The Five Essential Baseball Cards of 1987 Topps

There was a time when the list of essential 1987 Topps cards was a mile long! Among the rookie cards in the set were Wally Joyner, Bo Jackson, Bobby Bonilla, Ruben Sierra, Mike Greenwell, Barry Bonds, Will Clark, Pete Incaviglia, Rafael Palmeiro, Barry Larkin, Kevin Mitchell, and (depending who you ask) Mark McGwire. Literally not one person in the universe could have predicted at the time that only one player from that group would make the Hall of Fame.

Still, the 1987 Topps set absolutely holds up today, in part for its classic faux wood grain design and in part because fans who grew up in the PED era still worship these heroes just as much as if they had plaques in Cooperstown. The list of essentials then represents a mix of cards that were great then and perhaps less so now and cards that are great today but might have been sleepers at the time. And while virtually none of these cards made anyone rich, the good news is the whole list of five can likely be had for $3 or less today, which is about the cheapest visit to the Fountain of Youth a person can buy these days.

1987 Topps Bo Jackson

Forget value for a minute, and this card may well have a spot on 1980s Mount Rushmore. Other players were great, but none provided more "must see TV" moments than Bo Jackson. In all seriousness, Bo even made groundouts to the pitcher exciting!

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1987 Topps Barry Bonds

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There is no doubt that Barry Bonds is an absolute persona non grata in many collections, and the reasons for that are both plentiful and justified. Still, part of what makes the Hobby great is a "collect what you love" ethos that has plenty of room for the Barry faithful. Whether smoke and mirrors, cream and clear, or just flat out God-like talent and work ethic, there is no doubt that Barry Bonds did things on the baseball field that no other player did or could. Who knows if Bonds will ever make the Hall or whether his pariah status among many will follow his legacy for centuries. Either way, this rookie card of a guy with 762 lifetime homers, including 73 in a season, seems undervalued in every dimebox and dollar bin it shows up in.

1987 Topps Barry Larkin

From one Barry to another, this card makes the Essentials list by virtual of being the set's only Hall of Fame player rookie card (more on that later). A bit overshadowed by two shortstops whose career sandwiched his--Cal Ripken and Derek Jeter--but Larkin doesn't give up much, if anything, to either of those two immortals. And as with each of his two counterparts, how about some love for a guy who played his whole career with a single team!

1987 Topps Jim Leyland

Even in an era where half the cards in the pack went straight to penny sleeves, if not screw-downs, it's hard to imagine too many collectors getting excited about a Pirates manager card. Still, believe it or not, this was the 1987 Topps set's only Hall of Fame rookie card beyond Barry Larkin. However unfathomable that would have been in 1987, it is very much the reality today. Crazy!

1987 Topps "Turn Back the Clock" Roberto Clemente

RELATED: The Five Essential Baseball Cards of Roberto Clemente

Outside the Steel City, three Pirates on a list of Five Essentials might seem excessive, but here's the thing. For collectors unable to afford the real thing, this "Turn Back the Clock" Roberto Clemente card valued at all of a quarter or so is the cheapest way to add one of the most beautiful and poignant baseball images ever set to cardboard. With apologies to Jose Canseco, Will Clark, Nolan Ryan, and the rest, it's the Great One who rounds out the list. Heck, this might even be the best card in the set!