The 1987 Topps baseball card set was the 66th annual set produced by Topps and featured photos and profiles of baseball players and managers from the 1986 MLB season. Some key things to know about the 1987 Topps set include:
Set Details: The 1987 Topps set included 792 total cards and featured players and managers from all 26 MLB teams at the time. Each brand new wax packaging contained 11 cards. Some of the notable rookie cards included in the 1987 Topps set were Mark McGwire, Matt Williams, and Andy Benes. There was also a special “Hall of Fame” series insert highlighting past baseball greats.
Design and Photography: The design style for the 1987 Topps cards was quite similar to the previous few years. Each card featured a vertical photo of the player along with their name, team, and positional information printed beneath. Card numbers were located on the lower right hand corner. The photography and image quality was very good overall but some cards featured oddly cropped or poorly lit photos. The colorful team logo stickers were also included on many cards.
Notable Stars: Many of baseball’s biggest stars of the 1980s were prominently featured, including Don Mattingly, Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, Ozzie Smith, Kirby Puckett, and Rickey Henderson. Tom Seaver’s card was one of the most sought after as he had just reached the 300 career win milestone. Other veteran stars like Eddie Murray, Steve Carlton, and Nolan Ryan also had popular cards.
Rookie Cards: While the 1987 rookie class didn’t have future Hall of Famers, there were some promising players just starting out. Mark McGwire’s rookie card would prove to be one of the best investments from the set years later. Other notable rookies included Matt Williams, Andy Benes, Chad Kreuter, and Bobby Thigpen. None of the rookies in the 1987 set went on to the same career heights as McGwire however.
Chase Cards: The most sought after cards from the 1987 Topps set included Don Mattingly’s regular issue card, Cal Ripken Jr.’s card where he is shown without a batting helmet, and Ozzie Smith’s card where he makes a sliding catch. Tom Seaver’s 300th win card was also very popular. Rookie cards for players like Mark McGwire and Matt Williams also gained value in later years.
Production Details: The 1987 Topps set was printed by the Topps company in the United States and featured the “Bowman Gum” advertising on the rear of each card stock. The cardboard used was of average thickness and quality for the time. Later analyses found print runs were larger than usual without documentation, which hurt the scarce factors of some rookie cards long term.
Grading and Preservation: Many of the higher value cards from the 1987 Topps set have been professionally graded over the years by services like PSA and BGS. This includes star players, rookie cards, and parallel/insert variations. Cards that grade highly as Gem Mint 10 can be quite valuable in the current vintage sports card market. Most collectors store and display their 1987 Topps cards in protective plastic holders or cardboard to preserve the surfaces.
Legacy and Value: While not quite as iconic or valuable as some earlier decade’s issues, the 1987 Topps set remains popular with collectors today. The rookie cards of players who went on to stardom like Mark McGwire have increased greatly in secondary market prices in recent decades. The 1987 set is also a favorite of completionists seeking to own a full factory set from the 1960s-80s era of baseball cards. In top grades, a full 1987 run can be worth thousands today.
The 1987 Topps baseball card set provided another year of baseball card collecting fun while also preserving the photos and stats of stars from a unique period in the sport’s history. Popular designs, rookie cards, and inserts have kept the issue memorable and in demand with vintage collectors to this day.
