The 1987 Topps Mini Baseball card set was a unique smaller sized version of Topps’ flagship baseball card release for that year. Standing out from standard baseball cards due to their smaller dimensions, the 1987 Topps Mini cards offered collectors a novel new way to build their baseball collections in the late 1980s.
At only 1 3/4 inches tall by 1 1/4 inches wide, the 1987 Topps Mini cards were significantly smaller than the standard 2 1/2 inch by 3 1/2 inch size that had been the norm for baseball cards since the 1950s. Despite their miniature stature, the 1987 Topps Mini cards did not skimp on including all the relevant player information found on the full sized base set. In addition to color player photos, the cards featured statistics, career highlights, and fun facts about each player on the front.
On the backs, Topps continued the tradition of providing in-depth biographical information and career stats for each ballplayer. In addition to basic stats like batting average, home runs and RBI, career year-by-year stats were also included. Fun facts and notes about each player were also prominently displayed. The cards also included the standard Topps design elements of the color team logo in the bottom left corner along with the team name arching across the top.
The 1987 Topps Mini set included all 792 players featured in the base 1987 Topps set, with the same card designs and photos shrunken down to fit the smaller size. This allowed collectors to build a complete team and player collection similar to the standard issue cards, just in a more compact format. The mini cards also maintained Topps’ traditional color-coded team design, with different border colors to identify American League versus National League teams.
Some notable stars included in the 1987 Topps Mini set were Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, Kirby Puckett, Andre Dawson, and Roberto Alomar. Rookies featured included Mark McGwire, Barry Larkin, and Tom Glavine. The set also included stars of the past in the form of retired greats showcased in the base set, like Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Sandy Koufax. Collectors could build full team sets just like the standard issue cards, with the mini cards fitting neatly into album pages designed for their size.
While the 1987 Topps Mini cards were scaled down in size from the standard cards, they did not skimp on quality or design. The cards featured the same sharp color photos and stats found on the full sized base set. The thinner cardstock of the mini cards allowed for a complete 792 card checklist to be included without compromising content. This ensured collectors could build a full representation of the 1987 MLB season and rosters similar to the flagship release, just in a more compact format ideal for smaller collectors or those with limited storage space.
In addition to being a novel concept when first released, the 1987 Topps Mini cards have since taken on greater significance as a collectible release from the late 1980s. They represent a unique scaled down interpretation of that year’s base Topps set. While production numbers for the minis are unknown, they are considered much more scarce in the current market than the standard size cards from 1987. In top-graded gem mint condition, individual 1987 Topps Mini cards can often fetch prices far above their standard sized counterparts. This is due to their significantly smaller production size as well as increased demand from advanced collectors seeking out oddball and unique releases from the golden era of baseball cards in the 1980s.
As one of the earliest known mini or downsized interpretations of a standard baseball card release, the 1987 Topps Mini cards broke new ground and helped pave the way for future similar oddball concepts in the years since. While short-lived as a primary release, they remain a highly collectible and desirable specialized subset from one of the most storied years in the hobby. The cards successfully shrunk down the standard 1987 design and stats to a smaller scale without compromising the checklist or quality of the content. This allowed collectors to enjoy building complete team and player sets in a unique miniature format that has grown in significance and popularity with collectors in the decades since their original issue.
Despite their small size, the 1987 Topps Mini Baseball cards were able to pack in all the same quality content and designs that collectors enjoyed in the standard sized base set that year. By condensing the 792 card checklist into a more compact miniature format, Topps created an innovative subset that helped collectors experience the 1987 season in a novel new way. While a short-lived concept, the 1987 Topps Mini cards have taken on greater collector significance in the present day as one of the earliest oddball releases from the hobby’s peak era in the 1980s. They offer a unique scaled down interpretation of that year’s flagship set that remains both highly collectible and a noteworthy early innovation in baseball card production.
