1987 was a landmark year for Topps baseball cards as it marked the 70th anniversary of their famous design. To celebrate this occasion, Topps pulled out all the stops with terrific photography, creative card designs, and limited edition parallel sets that captured the nostalgia of the vintage baseball card era. As a result, 1987 Topps cards remain enormously popular with collectors to this day and command respectable prices in the trading card market.
One of the most sought-after rookie cards from the 1987 set is Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Steve Bedrosian. Bedrosian had an exceptional season in 1987, winning the National League Cy Young Award and helping lead the Phillies to the postseason. This made his Topps rookie card quite desirable at the time. In near mint condition, Bedrosian’s 1986 Topps rookie now sells for around $15-20. High grade copies in mint condition can reach $50-75.
Another rookie card that performed well in 1987 was Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dave Stieb. While Stieb did not have the career success of Bedrosian, his card has endured as one of the more scarce and desirable rookie cards from the ’87 set. In near mint to mint condition, Stieb’s rookie sells in the range of $25-40 currently. Copies receiving the highest available grade of gem mint 10 can escalate the price to over $100.
For Detroit Tigers fans, one of the most prized cards is Kirby Puckett’s rookie. Puckett, of course, went on to have a Hall of Fame career primarily with the Minnesota Twins, but was drafted by the Tigers out of high school in 1981. Tigers fans love owning a piece of what could have been with Puckett in Detroit. His rookie in a high grade easily fetches $75-125 due to its scarcity and storyline behind it.
No player had a bigger 1987 season than San Francisco Giants outfielder Jeffrey Leonard. Leonard seemingly came out of nowhere to win the National League MVP award by hitting .281 with 35 home runs and 115 RBI. Not surprisingly, his 1987 Topps card is one of the set’s most iconic and desirable. In near mint to mint condition expect to pay $40-70. Copies graded at the pinnacle of gem mint 10 can sale for an elevated $150-250 price range.
High-grade rookie cards are almost always the most valuable in any given set due to their sheer scarcity. But 1987 Topps also featured several star players in action shots that have become classics over the years. One of those is Chicago Cubs slugger Andre Dawson, who is depicted at the height of his swing. In high-grade mint to near-mint, Dawson’s card typically sells in the range of $15-30. Another popular image is that of Boston Red Sox star Wade Boggs at the plate. Like Dawson’s, Boggs’ card in mint-near mint condition goes between $15-30 range as well.
Through the years, Topps has issued parallels and insert sets that provided additional collector opportunities beyond the base set. The 1987 Topps Traded set is one example that has significantly heightened in demand from collectors. Featuring player swaps and transactions from after the base cards were produced, the Traded set includes key rookies like Mark McGwire. In near mint condition, a full 1987 Topps Traded set can now be valued over $1,000. Individual rookie cards like McGwire sell between $40-75 depending on grade.
Perhaps the most coveted 1987 Topps parallel is the photo variation subset called “Glossy Sendbacks”. Only available through a direct mail offer to collectors at the time, these special photo quality cards were very limited in distribution. Featuring a glossy photo finish unlike the standard paper stock, Glossy Sendbacks of stars in the $15-30 range have increased greatly to $100-200 each for rank-and-file players. True superstars can command over $500 apiece. Examples include Ozzie Smith, Roger Clemens, and Don Mattingly glossy sendbacks.
While today’s stars command big bucks, one position that dominates in popularity and price from the 1987 set are catchers. Players like Carlton Fisk, Gary Carter, and Tony Pena are highly sought-after, especially in top-grades. Mint Fisk and Carter cards can reach $100-200 each given their brand names and the fact they were entering the later stages ofHall of Fame careers. Tony Pena, meanwhile, has seen strong lasting demand as his near-mint to mint copies trade between $40-80.
1987 produced other quirky subsets like “Line Drive” and “Dodger Blue” parallel sets that included key rookie cards. A Steve Sax line drive rookie in near-mint condition can be purchased for around $30-50 today. Meanwhile, the more specialized “Dodger Blue” parallel of Sax usually commands double at $60-100 due to the intricacies of the design on Dodger players only.
Perhaps the most storied player featured in the 1987 set was Ted Williams, whose final 1952 Topps rookie card makes frequent appearances on lists of the most valuable vintage cards ever. While Williams had long been retired, his stunning portrait from 1947 Bowman Gum remained a collector favorite. Graded examples of this ultra-iconic card now sell for thousands of dollars. Even in played condition copies can fetch $500-1,000 showing why Williams memorabilia from any era holds significant value.
The 1987 Topps set broke new ground with its innovations and highlighted some of the greatest players in baseball history. Prices for the set have grown steadily, led by star rookies, parallels, and especially high-grade elite copies. The integration of nostalgia through the 70th anniversary motif also amplified collecting interest long-term. As a result, 1987 Topps remains one of the cornerstone releases that ignited baseball’s modern card boom and created treasures for enthusiasts that will retain their worth for decades to come.
