Author Archives: Kevin Brexit

CAN YOU RESTORE BASEBALL CARDS

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Restoring baseball cards is a process that takes time, care, and the right materials, but can help revitalize old cards and preserve them for years to come. The first step is to assess the condition of the card and identify what areas need attention. Things like creases, folds, stains or dirt need to be addressed to restore the card to its best possible condition.

For creases or folds, the safest way to attempt straightening is by placing the card between two thin boards, such as poster board or cardboard. Make sure the boards are larger than the card to avoid any damage at the edges. Stack heavy books on top of the boards to apply gentle, even pressure for 1-3 days. Check periodically but don’t be in a rush, as too much hast can cause damage. Additional alternatives for creases include placing the card in a humidity-controlled box or plastic sleeves to relax the cardboard over time.

Stains and dirt must be handled delicately to avoid further damage. Test any cleaning products on a less valuable card first. Gently rub the spot with a soft eraser or use a product specifically made for cleaning cards. Coffee, ink or other tough stains can be spot treated with hydrogen peroxide applied via a cotton swab and left to sit for an hour before wiping away. Just be careful of bleaching on vivid colors. Surface dirt can often be effectively removed with a soft brush or compressed air.

Once basic restoration is complete, there are options to protect the card and further improve its appearance. Plastic holders like penny sleeves, screwdowns or magnetic sheets can shield the card from fingerprints and residue. Higher-end cases even filter UV light rays which cause cards to fade over decades. The sleeves or cases should fit snugly but not squeeze the card, allowing it to still lay flat.

Grading the card’s condition accurately is an important part of restoration for collectors. Companies like PSA, BGS or SGC provide official grading of factors like centering, corners, edges and surface to assign the card a numerical grade from 1-10, plus or minus qualifiers. This gives collectors a benchmark to understand the card’s quality. Consider submitting valuable reprinted rookie cards or serially numbered parallels to preserve their condition history and allow resale tracking.

While it’s impossible to fully undo the ageing process, restoring damaged or worn baseball cards can renew their appearance and slow further degradation. Taking one’s time with light cleaning and flexible straightening techniques helps preserve fragile cardboard. Protecting restored cards in high-quality holders also extends their lifespan as important pieces of sports collectibles history. With care and the right restoration approach, treasured cards can continue to be enjoyed by collectors for generations to come.

ARE TOPPS BASEBALL CARDS FROM THE 80s WORTH ANYTHING

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Topps baseball cards from the 1980s can potentially be worth a decent amount of money, but whether any individual card from that era holds significant value depends on several factors. The 1980s was a very popular time for collecting baseball cards, as the hobby was booming. Many kids growing up in the 80s have fond memories of collecting and trading cards, fueling today’s strong nostalgia market.

One of the biggest determinants of a card’s value from the 1980s is the player featured on the card and their career accomplishments. Cards depicting legendary players who had huge careers and sustained success over many seasons tend to command the highest prices. For example, cards showing players like Mike Schmidt, Kirby Puckett, Wade Boggs, or Ozzie Smith in their prime rookie or early career seasons can be quite valuable, especially if the condition is near mint. These were future Hall of Famers who were just starting to emerge as stars in the early 80s.

Graded gem mint condition 10 rookies or flagship cards of superstar players could potentially sell for thousands of dollars at auction. Values fluctuate based on the specific year, specific player performance stats, and overall condition and quality of the individual card. Less heralded players may only fetch a few hundred dollars at most for a true mint gem card.

Another important factor is whether the player featured went on to have career milestones that spark renewed collector interest years later. For example, if they hit career milestones like 500 home runs or 3,000 hits, their rookie cards from the 80s would see renewed interest and demand. This was the case when Cal Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played record in the late 90s – suddenly his early 80s cards spiked in value.

The specific card series and year also impacts value. The flagship Topps set from each season tends to hold the most value. Especially desirable is the flagship Topps set from the player’s true rookie season. Special subsets and variations can also carry a premium. The more scarce and unique a specific 80s Topps cardvariation is, the higher demand and prices there may be.

