The 1987 baseball card set was a memorable one that featured some of the game’s biggest stars and future Hall of Famers. While not quite as iconic or valuable as some earlier sets from the 1970s, there were still many exciting rookie cards and cards of established stars that have held their value well over the years. Let’s take a closer look at some of the top players and cards collectors sought after from the 1987 set.
One of the most notable rookies from 1987 was catcher Benito Santiago of the San Diego Padres. His rookie card showed promise of what was to come as he went on to have an excellent 19-year career hitting over 200 home runs. Santiago’s defensive prowess earned him five Gold Glove awards and his rookie card remains quite collectible today among Padres and rookie card collectors. Another rookie to debut in 1987 was slugging first baseman Mark McGwire of the Oakland A’s. Little did anyone know at the time that McGwire would go on to smash 583 career home runs and break baseball’s single season home run record. His rookie card also showed him sporting his classic number 25 jersey and remains one of the most valuable and sought after rookie cards from the 1980s.
On the pitching side, the 1987 set featured the rookie cards of future Cy Young winners Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, both of the Atlanta Braves. Glavine went on to rack up 305 career wins and 2 Cy Young awards while Maddux won 4 Cy Youngs of his own while developing into one of the best control pitchers ever. Their rookie cards carry substantial demand. Also debuting in 1987 was future 300-game winner David Cone of the New York Mets. Cone’s card showed promise of what was to come as he became a durable starter and postseason star over his 17-year MLB tenure. Each of these 1980s rookie pitching cards hold significant modern day value.
The 1987 set also included the baseball cards of many established superstars who were entering their primes or viewed as future Hall of Famers. One was burgeoning superstar Jose Canseco’s card from his breakout 1986 40-40 season with the Oakland A’s. Knowing what unfolded with the “Bash Brothers” era of Oakland baseball in subsequent years adds intrigue to Canseco’s rising star status captured on his ’87 card. Future Hall of Famer Don Mattingly’s card from his MVP caliber 1985 season with the New York Yankees remains a highly coveted piece from the set as well. The smooth swinging Mattingly was in the midst of a dominant stretch and his card invokes nostalgia for the Yankee dynasty teams of the 1980s.
Speaking of dynasties, the 1987 set also included cards for Boston Red Sox stars Roger Clemens and Wade Boggs, whom were in the midst of helping lead the BoSox to the American League East crown. Clemens’ card showed him in the process of cementing his status as one of the game’s most intimidating aces while Boggs’ card depicted the relentless hitting machine as he chased .300 season after .300 season. Both played key roles in the Red Sox’ reemergence as contenders and their cards remain very popular selections from the 1987 Topps set. Dodgers ace Orel Hershiser also had an incredibly valuable card from 1987, the year after he won 23 games and the NLCS MVP award while leading L.A. to a World Series title.
Rickey Henderson, one of the game’s most electrifying players, had perhaps the most iconic card from the 1987 set as well. Captured in mid-steal with his bat swinging, Henderson’s card spoke to the position he held as baseball’s premier base stealer and catalyst during his 25-year career. Other highly coveted cards included those of Red Sox star Dwight Evans, Phillies All-Star Mike Schmidt, and Yankee slugger Don Baylor, who each had memorable seasons in 1987. Hall of Fame reliever Dennis Eckersley also had a noteworthy card as he made the transition from starter to closer with the Red Sox.
In terms of overall rarity and valuation today, some of the most expensive 1987 cards to acquire include the rookie cards of McGwire, Glavine, and Maddux in high grade. The Canseco, Clemens, and Henderson cards also demand top dollar. But there are also plenty of affordable star cards and rookie cards to be found that still hold importance for collectors. All in all, the 1987 baseball card set was bursting with talent and its cards serve as a great reminder of some of the biggest names who played the game during a memorable decade for baseball in the 1980s. Given all the Hall of Famers and stars it featured, the 1987 Topps set remains a highly collectible and nostalgia-inducing set for fans and collectors alike.
