The 7 Most Iconic & Important 1987 Topps Baseball Cards
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1987 Topps remains one of the most recognizable baseball card sets ever produced. Its famous wood-grain design was a 25th-anniversary tribute to the 1962 set, but the look has since become synonymous with the Junk Wax Era. The woodgrain borders, designed to mimic a baseball bat, represent pure 1980s nostalgia for an entire generation of collectors.
This set was released when production numbers were massive and cards were everywhere. 1987 Topps was sold in nearly every retail environment where children and families shopped. K-Mart, Toys "R" Us, 7-Eleven, and various grocery stores sold packs for just 40 cents each.
Despite the overproduction, 1987 Topps cards have never been hotter. Collectors who grew up in the 1980s continue to seek out the best versions of the cards they collected as kids. It helps that the set is stacked with Hall of Famers, MVPs, and some of the biggest icons in baseball history.
While most cards from the set remain affordable, a select group has separated itself from the pack. The seven cards below demand the highest prices and are considered the most iconic from 1987 Topps.
7. Pete Rose 1987 Topps #200
Recent PSA 10 Sale: $79
High Price for a Signed Copy: $330
Card Info and Price Analysis: Rose is uniquely featured on two separate base cards within the set. Since Rose was a player-manager for the Reds in the 1980s, he has both a player card and a manager card. Many eBay sellers misleadingly list this player card as an “error card” because of some minor printing flaws, but these cards do not command a premium from serious collectors. After Pete Rose passed away last September, PSA 10 copies of this card sold in the $200 range, but prices have come down in recent months.
6. Don Mattingly 1987 Topps #500
Recent PSA 10 Sale: $123
High Price for a Signed Copy: $199
Card Info and Price Analysis: Back in 1987, Don Mattingly was the ultimate chase, and even decades later this "should-be" Hall of Famer remains highly sought after. The 1987 Topps card #500 mistakenly claims he was born in 1962, but 1961 is Mattingly’s real birth year. This card in a PSA 10 was selling for just $77 one year ago, but “Donnie Baseball” cards have been on the rise despite his dwindling Hall of Fame chances.
5. Mark McGwire 1987 Topps Rookie Card #366
Recent PSA 10 Sale: $128
High Price for a Signed Copy: $449
Card Info and Price Analysis: There is debate among collectors about whether this is a rookie card or not. It is often marketed as a Mark McGuire rookie, but his first Topps card is the iconic 1985 Team USA issue. 1987 was McGuire’s rookie season though, and the slugger broke the rookie record for home runs in ’87 with 49 dingers. “Big Mac” cards have been on the rise, including this “rookie” card, which is up 25% over the last year.
4. Nolan Ryan 1987 Topps #757
Recent PSA 10 Sale: $170
High Price for a Signed Copy: $258
Card Info and Price Analysis: Any Nolan Ryan card is popular, including this classic one of the Hall of Fame pitcher in a Houston Astros uniform. Some copies of this card are marketed as a “Pink Dot” Error version and a sold for up to $350, but this is just a common printing defect, and collectors should avoid paying a premium for it. This card in a PSA 10 is up 90% in just the last year.
3. Jose Canseco 1987 Topps Rookie Card #620
Recent PSA 10 Sale: $200
High Price for a Signed Copy: $248
Card Info and Price Analysis: This is technically a second-year Canseco card, as his true rookie card comes from the 1986 Topps Traded set. However, this card is more recognizable than his 1986 rookie because it is his first card from a flagship Topps set. With the dark, woodgrain borders, it is especially hard to find this Canseco card in a PSA 10. Out of the 4,809 copies graded by PSA, only 200 have earned the PSA 10 Gem Mint grade. This iconic Canseco is scorching hot, as the PSA 10 version is up 100% from one year ago.
2. Bo Jackson 1987 Topps Rookie Card #170
Recent PSA 10 Sale: $247
High Price for a Signed Copy: $1,500
Card Info and Price Analysis: Like Canseco, Bo Jackson’s first card comes from the 1986 Topps Traded set. However, it is more popular than his 1986 rookie in large part due to the popular “Future Stars” branding. It is also hard to find in Gem Mint condition because the woodgrain borders are extremely prone to chipping. This iconic rookie of the two-sport legend is up 30% from one year ago.
1. Barry Bonds 1987 Topps Rookie Card #320
Recent PSA 10 Sale: $677
High Price for a Signed Copy: $1,500
Card Info and Price Analysis: This is the most iconic rookie card in the 1987 Topps set. While Bonds also appeared in 1986 Topps Traded, this card is universally recognized as a rookie card as well. Like every other card in the set, there are two rarer versions of this card that are more expensive (Topps O-Pee-Chee and Topps Tiffany). Additionally, there are many eBay listings of a "320 error" version of this card where the "3" or "0" on the back looks cut off or incomplete, but this is not a recognized variation, and it is not recognized by PSA or other grading companies. This card is red-hot, up 100% from last year.
David is a collector based in Georgia and a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees, New York Giants, and New York Knicks. He is an avid sports card collector with a strong passion for vintage baseball cards and vintage on-card autographs. David enjoys obtaining autographs through the mail and loves connecting with other knowledgeable collectors to discuss the history and evolution of the hobby. He also previously wrote about the New York Giants for GMENHQ.com