The 1987 Kmart baseball card set was one of the more popular and iconic sports card issues of the late 1980s. At a time when the baseball card industry was booming, Kmart launched its own successful house brand of cards that became coveted by collectors both young and old. The 1987 set showcased every Major League player and even included short biographies on the backs of each card. With its affordable prices and wide distribution through Kmart stores, the 1987 Kmart baseball cards captured the attention of a generation of fans and created many lifelong collectors.
Kmart had released baseball cards under its name in prior years but the 1987 set stands out as one of the most complete and noteworthy issues. That season was a pivotal one in Major League Baseball as well, with players like Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, and Tom Glavine beginning to make their mark on the league. Capturing the stars of that era for a mass-market price point helped the 1987 Kmart cards find immense popularity. The set totaled 792 cards and featured every player on a Major League roster at the start of the 1987 season, with separate cards for regular season and playoff/World Series performance.
Perhaps the biggest draw of the 1987 Kmart baseball cards was their affordable price. At a time when the hobby was getting increasingly expensive, with premium wax packs from Topps and Donruss costing $1 or more each, Kmart sold its entire base set of 792 cards for just $9.99. For collectors on a budget or kids pestering their parents at the checkout aisle, the Kmart cards offered an entry point into the exciting world of sports card collecting. Their widespread availability through Kmart stores across America also made them highly accessible.
In addition to the full-blown roster set of 792 cards, Kmart also sold smaller subsets at slightly lower prices. These included a 100-card “mini-set” of the Top 100 hitters, a 50-card subset of rookie cards, and 100-card sets focusing on pitchers or specific leagues/divisions. Kmart even produced special “traded” subset cards to depict player transactions that occurred after the regular season rosters were finalized. All of these extra cards added tremendous variety and chase appeal to the overall 1987 Kmart issue.
The design aesthetic of the 1987 Kmart cards was straightforward yet effective. On the front, each card featured a simple black-and-white player photo along with the team nameplate and player identifiers. The backs provided statistics from the previous season as well as a 30-40 word biography of each player highlighting career achievements up to that point. While not as flashy as higher-end issues from Topps, Donruss, or Fleer, the Kmart cards offered enjoyable retro designs that have stood the test of time. They remained decidedly “vintage” even as newer technologies were adopted across the wider hobby.
When it came to condition and durability, the 1987 Kmart baseball cards were constructed on thicker stock paper compared to earlier Kmart issues or budget brands from that era. While not quite on par with the slickness of gum-included trading cards, the thicker paper helped the Kmart cards hold up reasonably well to the rigors of being endlessly shuffled, sorted, and traded by enthusiastic young collectors. Light surface scuffs or edge wear affected most examples found today but serious damage is comparatively rare for a set that was so widely circulated in its time.
In the years since their 1987 release, the Kmart baseball card set has achieved strong nostalgia appeal and recognition as an iconic piece of sports card history. On the thriving vintage trading card market, complete sets routinely command over $200 while especially desirable rookie cards from the likes of Barry Bonds or Tom Glavine can exceed $100 individually. The affordability and widespread distribution that made them a hit in 1987 is now complemented by the warmth of nostalgia they invoke. Cleaner examples graded by services like PSA also bring premium prices from intense completionists seeking pristine copies of their childhood cardboard treasures.
For any collector, researcher, or fan interested in understanding the 1980s baseball card boom period, the 1987 Kmart issue stands out as an important touchpoint. It showed how the marriage of Major League rosters, budget pricing, and wide retail distribution could create a true mass-market phenomenon. For countless kids and adults at the time, it was also likely their first experience opening wax packs and admiring the photocards of their baseball heroes. Over 35 years later, those memories and the allure of the players featured still give the 1987 Kmart baseball cards a treasured spot in hobby history.