Card condition is absolutely critical to value from the 1980s, just as with any era. Because they have had decades to potentially get damaged or played with, 80s cards need to grade very well to maintain good value. Anything graded less than Near Mint – say a straight Very Good condition – may only be worth a dollar or two even for a decent star player. Meanwhile, a true mint Gem Mint 10 could earn a good four-figure auction price.

The overall baseball card market also greatly impacts values. Prices tend to rise when interest and demand is strong – such as during the height of the financial boom in the late 1980s and 1990s. This created renewed demand for vintage 80s material as investors and collectors looked for growth opportunities. More recently, values dipped during economic downturns like 2008-2009 but have since rebounded strongly.

Whether you have cards tucked away in your parents’ attic or come across a collection at a yard sale, 1980s Topps rookies or stars in pristine condition do maintain significance in today’s vintage trading card marketplace. Take the time to have valuable cards professionally graded to maximize their worth. Keep in mind that common players or poorer conditioned cards may only have nominal worth today. But the right superstar rookie or early career gem could yield an unexpectedly high return with the sustained collecting passion for 1980s cardboard. Proper research pays off for anyone hoping to potentially cash in on their childhood Topps baseball card collection.

While many 1980s Topps baseball cards hold little monetary value, the right players, years, and extraordinary states of preservation can result in cards worth hundreds or even thousands to enthusiastic collectors three decades later. Condition, career accomplishments and scarcity help determine an 80s card’s potential today. With some diligence, vintage 1980s cardboard still offers a chance to strike nostalgic gold for those holding pieces of baseball’s past in their collections.

HOW TO KNOW IF BASEBALL CARDS ARE REPRINTS

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One of the best ways to tell if a baseball card is a reprint is to check the texture of the card stock. Authentic vintage cards from the 1950s-1980s were printed on a thin, slick cardstock called wheaties cardstock. It has a very distinctive feel – it is much thinner and fleeter than modern card cardstock. Reprint cards will often try to mimic this texture but usually fail and feel thicker, flimsier, or just “off” compared to a real vintage card. Examining the card stock under bright light or with a magnifying glass can help reveal flaws in reproduced textures.

Closely examine the printing quality and look for signs of dot gain, smudging, or inconsistencies that wouldn’t be seen on professionally printed cards from the original era. Reprints are often printed in lower quality without the crisp sharpness you’d expect from a real vintage issue. Colors may appear duller or less vibrant as well. Again, bright light and magnification can help spot flaws not visible to the naked eye.

Check for defects, errors, or inconsistencies in the printing that wouldn’t have made it through quality control in the original production run but could slip through on reprints. Misaligned color layers, stray dots of ink, sections with the wrong color tint – these sorts of flaws point to a reproduction rather than a true vintage card.

Inspect the cornersunder high power magnification for signs of wear, rounding, or damage consistent with the age claimed. Authentic vintage cards from being decades old will inevitably show at least some minor wear at the edges that reprints will lack because they are brand new productions, not the original printing.

Examine holograms, logos, or emblems that reprints may attempt to mimic but get subtly wrong due to imperfect reproduction technology. For example, old-style team logos, sport league logos, or manufacturers marks like Topps or Fleer that a modern printer could not faithfully recreate entirely correctly.

Check registration marks, usually found in the image border area, where printing plates would line up between layers on the printing press. Authentic vintage cards will have properly aligned, focused registration marks while reprints are prone to misaligned, blurred, or otherwise flawed registration guides from the reproduction process.

Research dates, teams, players, and other specifics to ensure they are consistent with what could have genuinely existed during the claimed original printing year. For example, a card purporting to be from 1956 featuring a player on a team they did not join until 1962 is automatically suspect. Reprints sometimes contain anachronistic details they failed to fact check properly.

Inspect any autographs present for signs of aging, fading, or the correct vintage autograph style, weight, and flow that come only with time and practice. A reprint’s autograph could too perfectly mimic the right look without the subtleties only the passage of decades brings to an authentic autographed area.

