for top grades while $10-30 is common even for mid-grade examples. Superstar prospects like Barry Bonds, Gary Sheffield and Roger Clemens demand $25-75 each in PSA 8-9. Even longtime stars with less flashy names like Tim Raines, Bert Blyleven and Jim Rice can pull $15-40 a piece for pristine specimens in top holders.
Beyond the premium stars and rookies, most common players from the 1987 Fleer Mini checklist today reside in the $1-10 raw range depending on condition, with more scarcer players like Jose Canseco, Mark Langston and Kevin Mitchell occupying the $5-15 zone. There remains upside potential as graded populations remain relatively modest compared to larger 1980s flagship sets. With vintage collecting always evolving and prices constantly in flux, even a raw common mini in solid shape could appreciate over longer time horizons; though graded gems fetch the most substantial returns currently.
As one of the more unique, smaller issues from the last gasp of the 1980s card boom, the 1987 Fleer Mini baseball card set has undergone a renaissance in popularity and become a true cult classic. Once overlooked for their mini size which deterred both play and long-term preservation, renewed focus and the march of time itself have combined to greatly improve values and collector appreciation. From franchise stars to formative prospects, premier specimens with impeccable preservation continue to trade hands at prices indicative of this set’s growing significance to vintage collecting. Though just a tiny snapshot of 1980s cardboard compared to standard issues, the 1987 Fleer Minis are big in nostalgia and increasingly command outsized returns reflective of their sought-after scarcity within the collecting community.
