The 1987 Fleer baseball card set was the 21st annual release from the Fleer company and it featured 660 total cards including short prints and variations. It marked Fleer’s first year being the sole producer of major league baseball cards after Topps lost its exclusive license at the end of 1986. Some key things to know about the 1987 Fleer set include:
Rookie Cards – The 1987 set featured the rookie cards of several future all-stars and hall of famers including Mark McGwire, Barry Larkin, Greg Maddux, and Tom Glavine. McGwire’s rookie became one of the most iconic and valuable cards of the 1980s and 90s baseball boom. Larkin and Maddux would both go on to have hall of fame careers while Glavine won over 300 games in the majors. Other top rookies included Lenny Dykstra, Scott Radinsky, and Jeff Montgomery.
Design – Fleer took a unique design approach for 1987 by using a blue and white color scheme for most of the base cards. They featured action shots of players on a blue background with white borders and lettering. The design was a bit darker and subtler than previous Fleer and Topps issues. Close-up headshot photos were also used more prominently than previous years.
Short Prints – Fleer included several short printed parallel sets within the 1987 issue that were much harder to find. The “Glossy Sendbacks” featured glossy photos on 100 of the base cards and became highly sought after by collectors. All-Star cards for Andre Dawson, Wade Boggs, and Jim Rice were also in extremely short supply. Finding a complete set with all the short prints became very difficult.
Variations – In addition to short prints, Fleer also included photo and statistical variations on certain cards that were even more elusive. Most notably, Mark McGwire’s rookie card had a variation where his batting stance was different. Kirby Puckett also had a variation where his uniform number was listed as 37 instead of 34. Variations added another layer of complexity to completing the 1987 set.
Value – With many future Hall of Fame rookie cards and scarce short prints and variations, sets of the 1987 Fleer issue have grown substantially in value since initial release. Near complete rosters in top graded condition can fetch thousands of dollars today. Key rookie cards like McGwire, Larkin and Maddux alone can be worth hundreds in high grade. The Glossy Sendbacks short prints frequently sell for hundreds each individually on the secondary market. A true complete set with all documented variations remains a prized possession for vintage baseball card collectors.
Product Packaging – Fleer distributed the 1987 cards in wax packs, rack packs, and factory sets. The wax packs contained 5 cards each while rack packs held 19 cards. Hobby boxes contained 24 wax packs and retailed for around $20. Factory sets were also available and contained all 660 cards across 11 factory sealed boxes. Many consider factory sets the best way to obtain a complete set with all the tricky short prints and variations guaranteed.
Card Stock – Fleer used a thinner, glossier stock for their 1987 cardboard compared to previous issues. While it made the cards slicker and photo quality better, it also led to poorer longevity. Many 1987 Fleer cards show signs of damage, creasing or fading more than issues from other years. Top-graded specimens have commanded big premiums from collectors due to the increased difficulty in finding highly preserved examples from this release.
Impact – The 1987 Fleer set was a watershed moment, being the company’s first solo major league baseball product after Topps lost its exclusive deal. While the design was divisive compared to what collectors were used to, it helped Fleer gain traction as a serious competitor to Topps. It was also THE vintage release of the late 1980s boom era that got a whole new generation of kids hooked on collecting cards. The rookie class only added to its significance long term.
The 1987 Fleer baseball card set holds an important place in card history because of its highly sought rookie cards, scarce short prints and variations, and role in helping usher in card collecting’s boom period of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Sets are exceedingly difficult to complete properly and high grade singles and short prints continue fetching big bucks today. For these reasons, it remains one of the most historically relevant and valuable vintage issues for collectors.