Check the back of the card for inconsistencies in wording, stats, or other details compared to references of true original issues. Reprint companies occasionally paraphrase or get minor facts wrong versus original precisely worded back descriptions. Compare under magnification if possible.

Consider the source and history of the individual card. Reprints are more likely to have a single unsold example crop up out of nowhere while authentic vintage cards tend to exist within collections that can establish their legitimate decades-long pedigree. Provenance documentation adds confidence of authenticity.

Pay close attention to price, which tends to be substantially inflated for reprints versus authentic vintage cards in comparable condition from the same era. Reprints are usually much cheaper to produce new than actual surviving copies of decades-old original issues.

Have cards graded and authenticated by a reputable third-party authority like PSA or BGS if authenticity is in serious question. While grading is not foolproof, professional authenticators have extensive expertise spotting telltale signs of reproductions versus true vintage cardboard. Their certification carries substantial weight in the collecting community.

No single one of these signs on its own proves authenticity or counterfeiting. But taking a thorough multi-point approach considering card characteristics, details, history and documentation can give collectors strong confidence either way about the genuineness and origins of a potential vintage baseball card find. With diligent inspection and research, savvy hobbyists can avoid being misled by skillfully produced reprint counterfeits.

HOW MUCH IS A COMPLETE SET OF 1991 DONRUSS BASEBALL CARDS WORTH

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The value of a complete set of 1991 Donruss baseball cards can vary significantly depending on the condition and grade of the individual cards in the set. The 1991 Donruss set contains 792 total cards including base cards, insert cards, and rookie cards. Some key things that affect the value of the complete set include:

Card condition – The condition of each card is extremely important when determining the value of a complete set. Donruss cards from the early 1990s are prone to wear, creasing, fraying, and other flaws that can reduce a card’s condition grade over time. Sets in near mint to mint condition will command significantly higher prices than sets containing many well-worn or damaged cards.

Grading – Having the complete set professionally graded by a reputable service like PSA or BGS can help maximize its value. Graded sets help validate the condition of each card and give potential buyers more confidence in the overall quality. The cost of grading an entire 792 card set can be thousands of dollars which is factored into its final price.

Rookie cards – The 1991 Donruss set contains valuable rookie cards for players like Jeff Bagwell, Moises Alou, Jermaine Dye, and Terry Mulholland that can significantly impact the valuation of the complete set. If these high-profile rookie cards are in especially good condition, it raises the worth of the entire collection. Damage or flaws on the rookies will devalue the set considerably.

Base card condition – While rookie cards draw the most attention, the condition of all the base cards from #1 to #792 factors into the price a collector will pay. Strong base sets in high grades tend to demand a premium over sets containing many cards in lower grades. The average condition level across the entire checklist is evaluated.

Recent sales records – Checking recent sales of graded 1991 Donruss sets on eBay, through distributors like PWCC, or at major card shows and conventions provides some of the best market data points for realistic pricing. Seeing what complete certified sets in similar condition have actually been selling for helps determine a fair estimated value.

Supply and demand – The limited availability of the set, especially in top grades, influences its value. The more rare and desirable a specific condition a 1991 Donruss set is in, the higher the price collectors are typically willing to pay. Basic sets in lower grades face less competition and interest from the hobby community.

Taking all of these factors into account, here are some general value ranges a complete 1991 Donruss baseball card set in different condition levels could realistically sell for in today’s market:

PSA/BGS Graded 8+ (mint) – $7,000-$9,000

Raw (near mint-mint) – $4,000-$6,000

Raw (very good-near mint) – $2,500-$4,000

Raw (good-very good) – $1,500-$2,500

Raw (fair-good) – $1,000-$1,500

Damaged/incomplete sets – $500-$1,000

Naturally, individual card grades, the inclusion of well-centered and high-grade rookie cards, demand levels, and auction bids could occasionally see complete 1991 Donruss sets sell for significantly more than these estimates or much less if in poorer overall condition. But for a detailed overview, these price ranges should provide a useful guideline on the typical current value collectors may pay depending on factors like centering, surfaces, and freshness. Let me know if you need any additional details!

