The 1987 Topps Baseball card set is one of the most iconic issues in the modern era of collecting and features several highly valuable rookie cards that are among the most expensive in the hobby. With 792 total cards and featuring career-defining players like Barry Bonds, Greg Maddux, Kirby Puckett, and Roberto Alomar, the 1987 set launched many future Hall of Famers to stardom and mint condition examples of their rookie cards now command extraordinary prices due to their significance. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the most expensive and desirable rookie cards from the 1987 Topps set.
Perhaps the single most expensive and sought after card from 1987 Topps is the Kirby Puckett rookie card. As arguably the greatest Minnesota Twin of all-time and a 6-time All-Star during his 12 year career, Puckett’s rookie is one of the iconic cards in sets of the late 80s. In pristine mint condition, examples of Puckett’s #66 RC have recently sold for over $40,000. What makes his card so appealing to collectors is Puckett’s winning smile and exuberant catching pose, capturing the essence of his infectious energy and enthusiasm for the game that made him such a fan favorite. With just his name and design alone, this card is synonymous with late 80s/early 90s nostalgia for baseball card collectors.
Not far behind Puckett in value is another future Hall of Famer, the Greg Maddux rookie card #474. Widely considered one of the greatest pitchers of all-time, Maddux won 4 Cy Young Awards during his 23 year career and his precision and control made him a work of art on the mound. In mint condition, his rookie has been selling in the $30,000 range in recent years. Maddux’s card features him in mid-windup, showcasing his fluid, effortless delivery that kept hitters constantly off-balance. For those who saw Maddux in his prime, this card brings back memories of why he was so incredibly fun to watch.
Although it lacks the true rookie card designation, the Barry Bonds card #200 from his first Topps issue is another highly significant piece from 1987 and consistently one of the most expensive in the set. Having just finished his first full season hitting .223 with 4 home runs, Bonds was still establishing himself, but collectors recognize this card as capturing “Pre-BALCO Barry” before thePhysical transformations and accusations that would sadly define the latter part of his career. In pristine condition, this iconic snapshot of a young, skinny Bonds has reached over $20,000 at auction.
Roberto Alomar’s shiny rookie offering, card #209, also earns premium prices thanks to his legendary defensive abilities at second base and his on-base skills that made him a 12-time All-Star. Near-mint to mint Alomar rookies sell in the $15,000 range today, with his slick fielding crouch depicted on the front making this one of the most visually appealing designs from the set.
While they may not fetch Puckett or Maddux prices, several other blue-chip players debuted in the 1987 Topps set as well. Canseco (#’s 65 & 162), Cone (#’s 143 & 578), Boggs (#’s 103 & 511), and Larkin (#’s 221 & 648) are some examples of stars whose rookie cards remain popular two generations later thanks to prolific careers that followed. Even role players like Lenny Dykstra (#’s 93 & 278), who energized the ’86 champion Mets, still hold nostalgia value in the $500-1000 range.
Beyond the rookies, stars like Strawberry (#29), Mattingly (#32), Boggs (#103), Ripken (#137), and Carter (#140) also pop up frequently in high-grade auctions. But the true gems of the set remain the flawless examples of Puckett, Maddux, Bonds, and Alomar in their rookie “money” cards that capture championship pedigrees, Hall of Fame careers, and a golden era of late-’80s/early-’90s baseball which the cards continue to celebrate decades later. For serious vintage card collectors, an opportunity to acquire these elite keys in pristine condition is a rare privilege indeed. Though challenging to collect intact at any level thanks to its size, the 1987 Topps set merits the attention of those seeking icons from when the baseball card hobby was in its commercial and cultural peak.
While the entire 1987 Topps Baseball card set remains hugely popular due to the all-time greats it features, the elite rookie cards of Kirby Puckett, Greg Maddux, Barry Bonds, and Roberto Alomar consistently earn six-figure prices in gem mint condition. As some of the most significant – and valuable – rookie cards ever produced, they are truly the pinnacle trophies any vintage baseball card collection aspires to obtain. Their enduring popularity and exponentially increasing values over the past three decades stand as a testament to the iconic players, careers, and nostalgia represented in perhaps the most beloved modern era set in the entire hobby.
