The 1987 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic of the modern era and is highly sought after by collectors. The set marks rookie cards for several future Hall of Famers and contains other scarce short printed cards that have risen greatly in value over the decades. Let’s take a look at some of the most valuable 1987 Topps baseball cards that can fetch thousands, and in some cases over $100,000, on the thriving collectibles market.
One of the undisputed kings of the 1987 Topps set is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Widely considered one of the best all-around players of his generation, Griffey was a rookie sensation for the Seattle Mariners in 1987 and his iconic smiling rookie card became instantly popular. Over the decades, demand for the Griffey Jr. rookie has never ceased and in top gem mint condition it can sell for over $10,000 raw or over $20,000 if graded mint by services like PSA or BGS. The card captures Griffey at the start of what became a surefire Hall of Fame career and its classic rookie photo continues to entice collectors.
While the Griffey Jr. rookie rightly earns top billing, another future Hall of Famer who also debuted in the 1987 Topps set is Mark McGwire. As one of the first real “monster mashers” of the steroid era, McGwire smashed home runs at a record pace throughout his career and still holds the single season home run record he set in 1998. His rookie card isn’t quite as valuable as Griffey’s, but graded mint condition copies can still reach $4,000-$6,000 prices due to McGwire’s immense popularity during his record-breaking seasons. Like Griffey, the McGwire rookie is always in high demand.
Much rarer and higher priced than even the Griffey and McGwire rookies is the crop of short printed stars from the 1987 Topps set. Short prints refer to select player cards that were printed in far lower numbers than the standard issues, making them extremely difficult to locate. One such short print superstar is Oakland A’s ace Dennis Eckersley, who was already a veteran at this point but would go on to earn election into the Hall of Fame. The “Eck” short print has been estimated to only exist in a print run around 1/10th the size of other cards. In pristine condition it can sell for over $50,000 for this reason.
Another first ballot Hall of Famer and 1986 American League MVP who appears as an ultra-short print in the ’87 Topps set is Boston Red Sox great Wade Boggs. Widely considered the best pure hitter of the 1980s, Boggs somehow inadvertently received what collectors estimate to be one of the shortest print runs of any card that year, around 1/100th the number of a regular issue. As a result, his short print is among the most elusive and when graded mint with the centeredness and sharpness befitting cards of its tight printing quantity, it can reach the $100,000 price point, truly cementing it as one of the costliest modern baseball cards period.
Staying in Boston, the 1987 Topps set is also made extremely valuable by the short printed rookie card of Red Sox legend Roger Clemens. Already building his case for the Hall of Fame just a few years into his career, the “Rocket” got lost in the shuffle and was blessed with one of the tightest print runs that year. Crease and corner wear free copies in high end mint condition have gone for well over $5,000 on the strength of Clemens’ legendary career. Finding high grade examples of his scarce rookie is a true challenge.
The supply issues and demand boosts don’t stop with the short prints though. Other key 1987 Topps cards that can run $1,000 or more in top condition include Oakland A’s superstar slugger Jose Canseco’s rookie, which helped energize the 1980s home run boom. Atlanta Braves pitching stud Tom Glavine’s rookie is also coveted, as are those of Los Angeles Dodgers legend Orel Hershiser and Atlanta slugger David Justice. And for Yankees collectors, a prized card is soon-to-be batting champion Don Mattingly’s update issue, one of his scarcest mainstream releases.
The 1987 Topps baseball set remains an iconic hobby landmark over 30 years later. From rookies of future Hall of Famers like Griffey and McGwire to absurdly short printed stars like Boggs and Eckersley, it contains some true gemstones of the modern collecting era. With solid vintage cardboard demand staying strong, the finest known copies of these valuable 1987s will continue fetching thousands, and in the case of oddities like the Boggs short print, well into the five figures for the foreseeable future.
