The 1987 Donruss baseball set is considered one of the most iconic and valuable vintage issues in the history of the sport. While it didn’t feature any true all-time legends in their rookie cards, the ’87 Donruss set showcased players who would go on to have Hall of Fame careers and included stars from the late 1980s. Given its popularity and historical significance, many of the cards from this 702-card release have achieved immense value over the past few decades. Here are some of the most valuable 1987 Donruss baseball cards collectors seek today:
Ken Griffey Jr. (card #1) – Widely considered the most desirable card from the ’87 Donruss set, Griffey’s impressive rookie is the true blue-chip collectible. In pristine gem mint condition, this card can fetch over $10,000. Even well-centered near mint copies sell for $1,500+. Griffey went on to become a 13-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glover and one of the most popular players of the 1990s and 2000s. His rookie is iconic.
Barry Bonds (card #110) – While not technically a rookie card since Bonds played parts of two prior seasons, his ’87 Donruss is still highly sought after as it was his first card with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bonds would go on to break the all-time home run record and win a record seven MVP awards over a Hall of Fame career. In gem mint condition, this Bonds rookie regularly brings over $5,000 at auction.
Tom Glavine (card #321) – Despite a relatively ordinary player photo, Glavine’s rookie card gains value due to his Hall of Fame playing career that included 305 wins and two Cy Young awards split between the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets. Mint condition copies sell in the $800-1000 range while a true gem specimen could exceed $2000 given Glavine’s prestige.
Greg Maddux (card #323) – Like Glavine, Maddux’s ’87 Donruss rookie photograph doesn’t jump off the card but collectors love it knowing he’d become a Hall of Fame pitcher with 4 Cy Young awards and over 300 wins. Pristine mint 10 examples can sell for $750-1000 while gems command $1500-2000.
Roberto Alomar (card #601) – As a Hall of Famer with elite skills at both second base and hitter, Alomar’s ’87 Donruss rookie holds substantial perceived value. High grade copies in the $500-700 range are common but a flawless gem mint 10 could fetch $1000 considering Alomar’s status as one of the best Latin American players ever.
Other notable cards from the 1987 Donruss set with value upwards of $200 in top condition include rookies of Mark McGwire, Fred McGriff, and Roger Clemens. All-Star and future Hall of Famer cards like Wade Boggs, Gary Carter, Ozzie Smith, and Tim Raines routinely sell for $75-150 depending on grade.
Beyond the star rookies and players,Errors and anomalies within the ’87 Donruss printing make certain rare cards extremely valuable. The #1 Cal Ripken Jr. with a typo reading “Cal Ripken, IR” is worth $5000+ in gem mint. Other sought-after printing errors include off-center Greg Maddux (#323) and Wally Joyner (#663) cards which can sell for hundreds due to their irregularity within the set.
Perhaps most valuable of all is the legendary ’87 Traded Ken Griffey Jr. This special issue card showing Griffey in a Mariners uniform before he ever played a game for them regularly breaks records at auction. In 2013, a PSA Gem Mint 10 copy sold for nearly $100,000, making it one of the highest prices ever paid for a baseball card.
The 1987 Donruss set holds a special place in the hearts of collectors due to memorable rookie cards, iconic veterans, and the allure of chasing high-grade stars from the late 80s era. While sets from the late 80s aren’t as collectible as the true vintage 50s/60s/70s issues, the ’87 Donruss standards like Griffey, Bonds, Glavine and others have proven to retain value owing to those players’ status in baseball history. For condition-sensitive investors, picking out gems from this classic release remains a sound strategy decades after the set’s original production.
