The value of a complete 1987 Topps baseball card set can vary quite a bit depending on the condition and grade of the cards, but in general here is what you can expect:
The 1987 Topps baseball card set contains 792 total cards including 660 base cards and 132 traded/update cards. It was the 65th annual set produced by Topps and featured players from all 26 Major League Baseball teams at the time. Some of the biggest stars featured in the set include Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Kirby Puckett, and Ozzie Smith.
If the cards are in near mint to mint condition (grades from 8-10), a complete 1987 Topps set in a factory sealed wax box could sell for $3,000-$5,000. A sealed wax box guarantees the cards have never been opened and therefore maintains their pristine condition. Finding a sealed wax box from 1987 after all these years is very rare.
More commonly, complete 1987 Topps sets are assembled by collectors in team bags, binder pages, or card sheets. In gem mint condition (9-10 grade), a complete set in this format could sell for $1,500-$2,500 depending on demand. The cards would show no signs of wear and would have sharp corners and clean surfaces.
As the condition drops from gem mint to simply near mint (8-9 grade), the value comes down to around $1,000-$1,500. Near mint cards may have slight rounding of edges or very minor handling marks but still look excellent overall. This is a more realistic grade to expect for a 30+ year old complete set.
Moving into the lightly played (6-7 grade) range, a set would show definite signs of handling and wear but still be complete. Values here fall to $500-$800. Edges may be dulled, surfaces scratched or faded slightly. Corners could be slightly rounded.
Heavy play (4-5 grade) puts cards in rough shape. Values plummet further to just $200-$400 for a complete heavy play set as cards will show creasing, staining or other defects. Corners will be badly rounded. Surfaces scratched and dirtied.
Sets below a 4 grade due to being incomplete, damaged or in poor condition lose much of their value and would mostly appeal to nostalgic collectors looking to finish their childhood collections. Prices could range from just $100 up to the $200-$400 range depending on how many valuable stars are included.
There are also several very rare and valuable individual cards in the 1987 Topps set that can increase the value of a complete set if graded and maintained in high condition. The Mark McGwire rookie card is among the most coveted from the year. High grade examples can sell for thousands on their own. Other stars with valuable rookies include Tom Glavine, Gregg Olson, and Dennis Eckersley.
While it depends greatly on condition, a complete 1987 Topps baseball card set in near mint to mint condition realistically has a valuation range between $1,000 up to around $2,500 or more today. Being over 30 years old, condition is key, and finding a true gem mint set complete and in high grades is quite difficult due to the aging effects of time on the cardboard. But for nostalgic collectors, a lesser condition ’87 Topps set can still hold value in the $100s depending on completeness.
