1987 Donruss Baseball Card Pricing Guide

The 1987 Donruss baseball card set is considered by many collectors to be one of the most iconic and valuable issues from the late 1980s. With its vibrant photography and classic design aesthetic, the ’87 Donruss set launched the careers of several future Hall of Famers while also chronicling the end of eras for legendary stars nearing retirement. In this in-depth pricing guide, we’ll examine key factors that influence the value of 1987 Donruss cards and provide estimated price ranges for the most valuable rookie cards and legends of the set.

Release Details and Product Mix: The 1987 Donruss baseball card set consisted of 792 total cards issued in wax packs, factory sets, and cello boxes. The base card design featured a colorful team logo at the top with a large action photo taking up most of the front of the card. Short player stats were listed on the bottom back. Parallels included ’87 Update, Traded, and Glossy versions of selected cards.

Rookie Phenoms Drive Interest and Prices: Two of the most coveted rookies in the entire ’80s era debuted in the ’87 Donruss set – Toronto’s Roberto Alomar (#444) and Cincinnati’s Eric Davis (#481). In near-mint to mint condition, their rookie cards can fetch $150-$300 for Alomar and $100-$250 for Davis. Other valuable ’87 Donruss rookies include Frank Thomas (#628 – $75-150), Tom Glavine (#679 – $50-125), and David Justice (#701 – $40-100).

Stars of the Day Hold Strong Value: While no longer rookie cards, the flagship players of the late ’80s shine bright in the ’87 Donruss set. A PSA 10 graded Wade Boggs (#29) can sell for $500-800. The cards of Roger Clemens (#99), Ozzie Smith (#165), and Kirby Puckett (#268) regularly bring $150-350 in top condition. Darryl Strawberry (#315), Don Mattingly (#360), and Rickey Henderson (#386) round out premium star cards valued between $100-250.

Veteran Legends Near Retirement: Icons entering the twilight of their careers still attract collectors to the ’87 Donruss issue. A PSA 9 Nolan Ryan (#469) recently sold for over $400. Other elder statesmen such as Mike Schmidt (#502 – $150-300), George Brett (#527 – $125-250), and Jim Rice (#588 – $75-150) maintain strong followings.

Team and Parallels Variations: For dedicated team collectors, complete ’87 Donruss team sets can be quite valuable – especially for flagship franchises. A Chicago Cubs team set recently sold for nearly $1,000. Parallel cards like Traded and Glossy versions often double or triple the value of base counterparts in high grades. ’87 Update cards are also popular, with stars fetching over $100 in top condition.

Condition is King: As with any vintage sports card issue, the all-important grade from services like PSA or BGS can make or break the value of an ’87 Donruss card. Near-mint examples in the 8-9 range often settle in the $10-50 range depending on player. But that $400 Nolan Ryan was a rare PSA 9. Cards need to be very well-centered and show sharp corners/edges to achieve true high-end grades. Even small flaws can cut values significantly.

In Closing: The 1987 Donruss baseball card set endures as a classic of the era and remains a must-have for collectors of the sport’s biggest stars and rookie debuts. Key rookie phenoms and veteran legends lead the way in terms of demand and price points. But solid condition examples of almost any Hall of Famer or All-Star from the set retain collector interest and value. For those hunting true near-mint gems, the potential rewards could be well worth the effort.

The 1988 Donruss baseball card set was issued midway through the 1988 MLB season and featured players and teams from that year. It was the 6th edition of Donruss’ flagship baseball card product and included several sought-after rookie cards and stars of the era. The design featured various action shots of players with their statistics and career highlights on the back. The set had 792 total cards and was sold in wax packs, rack packs, and factory sets.

Some of the top rookie cards in the 1988 Donruss set included Ken Griffey Jr., Tom Glavine, and Gregg Olson. Griffey’s rookie became one of the most iconic and valuable cards ever issued as his career took off and he became regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Even in PSA 10 gem mint condition, raw 1988 Donruss Griffey rookies still sell for thousands of dollars due to his popularity enduring decades after retirement.

Tom Glavine also had a hall of fame career that spanned two decades, mostly with the Atlanta Braves. His Cardinals rookie card showed promise for what was to come and also holds value today. Gregg Olson debuted with the Baltimore Orioles in 1988 and had a solid career as a closer, making three All-Star teams in the early 90s. While not in the same stratosphere of notoriety as Griffey, Olson’s rookie remains a key piece for Orioles and 80s collectors.

