The 1987 Topps baseball card set saw the rise of some of the game’s biggest young stars and it also featured some iconic cards that have become tremendously valuable in the decades since. With 792 total cards in the base set, the ’87 Topps issue contains several that are truly legendary and fetch high prices when in pristine condition.
Perhaps the most famous and sought-after card from the ’87 set is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. As the son of a former major leaguer, Griffey was one of the most hyped prospects in baseball history coming into that season with the Seattle Mariners. He didn’t disappoint either, hitting .284 with 8 home runs and 35 RBI in his debut campaign and showing off his incredible talents in center field. Topps immortalized Griffey’s arrival with a classic photograph of him in his Mariners uniform. This rookie card in near mint to mint condition has sold for well over $10,000 depending on factors like centering and corners. Given Griffey’s iconic status and Hall of Fame career, his ’87 rookie will likely only continue to climb in value as the years pass.
Another true blue chipper who debuted in ’87 was Mark McGwire, known then mostly for his power potential rather than the steroid controversy that would later dominate his legacy. McGwire’s rookie card stands out with its action shot of him taking a mighty hack in an Athletics uniform. High grade McGwire rookies have sold in the $1,000 to $3,000 range, though truly pristine copies could fetch far more down the road. His bombardment of headers in the late 80s and home run race with Sammy Sosa in 1998 magnified interest in his first Topps issue.
Roberto Alomar is yet another future Hall of Famer whose rookie card came in the ’87 set. The smooth-fielding second baseman was just starting what would become a 24-year MLB career while playing for the San Diego Padres. Alomar batted .277 as a 21-year-old and showed potential for batting titles and Gold Gloves ahead. His rookie card is vibrant with colors and amongst the more attractive designs from ’87. Condition-sensitive Alomar rooks have sold for up to $700. He went on to win a pair of World Series rings and hold the all-time record for second basemen putouts.
Continuing with the theme of future stars, the ’87 Topps issue first captured Mike Mussina in an Orioles uniform. Though not necessarily a “rookie” at that point since he pitched in 13 games the prior year, his ’87 debut card fetches prices more akin to a true rookie given his Hall of Fame caliber career. Mussina would tally 270 wins and five All-Star appearances over 18 seasons while helping the Orioles and Yankees to seven pennants and two World Series titles. Condition sensitive Mussina ’87s have sold for over $300 once slabbed and verified as pristine.
There are also several other iconic veterans featured on extremely valuable cards if found in mint condition from the ’87 Topps set. Nolan Ryan’s card, showing him firing a fastball for the Astros, has risen above the $1,000 mark in high grade. The same goes for Ozzie Smith’s card picturing him backflipping for the Cardinals. Rickey Henderson sporting an A’s uniform has broken $700 in mint condition given his status as the all-time stolen base king. Dwight Gooden’s vibrant Mets card depicting “Dr. K” on the mound can reach $500 pristine and untarnished by the demons that eventually brought down his career.
Another factor that can make certain ’87 Topps cards exceptionally rare and valuable is the presence of errors. Some miscut cards slipped through quality control with portions of another player visible. Other printing anomalies created ghosts of players on the card surface. These bizarre mistakes are endlessly fascinating to error card collectors willing to pay top dollar. One infamous Cal Ripken Jr. error sold for around $3,000 simply because a chunk of Greg Brock’s arm was visible in the foreground during Ripken’s at-bat.
While not quite as iconic or valuable overall as the iconic ’52 Topps set that introduced the modern baseball card format, the 1987 issue still manages to thrill collectors decades later through its capturing of future Hall of Famers and current superstars in their earliest big league seasons. Cards like Ken Griffey Jr, Mark McGwire and Mike Mussina have grown tremendously in demand as their careers blossomed into legend. Add in the rarity factors that can boost already collectible stars like Nolan Ryan and Ozzie Smith into even loftier price ranges. The magic of what the ’87 Topps cards foretold through those frozen snapshots of rising talents is part of what keeps the hobby so compulsively compelling.
