The 1987 Fleer baseball card set was truly unique and historic for several reasons. Issued during the peak of the baseball card boom of the late 1980s, the 1987 Fleer set stands out as one of the most iconic and coveted releases from that era.

Fleer secured the licensing rights to produce Major League Baseball cards in 1986, breaking the monopoly Topps had held since 1951. This marked the first major competition Topps had faced for baseball cards in over 30 years. Fleer clearly wanted to make a splash with its inaugural MLB licensed set in 1987.

The 1987 Fleer release featured an ambitious 666 cards in the base set. This was a substantial increase from the typical 300-400 cards Topps and Donruss had been issuing at the time. The massive size allowed Fleer to include significantly more stars and key players that were left out of competitors’ sets. Having such a giant checklist made completing the 1987 Fleer set a major challenge for collectors.

Another innovative aspect was that Fleer numbering was entirely different from previous years. Cards were now numbered 1-666 sequentially rather than by team. This was meant to emulate the style of non-sport releases and had never been done for baseball before. The unique numbering system added to the mystique and collectability of the 1987 Fleer cards.

Perhaps the most famous element and huge selling point was the inclusion of logos and team names on the cards. Previous to 1987, Topps and others refrained from showing logos and made vague references to teams by city name only due to rivalry and licensing disputes. Here at last was a true snapshot of Major League rosters with proper logos and uniforms fully depicted. To collectors this brought the players and teams to life like never before. Seeing their favorite MLB logos on a card was a dream come true.

However, Fleer’s usage of logos and team names without formal licensing agreements soon led to lawsuits. A few team logos like the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox were missing or partially blanked out on later printings as the legal battles ensued. This added another layer of mystique as specific logo error cards took on premium status. It also showed how aggressively Topps would fight to retain licensing exclusivity.

Among the many future Hall of Famers included in the massive 667 card checklist were Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, Eddie Murray, Dave Winfield, Rickey Henderson, and Dennis Eckersley. Rosters also featured young stars on the rise like Mark McGwire, Barry Larkin, and Jeff Bagwell. The star power packed into Fleer’s massive set added great appeal for collectors.

While the design aesthetic was not as flashy or cartoonishly stylized as fleer sets had been in the past, the simple photography focused design allowed the key elements of name, picture and team to really shine. Bright solid colors popped on the majority of the cards. Quality snapshots in full or closeup views helped create a sense of genuine baseball card realism that was cutting edge for the time.

Of all the cards in the 667 count set, perhaps none are more iconic or valuable today than the fleer logo error variations. Some printings mistakenly replaced the fleer logo with the word “Baseball” at the bottom. The extreme rarity and mystique of these erroneously labeled cards like Roger Clemens made them some of the most coveted chase cards from the entire 1980s era.

The 1987 Fleer set broke new ground by vastly increasing set size to fully represent MLB, including highly sought logos and team names, and pioneering unique sequential numbering. It shattered expectations and presaged the coming boom of the late ’80s. While competition and legal issues provided controversy, the high star power and truly one of a kind elements gave the 1987 Fleer release a legacy like no other in the modern age of baseball cards. Whether for its mammoth checklist, rosters of all-time greats, or ultra rare variants, the 1987 Fleer baseball card set stands alone as a pinnacle achievement and one of the most significant releases in the hobby’s storied history. It exemplified both the innovations and tumult that marked the dawn of the modern baseball card collecting era.