HOW TO DRAW YOUR OWN BASEBALL CARDS

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Decide on the player(s) you want to draw baseball cards for. This could be yourself, friends, family members, or actual professional baseball players. Think about stats, accomplishments, and other things you may want to include on the card.

Once you’ve selected the player(s), it’s time to start sketching the design. Most real baseball cards have the player’s face picture on the front with their name and team logo. You’ll want to draw the player’s portrait or find a good quality photo to use. Make sure to leave enough blank space around the edges to add other elements.

With the central portrait or photo done, start adding borders, shapes, colors and graphics. Baseball cards typically have thick borders around the edges in team colors. You can also add shapes behind the portrait, like diamonds for baseball fields. Experiment with color combinations until you find a design you like. Don’t forget any logos, mascots or signatures if including those.

On the back of the card is where you’ll list key player stats and biographical information. Things like their full name, position played, batting average, home runs, RBIs, number of seasons played etc. You can also add fun facts, career highlights or personal accomplishments depending on the type of player. Make sure to leave plenty of space to write legibly in paragraphs or bulleted lists.

Once the card design template is complete, start adding realistic graphics and touches. Little things like stitches or fading around the edges of the photo make hand-drawn cards look more genuine. Creative touches like speech bubbles coming from the player with cheeky comments add personality too. You can also experiment with embossing team logos, signatures or numbers onto the card surface.

When finished with the card design, test printing on different types of cardstock paper before settling on the material. Thicker paper holds details better but thinner stock may be easier for a child to draw on. Look for paper with a glossy or semi-gloss finish to most closely imitate real cards too. Card dimensions should range from about 2.5 x 3.5 inches to 3.5 x 5 inches depending on the desired size.

Start drawing! Use colored pencils, markers or digital art programs depending on your preferred media. Take your time shading, blending colors and adding fine details to bring the drawings to life. Leave blank spaces on the front for info to be added later with a pen or typewriter. Date each card on the back corner as well.

Type or write in any remaining stats, facts or biographical details on the fronts and backs neatly when artwork is complete. Make sure ink is dry before stacking or storing cards. Consider putting player names on the card backs as identifiers too if drawn as a set.

You can optionally protective the cards further by sliding them into protective plastic sleeves or putting them in a custom baseball card photo album or binder. Consider trading your hand-drawn cards with others as a fun creative project and memento too! With practice, your drawing skills will improve to make highly realistic and fun homemade baseball cards.

IS SELLING BASEBALL CARDS TAXABLE

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The question of whether selling baseball cards is a taxable activity or not depends on several factors related to how the individual is acquiring and selling the cards. If an individual is simply selling cards from their personal collection on a limited, casual basis, then the proceeds are likely not taxable. If someone is running an active business of buying and selling cards with the goal of making a profit, then the profits would be considered taxable self-employment or business income.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers several factors to determine if card sales represent a hobby or a business for tax purposes. Some of the key factors include:

Profit motive: Was the primary goal or intent to make a profit from buying and reselling cards? Consistent losses could point to it being a hobby versus a business aimed at generating income.

Frequency of sales: Occasional, casual sales of personally-owned cards are less likely to be viewed as a business compared to ongoing, frequent sales throughout the year.

Materials purchased for resale: If large sums are being spent to acquire inventory specifically for resale to generate income, that looks more like a business than an occasional resale from a personal collection.

Dedication of time/space: Setting aside dedicated space, working regularly to find desirable cards to buy and sell, spending significant time on the activity also tilts it toward being a legitimate business.

Type of advertising/marketing: Casual word-of-mouth sales differ from ongoing ads and listings to attract buyers that treat it more like an active business.

Financial records: Keeping detailed purchase/resale records like an official business points toward a taxable activity versus casual hobby sales without records.

