Introduction
The 1987 Sportflics baseball card set was produced by Sportflics Inc. and featured cardboard trading cards featuring photos of Major League Baseball players from that season. The 1987 set contained a total of 324 cards and was one of the most popular and widely collected baseball card releases of the late 1980s. This article will provide an in-depth look at the 1987 Sportflics baseball card set including details on production, design elements, star players featured, prices and demand for the cards today among collectors.
Background and Production
Sportflics Inc. first started producing sports cards in 1980 with sets featuring the NFL and NBA. By 1987, they had become one of the top baseball card manufacturers competing with industry giants like Topps and Donruss. That year, Sportflics gained the exclusive licensing rights from Major League Baseball to produce gum-backed trading cards featuring active MLB players. The set was packaged with bubble gum, a staple of the baseball card collecting hobby at the time. It’s estimated that around 100 million packs of the 1987 Sportflics cards were produced and made widely available in stores from March to September of that year.
Card Design and Features
The 1987 Sportflics cards featured a clean and simple design with a solid color background in either blue, red, yellow or green. Each card measured approximately 2.5 x 3.5 inches, which was standard for the time. The front of each card depicted a color photo of a baseball player in action along with their name, team, and that season’s stats. Position was also printed on rookie cards. The backs provided a brief biography of each player as well as career stats and awards to that point. The set was also notable for including traded players in their new uniforms, something that Topps had yet to do at that time. The sturdy stock and glossy finish of the 1987 Sportflics cards also made them quite suitable for both collecting and trading among young baseball fans.
Notable Players and Rookies
As one of the most complete baseball card sets of 1987, Sportflics captured photos of virtually every notable active MLB player that season. Some of the stars featured included Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, Rickey Henderson, Don Mattingly and Ryne Sandberg. On the rookie front, the set included first cards of future Hall of Famers like Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine. Other top rookies were Will Clark, Ben McDonald and Bobby Thigpen. Traders and collectors enjoyed chasing these future stars in their packs along with established name players throughout the league.
Demand and Prices Today
Thanks to its large production run and availability during the height of the baseball card boom in the late 80s, the 1987 Sportflics set is somewhat common in the hands of collectors today. High-grade examples of stars and key rookies still hold value. A PSA 10 Gem Mint Greg Maddux rookie in a recent auction sold for over $1,000. A PSA 9.5 Wade Boggs approaches $100. Even more common players in top condition can sell from $10-30. Complete common sets in average condition typically sell in the $50-75 range. The abundance of the 1987 Sportflics cards also makes them accessible to collectors on a budget looking expand their vintage collections. Their attractive design has also led to enduring nostalgia and popularity with collectors. The 1987 Sportflics set remains one of the most historical and representative releases of its era in the baseball card world.
Summary
The 1987 Topps set was one of the largest and most complete baseball card releases of the late 1980s. Produced by Sportflics Inc. under an exclusive MLB license, the 324 card set provided colorful and high quality photos of virtually every notable player that season. Notable rookies like Maddux added to the set’s appeal for both traders and collectors. Thanks to a massive print run, examples of the 1987 Sportflics cards remain obtainable for collectors today, though gem mint examples of stars still carry high values. The set’s affordability and representation of the season have kept it a desirable part of vintage baseball card collections decades later. Along with capturing the key players and rookies of 1987, the Sportflics release helps document and memorialize an important year in Major League Baseball history for enthusiasts.
