The 1987 baseball card market can be an interesting one to evaluate in terms of determining potential value and appreciation over time. The 1987 set featured several notable rookies and players who would go on to have Hall of Fame careers. While individual cards from the set will vary significantly in value based on player, condition, and rarity – there are a few key things to understand about 1987 baseball cards and their potential worth.
First, it’s important to recognize the larger context of the baseball card market in the late 1980s. Production of cards was at its peak during this era, as the overall hobby was booming. Billions of cards were printed annually by Topps, Fleer, and Donruss. As a result of massive overproduction, most common cards from 1987 sets have seen very little appreciation to this day. This was also the final year before the arrival of Upper Deck in 1989, which significantly cut into Topps’ market share and reduced print runs going forward. So 1987 Topps cards could be considered among the last of the truly high-production era.
Within the 1987 Topps set, there are some cards that tend to hold moderately higher value relative to common cards from the same year. For example, rookie cards typically command a premium. In 1987, some notable rookie cards included Mark McGwire, Kevin Mitchell, Terry Mulholland, and Mike Mussina. McGwire’s is usually the most valuable of the bunch, often fetching around $50-100 in raw Near Mint condition. Mussina and Mitchell rookies may sell for $10-30, while Mulholland is less desirable. Grade these cards gem mint and prices can multiply.
Beyond rookies, there are always demand spikes for star players – especially those who went on to achieve career milestones after 1987. Cards of then-active superstars like Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, Roberto Alomar, and Tony Gwynn tend to outperform most common ’87s. Higher-end examples can sell in the $20-50 range. Rookies and stars from championship teams also boast premiums. For instance, Mitch Williams’ 1987 card peaked in value after his World Series walk-off season with Philadelphia.
Condition, of course, is crucial in determining an individual card’s worth. Most 1987s in cirulating condition sell for $1-5. Near Mint bumps values up marginally. But grade a key ’87 rookie or star gem mint and prices can reach $100-1000+ depending on desirability. This is because the sheer numbers printed make high-grade specimens quite rare surviving 35 years after production. Authentic autographed or game-used cards from ’87 would be exceptionally valuable, running thousands based on the player signature.
Beyond player-specific demand and condition factors, there are also subsets within 1987 Topps that can add value. The high-number cards (#481-650) tend to be scarcer in top condition due to printing/quality issues later in the run. Rarer variations like photo variations, printing plate parallels, and oddball promotional issues can be quite substantial depending on the specific parallel. Ultimate high-value cards from the base 1987 Topps set would include the #1 Mike Schmidt card (often $50-150 raw) or the rare error/variation cards.
While common 1987 baseball cards hold little intrinsic value raw, there are definitely pockets within the set that have shown signs of moderate long-term appreciation. Rookies, stars, high grades, and rare variations are where the real money resides. The market for ’87s is fairly soft – but discerning collectors are willing to pay respectable prices for condition-sensitive, highly-collectible individual pieces from that final big production era. With time, the upper echelon of ’87s may continue climbing slowly as they become increasingly scarce. But collectors should be wary of recent overproduction in the reprint market watering down original 1987 card values overall.