Besides rookies, the 1988 Donruss set featured superstars who were entering their prime or dominated the decade. Cards of Don Mattingly, Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs, Tim Raines, Roger Clemens, and Nolan Ryan were some of the top veteran chase cards. Other notables included Mark McGwire with the A’s and Will Clark of the Giants, who both went on to have outstanding careers. Kirby Puckett’s card from his 1987 AL batting title year with the Twins also holds nostalgia.

Condition is very important when valuing 1988 Donruss cards today. Even star player cards need to grade well to command big prices. But there are still many affordable common cards to collect from this fun vintage set. The designs had lots of action shots and stats that transport collectors back to that MLB season. Team sets can also be put together inexpensively by searching through bargain boxes.

While not quite as iconic as the beloved 1987 set, 1988 Donruss remains a highly sought vintage release. The exciting rookie class headlined by Griffey, strong veterans, and design elements make it a nostalgic trip back to the late 80s baseball era. Variations also added to the challenge of completion, like photo variations, printing plates, and errors. The flagship Donruss product kept building its reputation during the tail end of the boom period.

Although overshadowed by the popularity of Topps and its monopoly during the time, 1988 Donruss endures as an essential set for 80s collectors. Its stars, rookies, and memorable designs are part of baseball card history. While the ultra high-end classics may be out of reach for most collectors, there is still fun to be had building a team or player set at affordable prices. The memories of ripping packs as a kid and learning about players like Griffey, Glavine and more keep collectors coming back to this treasured piece of the hobby’s past.

The 1983 Donruss baseball card set was the second series released by Donruss and marked a transition period for the fledgling brand. With a massive 792 cards issued, the 1983 set grew significantly from the previous year’s offering of 528 cards. It also featured a new card design that moved away from the basic style of 1982 towards a more visually appealing template that would be refined in future years.

At the time of its release in early 1983, Donruss was still very much the new kid on the block compared to the entrenched giants of the baseball card industry like Topps. The 1982 set had shown there was consumer appetite for an alternative to Topps’ monopoly. For 1983, Donruss took bold steps to improve production values and expand coverage of players in a bid to grow their market share.

Chief among the changes was the new card design. Gone was the plain white border of 1982, replaced by a multi-colored border that wrapped around vivid action photos of the players. Team logos were prominently displayed on the uniform images. Statistics and career highlights were presented in easy-to-read font styles. On the reverse, a career timeline and personal information about the player was given. It gave the cards a much more polished and contemporary aesthetic compared to previous years.

The expanded player selection was also a major upgrade. Roster spots were given to more minor leaguers, prospects and marginal major leaguers. This had the effect of casting a wider net to entice collectors but also diluted the star power of the set to some degree. Insert cards were also included for the first time, featuring league leaders and award winners from the previous season.

Production quality showed marked improvements as well. Centering, cutting and surface issues that plagued some 1982 Donruss cards were minimized. The card stock was of a higher grade. Authentic team logo patches were properly applied. Overall fit and finish approached the level collectors had come to expect from the industry leader Topps.

Of course, chasing after Topps brought inevitable comparisons that didn’t always favor Donruss. The photo selection in ’83, while improved, still didn’t match Topps for star power or aesthetic appeal in many cases. Statistics were also less comprehensive. The expanded roster benefited completionists but made stars like Ryne Sandberg, Wade Boggs and Eddie Murray less scarce in the set.

The massive size of the 792 card set also proved a challenge for collectors. The steep production costs made the series much more expensive to put together than Topps’ smaller 660 card offering that same year. Retail boxes contained fewer packs, making completion more difficult and time consuming. These factors may have limited the mainstream appeal of the ’83 Donruss issue compared to its established competitors.

In the secondary market, the sheer size of the set coupled with production quantities geared more towards completionists than investors resulted in most ’83 Donruss cards retaining fairly modest values over time. Roster “filler” players are essentially worthless in graded gem mint condition today. Stars and key rookies from the issue have achieved respectable prices, especially in high grades.

The 1983 Donruss set marked the brand’s coming of age within the baseball card world. It showed the company’s willingness to take bold steps to carve out space in the increasingly competitive market. The new design, expanded player selection, and production improvements illustrated Donruss’ ambition. While it didn’t quite overtake Topps in its second year, the 1983 issue established Donruss as a serious player and laid foundations for future success. It remains an important transitional release that baseball card historians view as a stepping stone to the brand’s 1980s heyday.

The 1983 Donruss baseball card set showcased the progress and growing pains of a fledgling brand striving to compete with the long-established leaders in the industry. Bolstered by significant design, content and manufacturing upgrades over 1982, it demonstrated Donruss’ commitment to evolving and expanding its offering for collectors. Though not without its challenges, the ’83 series cemented Donruss’ status and paved the way for its ascendancy as a premier card manufacturer during baseball’s golden age of the 1980s.