The 1987 Topps baseball card set is one of the most highly regarded issues from the 1980s. While it lacks the superstar rookies and Hall of Famers of some other years, the ’87 Topps set remains a favorite of collectors due to its sharp photography and vibrant color palette. Within the set are also some extremely scarce and valuable short prints that attract attention from dedicated chase card collectors. Several factors, including printing errors, unusual photo variations, and star players all contribute to the high prices that some 1987 Topps baseball cards will fetch on the secondary market.
One of the most well-known short prints from the 1987 set is the Roger Clemens card #181. Clemens was just starting to emerge as a superstar pitcher for the Boston Red Sox in 1987 after winning the AL Cy Young Award in 1986. For reasons that remain unclear, the Clemens card was printed in far fewer quantities than the average player cards that year. As a result, the Clemens #181 is one of the toughest 1987 cards to find in gem mint condition. Graded examples often sell on auction sites for well over $1000, making it out of the price range of many collectors trying to complete the full 660-card set.
Another scarce Red Sox player short print is the Wade Boggs card #310. Like Clemens, Boggs was a Boston star and annual All-Star in the late 1980s. His ’87 issue seems to have been underprinted as well, though not quite as rare as the Clemens. Still, a mint Boggs #310 usually brings $200-300 due to its limited supply versus demand.
Rickey Henderson’s 1987 Topps card #607 is considered by many experts to be the single rarest card in the entire set. As a perennial stolen base leader with the Oakland A’s, Henderson was already one of baseball’s most dynamic stars by 1987. But for reasons lost to time, the #607 was almost never packed as frequently as the average card that year. In pristine condition, it can sell for astonishing prices upwards of $2500-3000 due to its rarity and Henderson’s status as a Hall of Famer. Fewer than a dozen PSA/BGS 10 versions are even said to exist.
In addition to true “short prints” due to manufacturing errors, several key 1987 Topps rookie cards also hold great collector value today. Perhaps most well known is the #1 card of Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Steve Bedrosian. While not a true superstar, Bedrosian won the NL Cy Young Award in 1987 and his impressive rookie season made his first bow in the set highly coveted at the time. In mint condition today, the Bedrosian rookie can be worth $150-250 to informed vintage collectors.
Another coveted rookie is that of San Diego Padres pitcher Andy Benes on card #21. Though not a Hall of Famer, Benes had a solid decade-long MLB career and his ’87 rookie remains one of the tougher early cards to find pristine. Higher grade Benes rookies can sell for $75-150 today. Other notable rookies like #131 Bip Roberts (Milwaukee Brewers), #475 Wally Joyner (Angels), and #659 Gregg Jefferies (Mets) are also sought after and can carry prices of $50-100 or more for mint examples.
Aside from short prints and star players, another factor that can dramatically impact the value of 1987 Topps cards is photo or printing variations. Dozens of such anomalies have been identified by hobby experts over the years. One of the most blatant is the Darryl Strawberry card #183, where an error caused Strawberry’s uniform number to be omitted entirely on some print runs. Strawberry collectors seek this variation out specifically and they often sell for $200-300 due to their uniqueness within the set.
Likewise, the Jim Lindeman card #476 exists with both a correct uniform number “29” and also a photo variation where his number is absent, making the variation significantly scarcer. The same is true for the Dale Murphy #601, where some have his number “3” clearly shown while the variation is missing it. Knowing what to look for in photo and uniform differences can lead collectors to significantly more valuable versions of seemingly ordinary cards.
Of course, for any set more than 30 years old, true flawless mint condition specimens are astonishingly rare finds. Top-graded examples that achieve the pop 1-2 PSA/BGS/SSG 10 status can sell for astronomical sums. In recent years, a PSA 10 Robin Yount (#40) sold for over $15,000 while a lone BGS 10 Rickey Henderson (#607) went for a staggering $38,000. Prices remain high because demand will likely always outweigh the small surviving population of flawless vintage cardboard.
While not PACKED with future all-time greats like some earlier ’80s issues, the 1987 Topps baseball card set remains an intriguing chase for collectors due to its memorable photography, several important rookie debuts, and roster of true “short prints” and anomalies that drive values into the thousands for high-grade examples. Variations, errors, and the inevitable meltdowns of mint copies over time all contribute to the ongoing appeal of this 1980s classic among dedicated vintage collectors. With patience and a discerning eye, finding overlooked gems with big upside remains possible even today in the late-1980s card market.
