The 1987 Topps Baseball Card set was the 66th year Topps produced baseball cards and featured 660 total cards in the complete baseline set. This was a standout year for the brand as it showcased many legendary players and included several highly sought after and valuable rookie cards.
Some key facts and subsets that made the ’87 Topps set notable include:
Hall of Famers: The set featured cards for soon-to-be Hall of Famers like Ozzie Smith, Mike Schmidt, Reggie Jackson, and Robin Yount among many others.
Rookie Cards: Some highly valuable rookie cards found in the 1987 Topps set include Benito Santiago, Gregg Jefferies, Curt Schilling, and Jimmy Key. Santiago and Jefferies rookies in particular can fetch hundreds of dollars in top condition today.
Turn Back the Clock Subset: This 50 card retrospective subset featured photos of stars from earlier eras in vintage uniforms without stats on the back. Players included Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, and more. These delicate embossed photo cards were very popular.
Leaders Subset: This 22 card subset highlighted the league leaders in various statistical categories from the 1986 season.
Checklists: The set included both a basic checklist card as well as an additional 100 card mini-checklist subset. These extras add to the completeness of the complete 660 card issue.
Design Layout: The 1987 design featured a primary color photo on a white bordered front. Statistics continued across the back. It maintained Topps’ classic cardboard cutout look with no frills.
In total, Topps produced 660 total cards for the flagship 1987 set. This included the base issue of 638 cards (#1 – #638), as well as the aforementioned subsets:
Turn Back the Clock Retrospective: Cards #639-#688 (50 cards)
Leaders: Cards #689-#710 (22 cards)
Checklist: Card #711
Mini Checklists: Cards #712-#811 (100 cards)
Collectors at the time had the options to purchase packs, boxes, or factory sets directly from Topps. Complete unopened wax boxes in good condition can sell for thousands today. While factory sets are less scarce, a pristine 1987 Topps set still in the original packaging can be valued over $1000 depending on condition.
For individual collectors looking to build the complete 660 card set, it remained a very obtainable goal through the 80s and 90s before prices started appreciating. Key rookie cards like Santiago, Jefferies, Schilling, and others all carried value even back then. But most of the set including even stars like Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, and Roger Clemens could easily be acquired for just pennies each.
Fast forward to today, the 1987 Topps set endures as one of the most recognizable issues ever produced. Vintage cards from the 1980s in general saw renewed collector interest and price increases starting in the 1990s. Strong economies and nostalgia have continued that momentum into the new millennium. The ’87s classic and iconic design lends itself well to enduring collectability long after its initial release over 30 years ago.
For serious vintage baseball card investors, a pristine 1987 Topps set canretain strong long term value. But for casual collectors, it remains one of the most attainable vintage issues to build without breaking the bank. Reproduction and counterfeit issues are relatively low compared to even more coveted 1950s sets like the iconic 1952 Topps. This balances its appeal between dedicated collectors and more casual fans of the era it portrays.
The 1987 Topps baseball card set endures as a highly collectable and history-rich issue. Itscombination of Hall of Famers, valuable rookies, fun retro subsets, and classic yet understated designcontinues to attract new and vintage collectors alike decades after its original release. Both individually and as a complete 660 card set, the 1987s remain a cornerstone for any baseball card collection covering the rich history of the sport.
