The 1987 Topps baseball card set is considered to be one of the most iconic and valuable vintage card releases of all time. With 702 total cards in the base set and hundreds of stars featured, 1987 Topps remains an extremely popular vintage collecting category that still sees strong participation in the hobby market decades after its initial release.
When researching the value of individual 1987 Topps cards, the PSA Price Guide is one of the premier resources collectors turn to in order to understand estimated market values for graded examples across different pop report tiers. PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) is the leading third-party authentication and grading service in the collectibles industry, and their price guides give collectors a standardized reference point for what top-graded specimens of certain cards may sell for based on historical auction data.
Some key things to know about using the PSA Price Guide for 1987 Topps values include:
PSA prices are just estimates – The guide gives a range indicating recent average sales for a certain graded card, but individual auctions can always come in above or below. Factors like pop report rarity, individual card condition, and current market demand all impact realized values.
Higher grades command more value – Generally speaking, the closer a card grades to PSA Gem Mint 10, the more desirable and valuable it becomes due to its superior preservation. Small grading adjustments can make a big difference price-wise.
Short prints are more valuable – Keys cards that were issued in extremely limited supply, known as short prints, tend to see much higher values versus their standard counterparts due to rarity aspects.
Rookie cards have premium – Debut or early career cards for all-time great players are always in high demand from collectors. Seeing a PSA 10 rookie of someone like Ken Griffey Jr. or Chipper Jones in 1987 Topps earns a massive premium.
Stars attract attention – household name players from the 1980s like Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs, Rickey Henderson, and Roger Clemens will draw bids given their iconic status in the set. Higher grades of star cards can net five-figure prices.
To examine some specific 1987 Topps PSA price guide entries as examples, here is a closer look at the estimated values for several top-graded cards from the set:
Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie (PSA 10): $6,000-$8,000 – One of the most desirable rookies in the entire hobby. Even PSA 9s can reach $3,000+.
Ozzie Smith (PSA 10): $1,500-$2,000 – A true gem-mint grade Hall of Famer card is highly conditioned.
Roger Clemens (PSA 10): $800-$1,000 – One of the top pitchers of the era. Can see $500+ in a PSA 9.
Bo Jackson Rookie (PSA 10): $500-$750 – Extremely rare and popular due to his MLB/NFL dual sport status.
Eric Davis Topps Traded (PSA 10): $450-$650 – Highly conditioned examples of this tough pulled parallel draw a premium.
Wally Joyner Rookie (PSA 9): $300-$450 – Strong values exist still for this Angels’ star rookie in top-tier grades.
Mark McGwire (PSA 10): $250-$350 – Big Mac held value for years, and a true mint copy is highly appealing.
Ryne Sandberg (PSA 10): $200-$300 – Hall of Fame second baseman who remains one of the flagship Cubs.
Turning our focus to some of the true short prints and variations that really separate themselves in the 1987 Topps checklist, here are a few highlights:
Donruss Winning Combinations (PSA 10): $2,000-up – Incredibly rare true 1/1 unique card variation combining Donruss designs with Topps.
Tiffany Reggie Jackson (PSA 10): $1,500-$2,000 – Ultra premium parallel issued on higher-end paper stock pulls big money.
Opening Day Wally Joyner (PSA 10): $1,000-$1,500 – Extremely tough pull at estimated odds of 1:7,200 packs.
Photo Variations: $500+ – Rarer posed shot variations in place of standard pose can spike values.
Box Bottom Pedro Guerrero (PSA 10): $400-$600 – Found adhered to the bottom inside flaps of unopened boxes at minuscule odds.
Postseason Stars Subset (PSA 9+): $250-$400 – Tough pulled 16-card annual parallel highlights heroes from prior year’s playoffs.
So whether collecting individual stars, All-Star rookies, or truly one-of-a-kind oddball variants, the 1987 Topps set maintains an extremely strong vintage market decades later. Using the PSA Price Guide is an excellent starting point for researchers to understand estimated values across the comprehensive checklist. With such a legendary release year and iconic designs/players featured, 1987 Topps will surely remain one of the crown jewels in the entire world of sports card collecting.
