1987 Topps Baseball Cards Complete Set Overview
The 1987 Topps baseball card set was the 66th annual issue of Topps baseball cards. It featured cards of players, managers, coaches and other personnel involved in Major League Baseball during the 1987 season. Some key things to know about the 1987 Topps set include:
Size of set: The 1987 Topps set included 792 total cards in the base set. This was one of the largest sizes for a Topps baseball set at that time.
Design: The design featured a colorful illustrated action photo of the player on the front with their name and team across the top. Statistics were listed on the back along with a write up about the player. The borders had simple solid colors with the Topps logo in the corner.
Rookies of note: Among the top rookies featured were slugger Mark McGwire, pitcher Kevin Brown and second baseman Wally Backman. McGwire’s card would go on to become one of the most valuable rookie cards ever due to his later success and fame.
Short prints: As was common for Topps sets in the 80s, there were several short printed cards that were rarer to find in packs. Some of the key 1987 short prints included cards #660 Buddy Bell, #696 Tim Raines and #751 Jim Palmer. These cards are considered more valuable today due to their lower original print runs.
Variations: There were a fewvariations in the 1987 set, such as photo variations that had slight differences in the image on the front of the card. An example is the Uribe twins’ cards (#431 and #432) that had swapped photos. Glossy/matte variations could also be found.
Serial number quirks: Some fans noticed repeats and gaps in the card serial numbers, with theories of missing cards that were pulled. However, Topps maintained there were no true errors or missing cards – just inexplicable numbering anomalies.
Team checklists: For the first time, Topps included complete team checklists grouping all the cards of players from each MLB franchise together towards the end of the set. This made collecting a whole team easier.
Insert cards: There were no special insert cards in the base 1987 Topps set, but hobby packs did contain autograph and photo request cards as bonus promotional inserts.
Star players: Among the biggest star players featured were Roger Clemens, Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs, Ryne Sandberg and Darryl Strawberry. A highlight was the #1 card featuring Don Mattingly of the New York Yankees.
Putting together a complete set of the 1987 Topps cards was certainly a challenge for young collectors at retail during that baseball season. With nearly 800 total cards to hunt, finding certain short prints and variations presented obstacles. The sheer size also made it an expensive pursuit for a kid to try and purchase enough wax packs or boxes of cards up-front to complete the entire set.
As with most vintage sets from the 1980s, putting together a pristine graded 1987 Topps complete set today would command a premium price. With conditions ranging from near mint to excellent well into the thousands of dollars depending on specifics. While common cards can still be acquired relatively inexpensively, valuable stars, rookies and short prints have increased greatly in secondary market price in recent decades. PSA 10 graded gems of stars like Clemens, Smith and Mattingly routinely sell for four figures or more.
A 1987 Topps complete set appeals to both vintage collectors looking to recapture their childhood as well as investors speculating on the long term potential of certain rookie cards. For fans of 1980s design aesthetics, the colorful action photos and graphics remain a charming representation of cards from that baseball era as well. With great iconic players, exciting rookies and intriguing production quirks, the 1987 Topps set endures as a favorite for collectors even decades later. Its large size, while daunting, also provides a fun challenge that can take years to fully complete in high grade.
