The 1987 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic and valuable sets from the 1980s. Issued at the height of the baseball card boom, the 1987 Topps set featured 792 total cards including player and manager cards, team checklists, and special subset cards. Some of the biggest stars of the era like Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, Ozzie Smith, and Rickey Henderson graced the fronts of packs and boxes of 1987 Topps cards.
The design of the 1987 Topps set featured a classic look that harkened back to the 1950s and 1960s era of Topps designs. A thick yellow border surrounded each card with the team logo prominently displayed at the top. Below the logo was the player’s name and position printed in bold black letters. The player’s photo took up most of the front of the card with statistics printed along the bottom border. On the back, career stats and a short biography of the player was found. Topps’ iconic logo and trademark “Topps…The Name is Cards” slogan was printed along the bottom.
Some notable subsets from the 1987 Topps set included the Traded set, Update set, and Rookie All-Star subset. The Traded set featured 36 cards highlighting players who were traded between the 1986 and 1987 seasons like Don Baylor and Rick Rhoden. The Update set included 30 cards of players who were not included in the original release, like Ozzie Virgil and Dave Righetti. Perhaps the most coveted subset was the 12 card Rookie All-Star subset, which honored the top rookie players from the previous season like Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire, and Wally Joyner.
The 1987 Topps set is also notable for several key rookie cards that have gone on to become extremely valuable in the decades since. Some of the most significant rookies included in the set were Barry Larkin, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and Mark McGwire. Of those, McGwire’s rookie is arguably the most iconic as it captures him in an Oakland A’s uniform just before he would go on to smash the single-season home run record a decade later. In high grade, McGwire’s 1987 Topps rookie regularly sells for thousands of dollars today.
Beyond star players and valuable rookies, the 1987 Topps set also included several unique parallel and oddball variations that excite collectors. One such parallel was the “Glossy Sendbacks” which featured select player photos with a glossy coating instead of the standard matte finish. Other variations included “Traded” versions without the Traded subset designation, test prints with different color borders, and even error cards missing the team logo or with incorrect stats. These unusual parallels add another layer of complexity for collectors looking to build a complete 1987 Topps set.
When released in 1987, a wax box of 1987 Topps baseball cards retailed for around $2.50 and contained 18 packs with 11 cards per pack. While the cards were extremely popular at retail during the baseball card boom, the glut of production led to an oversupply which caused prices to crash in the early 1990s. In the ensuing decades as the players from the late 80s reached the heights of their careers and more collectors reached adulthood with nostalgia, values of 1987 Topps cards have rebounded tremendously.
Today, a complete base set in near mint to mint condition can sell for over $1000. Individual stars graded gem mint like the Ken Griffey Jr., Ozzie Smith, or Wade Boggs rookies have reached over $1000 as well. Even common stars can sell for $20-50. The inserts and particularly the rookie cards of McGwire, Larkin, Maddux, and Glavine are where the big money is at for the 1987 Topps set. High-graded versions of those rookie cards can sell for tens of thousands. With its classic design, huge stars, and important rookie cards, the 1987 Topps baseball set remains one of the most storied and valuable issues from the 1980s.
The 1987 Topps baseball card set holds a special place in the history of the hobby due to the timing of its release at the peak of the baseball card boom of the 1980s. Featuring legendary players, valuable rookie cards, and unique parallels, it captures an iconic era of the game. While overproduced at the time, the 1987 Topps set has regained tremendous popularity and value over the past 30+ years. For collectors and investors, individual star cards or a complete set will continue to retain and gain value for decades to come. The 1987 issue solidified Topps’ place at the top of the baseball card market and remains one of the most beloved sets among collectors today.
