The 1987 baseball card market produced some of the most iconic and valuable cards in the history of the hobby. Powered by emerging stars like Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and Bo Jackson, the ‘87 set featured several rookies and short prints that have stood the test of time and appreciated dramatically in value. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the most noteworthy ‘87 cards and what makes them so coveted among collectors today.
Perhaps the biggest star of the ‘87 set is the Barry Bonds rookie card. Considered one of the true ‘holy grails’ of the hobby, the Bonds rookie debuted him as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. What makes this card so rare is that Bonds only played in 12 games for the Pirates in ‘87 before being recalled to the minors for more seasoning. As a result, the Bonds rookie is one of the shortest printed rookie cards in history. In near mint condition, a PSA 10 graded Barry Bonds rookie now fetches well over $100,000 at auction. Even lower graded copies in PSA 8-9 condition can pull in $10,000-20,000 due to his legendary career and status as one of the game’s all-time great home run hitters.
Another phenom whose rookie emerged in ‘87 was Mark McGwire of the Oakland A’s. Like Bonds, McGwire went on to smash the single-season home run record during his career. Also like Bonds, the McGwire rookie is scarce since he only played in 19 games in ‘87 before being sent back down. PSA 10 copies have cracked $20,000 at auction in recent years, with lower graded versions still commanding four figures. What makes the McGwire even more sought after is the distinctive powder blue Athletics uniform featured on the card. It’s viewed as one of the more aesthetically pleasing designs from the late ‘80s/early ‘90s.
While not quite in the same stratosphere as Bonds or McGwire, the Bo Jackson rookie from ‘87 remains a true hot commodity vintage card. As one of the greatest athletes of all-time to play multiple pro sports, Jackson’s sheer rarity and athletic achievements create huge demand. His rookie was preceded by an electric promotional campaign featuring him on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the headline “Bo Knows Sports.” This advertising blitz helped turn Jackson into a pop culture icon overnight. High-grade Jackson rookies have hit five figures, though most examples trade in the $3,000-$6,000 range. Even damaged or low-graded copies retain value north of $1,000 since they were only produced during his short 11 game MLB stint in ‘87.
Besides elite rookies, the ‘87 set had a few standout veterans who’ve sustained strong collector interest too. A card that regularly trades for four figures is the UD Johnny Bench card numbered to ‘87.’ Bench was a Hall of Fame catcher for the Cincinnati Reds who revolutionized the position, but inexplicably his only ‘87 card was released by Upper Deck as an unlicensed afterthought issue that same year. With a tiny print run estimated under 1,000 copies, the Bench UD has ascended to the upper echelon or short print collector favorites. Graded specimens range from $8,000-$20,000 depending on condition.
Another coveted short print is the error-featuring Ozzie Smith card from ‘87 Fleer. On a small subset of the cards, Smith’s name was misspelled “Ozzi” on the front. This one-of-a-kind typo mistake makes the cards extremely rare, with experts putting unconfirmed production under 10 copies. One “Ozzi” Smith error sold for over $50,000 back in 2007. Even unconfirmed error copies without a typo bring big money since they are erroneously thought to possibly contain the elusive misprint.
Outside of standout rookies and stars, sets from the ‘80s like ‘87 Donruss and Topps are starting to gain appreciation for their colorful uniform and card designs. Players like Wade Boggs, Nolan Ryan, and Tony Gwynn had memorable seasons captured on these classic cards. High-grade specimens of Hall of Famers in iconic uniforms can crack four figures raw. For example, a PSA 10 1986 Nolan Ryan from Donruss traded hands for over $5,000 back in 2018.
The 1987 baseball card market debuted some of the greatest players in history and featured innovative short prints that have strengthened over time. Powered by stars like Bonds, McGwire, and Jackson, the flagship rookies hold regal status. Meanwhile, parallels like the Bench UD and Ozzie Smith error maintain mystique among collectors. For enthusiasts of the late ‘80s vintage era in particular, ‘87 remains the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to appreciation, demand, and unprecedented card values.