So if an individual meets sufficient factors to be considered an active trading business by the IRS, then any net profits would require reporting as self-employment income on IRS Schedule C. Profits are calculated as total annual sales revenue less the cost basis of the items sold and normal business expenses.

Taxable income would then either be subject to self-employment taxes or counted as business income on an individual tax return if a separate business entity like an LLC hasn’t been formed. Note that loss years can offset profits but must meet hobby loss rules to avoid being deemed a “not for profit” activity by the IRS.

Some key tax deadlines also apply if baseball card sales constitute a business. Quarterly estimated tax payments may be required to prepay taxes on net profits throughout the year. An annual profit or loss statement also needs filing along with the individual or business tax return each April. Failure to properly report could result in fines or penalties from the IRS.

While it’s possible to run baseball cards as a tax-effective side business, the rules around expenses, inventory tracking, and periodic payments add complexity versus casual resales treated as a hobby. Consultation with a tax pro can help determine the proper treatment and ensure everything is reported correctly if audited. Ultimately, the specific situation and ability to document a true profit motive govern whether card sales become a taxable revenue stream. Let me know if any part of this lengthy explanation needs further clarification!

WHAT BASEBALL CARDS ARE WORTH KEEPING

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When considering which baseball cards to keep from your collection, there are a few key factors that determine a card’s potential value. The most important things to consider are the player, the year the card was printed, the card’s condition or grade, and any special traits the card may have.

In terms of the player, you’ll want to focus on keeping cards of all-time greats and modern superstars. Legendary players like Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and more from the early decades of baseball are almost always worth holding onto no matter the other details. More recent player cards that commonly retain or increase in value include stars like Mike Trout, Clayton Kershaw, Jacob deGrom, Shohei Ohtani, and other contemporary elites. You’ll also want to save notable rookie cards, as those can significantly appreciate if the player lives up to expectations.

The year the card was printed also hugely impacts its potential worth. Vintage cards from the earliest years of the sport in the 1800s through the 1960s almost always command the highest prices due to their extreme rarity. Within modern issues, the best years tend to be those that were the player’s rookie season or an early year in their career before widespread production. Flagship sets in the 1980s like Topps, Fleer, and Donruss also tend to retain value well.

Just as important as the player and year is the card’s condition or grade. Heavily played cards in worn or damaged condition will be nearly worthless compared to higher graded copies. When appraising value, focus on cards that are well-centered and have sharp corners and edges without bends, creases or markings. Have valuable cards professionally graded by services like PSA or BGS to establish an official condition metric. Grades of Mint 9 or Gem Mint 10 can make or break a card’s profit potential. Keep cards in protective sleeves, sheets, and boxes.

Beyond the basics, there are specialty traits that can make certain cards especially valuable. Parallel prints like refractor, negative, or jersey patch autograph cards appeal to high-end collectors. Numbered parallels out of specific print runs gain exclusivity. Autograph or memorabilia cards with signatures and relics from popular players command premiums. Older error cards missing statistics, with reversed names and more are prized by niche collectors. Promotional, award and special set cards can flourish too with scarcity.

Informed collectors also watch certain campaigns and releases, stocking cards that stand to spike from player milestones or cultural moments. Prospective rookie class value also rises as the draft approaches. Remaining educated on trends through online resources lets you speculate and anticipate future demand spikes. Lastly, consider keeping annual sets complete to sell as a lot rather than broken apart over time.

By focusing collections on the player attributes, print years, high-grades, and specialty versions outlined above, savvy collectors can curate a stash with longterm appreciation potential. Of course, personal player attachment also matters – favorites from childhood will always carry nostalgic worth regardless of objective analysis. But treating cards as investments requires discerning which to safeguard for decades, in the hope they fund future dreams. With passion and patience, the right baseball cards can become highly lucrative keepsakes.

