The 5 Essential Baseball Cards of 1987 Donruss
What a time to be alive. The eighties, where neon and acid-wash jeans could be seen on every corner. Tubbs and Crockett were the hot thing in Miami and for baseball card collectors, it was the epicenter of the junk wax era. 1987 Donruss is well-known by collectors for its famous selection of rookies and its black borders, making higher grades a bit tougher to come by.
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Greg Maddux was a titan of pitching. The first-ballot hall of famer went on an insane 4-year Cy Young run during the 90s with the Atlanta Braves. This rookie card shows Maddux mid wind-up, with his business clearly on his mind. Bonus points for the awesome wispy moustache.
Love him or hate him, Barry Bonds is one of the best players the game has ever seen. It would take too long to list all of his amazing stats that back up this claim, but 762 home runs and being a 7 time MVP help to make the point. It's common knowledge that Bonds and his card values have taken a hit since the PED scandal, but again - when talking baseball, he belongs with the greats at the pinnacle of the sport.
Mark McGwire is synonomous with home runs, and with good reason - he never stopped hitting them. During his rookie season, he hit a then record 49 dingers and was one half of the "Bash Brothers", along with Jose Canseco. His chase and competition with Sammy Sosa to break Roger Maris' single season home record in 1998 was America's feel good story that year. Unfortunately, McGwire was also caught up in the PED scandal which took a toll on his card values.
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Bo knows! Where wasn't this guy in the late 80's and early 90's? Bo knew baseball and football and the two sport superstar was on everything from tv ads to wheaties boxes to video games. Injuries eventually stopped him but rarely has there been such an explosive athlete.
Nolan Ryan was the tough as nails strike-out king from Texas. Sometimes unpredictable but always lightning-fast, Ryan recorded 5,714 strike-outs in his storied career - a record which will likely never be broken. This card shows Ryan during his last season with the Houston Astros before the move to the Texas Rangers. He was 40 years old and still had plenty left in the tank.
Brian Hough became a fan of the hobby by opening packs of 1986 Donruss and 1987 Topps baseball with his dad and little brother. He has been writing about the collectibles industry for years, initially as a price guide editor for Tuff Stuff Magazine, which was a monthly sports magazine focused on sports cards and collectibles, particularly known for its price guides and checklists, that initially launched in April 1984.