1987 marked a unique year in the history of baseball cards as it was the only year that Topps included mini replicas of their full-size baseball cards inside stick of chewing gum. While Topps had previously included baseball card pieces inside gum for several years in the 1970s and early 1980s, the 1987 run was the sole time they produced accurate mini versions of that year’s main set of cards sealed within each stick.
The 1887 Topps gum pack contained an individually wrapped stick of Topps Bubble Gum alongside one of 87 possible mini cards measuring about 1 inch square. The cards featured the same design and photography seen on the standard 1987 Topps baseball cards but drastically shrunken to fit within the small confines of the gum wrapper. Through these miniature inserts, collectors and chewing gum enthusiasts alike were able to experience the thrill of the baseball card chase anytime they cracked open a stick of Topps Bubble Gum during the summer of 1987.
Unlike many other oddball issues and inserts from the 1970s-80s era that are largely forgotten, the 1987 Topps gum mini cards have developed quite a passionate collector base over the past few decades. Perhaps due to their nostalgic tie to childhood baseball card openings or their impossibly small size offering a fun challenge for completionists, the minis retain strong interest and value among vintage card collectors today. In top-graded MINT condition, key 1987 Topps gum mini cards of superstar players can now command prices upwards of $100 – quite an increase for a card that was originally hidden inside a stick of bubble gum!
While produced by Topps, the 1987 gum mini set does vary slightly from the main issued set in both design and player selection. The biggest aesthetic difference is that the mini cards do not feature any color and are instead entirely produced using a silver foil stamping process against a white background. Some minor variations in photograph cropping and player pose can also be seen between the mini and standard issues. Content-wise, a couple notable players like Tim Raines and Jose Canseco who appeared in the main set are substituted out in the gum packs.
The exclusion of a couple stars is likely due to licensing and photography issues translating to the ultra-small card size rather than any roster discrepancies. Regardless, completionists still seek out all 87 possible mini variations to have a true unopened example pack still factory sealed within original gum wrapper. Such unopened examples in pristine condition have recently eclipsed $1,000 at auction, demonstrating the premium placed on sealed 1987 Topps gum products among dedicated collectors.
Though short lived as a one-year promotion, Topps hit a home run with baseball fans by including miniature versions of that year’s prized cardboard in each stick of gum. The nostalgia and collector challenge presented by the 1987 Topps gum mini cards have kept them in the spotlight of the vintage sports memorabilia market for decades since. Their impossibly small size belying detailed reproductions of iconic 1980s players make this oddball issue one of the most cherished anomalies from the golden era of baseball cards. Whether for the nostalgia, completionism or fun size, the lure of the 1987 Topps gum mini cards continue to attract new generations of collectors to this unique slice of sports card history.