HOW SHOULD I ORGANIZE BASEBALL CARDS

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There are several important factors to consider when organizing your baseball card collection. The first step is to sort your cards. You’ll want to sort them by sport, then by team, then by player name alphabetically. This allows you to easily find any card you’re looking for. It’s best to sort rookie cards, stars, and Hall of Famers to the front of each team’s section so valuable and important cards can be found quickly.

Next, you’ll need supplies to properly store and protect your cards. Magnetic plastic sheets with quadranted sleeves that allow you to place a card in each individual slot work great. These sheet protectors come in one-row or nine-pocket pages. Make sure to use acid-free and lignin-free pages so the cards don’t yellow or degrade over time. You can place the individual nine-pocket pages into three-ring binders organized by team and alphabetically within each team. Keep the binders on a high shelf away from direct sunlight which can damage the cards over time.

For your most valuable and prized cards, consider individual magnetic holders or plastic sheets within top-loaders for extra protection. Always handle valuable cards by the edges and corners to avoid fingerprints and damage. Store these special cards separately in a lockedfire-proof box when not being looked at. Also consider having your true gem cards professionally graded and encapsulated by PSA or BGS to confirm their condition and add resale value.

In addition to the cards themselves, you’ll want to organize other related items like manuals, checklists, price guides, magazines and other collectibles with your card collection for easy reference. Place these supplemental materials in separate sleeves bound in their own binder stored alongside your card collections.

You can take your collection organization even further by creating detailed databases listing every card, its year, sport, team, player, estimated value and other details. Programs like Collector’s Assistant allow you to scan or manually enter this data to create a fully searchable computerized record of your entire collection. Some even let you add photos. Back up this database regularly onto an external hard drive in case of computer issues.

Within each team’s section, you have many options on how to further organize the players. Common methods include organizing by uniform number, position (pitchers, catchers, infielders, outfielders), career statistics like home runs or wins, or even alphabetically by last name. Mix up these secondary organizational styles to suit your personal preference within each team.

For your finest vintage and vintage-style cards, consider specially made wooden display boxes with archival felt lining that allows you to show off your most prized cards in a decorative and protected display. But make sure to store the boxes away when not on display to protect the cards from light damage over time. Speaking of damage, avoid attaching any adhesive items directly to your cards, like self-stick notes or name plates, which can leave a sticky residue if removed later.

A carefully planned organization system allows you to find any card instantly, appreciate your collection, track stats and values, display your favorite cards, and protect everything safely long-term. With the right materials and categorization, you’ll be able to enjoy your baseball card collection for decades to come. Proper storage and organization is key to preserving your investment and memories in your treasured cards for future generations to enjoy as well.

HOW MANY CARDS IN 1991 FLEER BASEBALL SET

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The 1991 Fleer set was notable because it marked the return of Fleer to producing official MLB licensed cards after a one year absence. Sets produced without an MLB license in previous years, such as the 1990 Score set, were unable to use player names on the cards. So collectors were excited to see Fleer back with photographer approved images and players’ proper names listed.

The base card design for the 1991 Fleer set showed the primary player image on a light gray background with their name, team, and position listed underneath. The rear of the cards featured individual player stats from the 1990 season. There were 669 total base cards, with one card dedicated to each player on a MLB team’s roster as of opening day 1991.

In addition to the base cards, there were several specialty subsets included. There were 42 rookie cards featuring first year players like Jeff Bagwell. There was also a 9 card Franchise Famous Feats subset highlighting iconic moments in baseball history, such as Hank Aaron’s 715th home run. Fan Favorites was a 50 card subset voted on by readers of The Sporting News to showcase some of the most popular players among fans.

Fleer also debuted two new autograph subsets in 1991. A 10 card autographed rookie subset included signed cards of rookie stars like Chuck Knoblauch. There were also 11 total autographed cards obtained from various Fleer signings that featured signed cards of veterans and stars of the day like Nolan Ryan. These autographed inserts helped drive interest in the set from collectors.

The design and subsets in the 1991 Fleer set helped make it a fan favorite among the many issues released that year. The 780 total cards matched the high water mark that some of the larger sets had achieved. And collectors were happy to see baseball’s tradition of a new Fleer offering continue after a one year lapse. The player images, full names and individually customized backend stats also allowed this set to achieve the level of authenticity that collectors had come to expect from the premier manufacturers like Fleer and Topps.

While some individual cards have gained higher values in the secondary market due to certain players’ careers, overall the 1991 Fleer set remains an affordable and fan-pleasing issue for collectors of all levels today. It marked the return of one of the great names in the hobby at a time when interest in the baseball card market was intensifying. Fleer’s first post-licensing set helped solidify them once again as a leader in the industry and a preferred brand for both established and new collectors getting involved in the pastime of amassing complete baseball card sets from the early 1990’s era.

WHAT 1987 DONRUSS BASEBALL CARDS ARE WORTH MONEY

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The 1987 Donruss set is considered one of the most iconic baseball card releases of all time. While it may not contain household name rookies like some other years, there are still several key cards from the 1987 Donruss set that can hold significant value for collectors. Let’s take a look at some of the top cards that frequently fetch a premium on the secondary market:

Ken Griffey Jr. RC (Card #1) – Widely considered one of the best rookie cards ever made, Griffey’s Donruss rookie is hugely desired by collectors. In pristine gem mint 10 condition, this card can sell for upwards of $10,000. Even well-centered near mint copies often trade hands for $500-1000. Griffey was already showing amazing talents as a rookie in 1987 and this iconic card is a must-have for any vintage baseball card collection.

Barry Bonds RC (Card #210) – Similar to Griffey, Bonds’ Donruss rookie is recognized as one of the true heavyweight cards from the set. Bonds would go on to have one of the greatest careers in MLB history and shattered home run records. Top graded examples of this historic card have reached as high as $5000-6000. Most near mint 7-9 copies still pull in a few hundred dollars.

Mark McGwire (Card #331) – McGwire’s breakout 1987 season helped raise excitement around the Donruss release. His highly sought after main rookie card from Topps is out of financial reach for most, making his Donruss card a popular alternate. Pristine mint condition 10s can sell for $1500-2000, with most near mints bringing $200-500.

Frank Thomas ROY (Card #574) – As the 1990 American League Rookie of the Year, Thomas burst onto the scene with impressive power numbers. His iconic Donruss design shows promise of the hitting machine he became. Graded mint 9s have sold for around $400-500 range, with most well-centered near mints around $100.

Nolan Ryan (Card #581) – Arguably the greatest power pitcher of all-time, Ryan’s iconic photo and achievements on the mound make this a favorite for collectors. Top graded examples in mint condition have reached as high as $400-500 in recent sales. Most near mint copies still sell in the $50-150 range.

Jose Canseco (Card #614) – Canseco’s breakout 1986 season made him one of the more popular players during the 1987 release. As one of the early boomer-era sluggers who helped revive fan interest, his Donruss card remains in demand. Near mint copies trade between $50-150 depending on centering quality.

Tom Glavine RC (Card #663) – A Hall of Fame bound southpaw, Glavine’s rookie season showed glimpses of what was to come. His understated Donruss design remains a popular pick for Atlanta Braves PC builders. Near mint examples can reach $30-80, with most others settling in the $10-25 range.

Griffey Jr. & Bonds Combined RC (Card #128-129) – The unique back-to-back Griffey Jr. and Bonds rookie card combos are exponentially rarer finds than their individual cards. Received a perfect Gem Mint 10 grade, a duo recently sold for an astounding $31,200! Even lower graded near mints could fetch $1000+ given scarcity.

This covers some of the headlining 1987 Donruss cards that frequently demand premium prices depending on condition grades. Other key names like Roger Clemens, Walt Weiss, and Greg Maddux rookies also hold value. For a complete set in top mint condition, auction prices have been known to soar into the five-figure range or higher given the star-studded rookie class and iconic design. The 1987 Donruss release is truly one of the finest and most valuable sets from thejunk wax era.