This a list with brief descriptions of Topps trading card products for 1987. All sets listed are standard size (2½ × 3½ inches) unless noted.
Baseball[]
Base Set[]
The 1987 Topps set totals 792 cards and was issued in wax, rack, and jumbo packs or factory sets. Subsets include Future Stars, Topps All-Star Rookies, Record Breakers, Turn Back The Clock, All-Stars, Team Leaders, Checklists and Manager cards. Each card has a wood grain background, and player cards have a team logo within a circle in the upper-left corner, the player name within a colored box in the lower-right corner and the Topps logo in the lower-left corner. For the first time since 1972, the player's position did not appear on the front of the card. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 in.
Traded Set[]
The 132 card Traded set, available only as a factory set, was printed in Ireland on white cardstock. The cards are identical in appearance to the base set except for T-suffixed numbering and are ordered alphabetically by player name. This set includes traded players and managers, and rookie cards. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 in.
Glossy Send-Ins[]
This set totals 60 cards and was available by mailing in the special offer cards found in 1987 Topps wax packs. The fronts have a glossy player photo while the backs say All-Star Set Collector's Edition and include the players name, team, and position. Printed to only 1% of the production printing run of the regular 1987 Topps Set. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 in.
Glossy All-Stars[]
This set totals 22 cards and was available as an insert in 1987 Topps rak paks. The back says All-Star Game Commemorative Set and includes the players name, position and league. There are 11 cards each for the American and National League All-Star teams. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 in.
Mini Leaders[]
The Mini set includes 77 cards and was available in wax packs. The cards vaguely resemble the base set and feature players that led various statistical categories. Size: 2-5/32 × 3 in.
Glossy Rookies[]
This set totals 22 cards and was available as an insert in 1987 Topps jumbo packs. The back says Rookies Commemorative Set and includes the players name, position and team. The cards are ordered alphabetically and slightly resemble the Glossy All-Star set. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 in.
Wax Box Cards[]
The "Box Bottom" cards were featured 2 to a box on the back of the wax pack boxes of 1987 Topps of which there were 4 different boxes for a total of 8 cards. They resemble the base cards except for having a career highlight on the back instead of full statistics and are smaller in size. The set is lettered A-H rather than numbered. Size: 2-1/8 × 3 in. when individually cut out.
Other sets[]
Traded Willie Mays Bronze Metal replica of his 1953 Topps card available to dealers who purchased a Topps Traded case. Size: 1¼ × 1¾ inches.
Gallery of Champions (12) This set is metal replicas of regular issue cards in 1/4 scale of twelve players who won awards. There are three variations: aluminum, bronze and silver. The Jose Canseco card has a fourth variation in pewter given to dealers who bought the bronze set or a 16-set case of aluminum sets. The bronze and silver sets were issued in a leather velvet-lined display case. The aluminum sets were cello wrapped. Size: 1¼ × 1¾ inches.
Bobby Grich Night Sheet A sheet of 17 cards of Bobby Grich Topps' cards from 1971 to 1987 were issued in conjunction with a promotion sponsored by the California Angels. The sheets were issued on May 1, 1987 at Sheraton Hotels of LA and KLAC radio station. Size: 10 × 17½ inches (sheet); standard (individual).
Stickers-Panini (313) The stickers feature either one full player photo or two half size individual photos. The back is soft peel-off paper. There are season highlight, playoff and World Series subsets. A 36-page album was also available. Size: 2⅛ × 3 inches.
Stickers- Hardback Test (313) Topps produced a hardback version of the sticker set. The production run for the hardback set was 1/10 of 1% of the Panini version. Size: 2⅛ × 3 inches.
Coins (48) The fronts have a full-color photo with the player's name, team, and position in a white band at the bottom. Gold-colored rims were used for AL players and silver for NL players. Backs are silver and show the coin number, player's name and personal and statistical info. Sold in retail outlets with three coins and three sticks of gum per pack. Made of aluminum. Size: 1½" diameter.
Parallel Sets[]
In 1987 Topps issued Tiffany sets of the Base set and the Traded set in limited quantities only available as Factory sets.
Licensed sets[]
For the O-Pee-Chee sets that resembled the Topps issue see List of O-Pee-Chee Sports Cards.
Retail/Food Issues[]
These are sets issued by other companies in conjunction with Topps.
- Boardwalk and Baseball 33 card box set. Issued at Florida Theme Park. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 in.
- K-Mart 33 card box set for 25th anniversary called Stars of the Decades. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 in.
- Kay-Bee 33 card box set called Super Stars of Baseball. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 in.
- Toys R Us 33 card box set called Baseball Rookies. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 in.
- Woolworth's 33 card box set. Titled Topps Collectors Series Baseball Highlights. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 in.
Football[]
Base set[]
The 1987 football set contains 396 cards and was issued in wax packs and hobby factory sets. The cards feature a pennant motif to display the players name and team. Subsets include Record Breakers, league leaders, Super Bowl, checklists, and Team cards. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 in.
Box Bottoms[]
The box card set has 16 cards that were found on the bottom of regular issue wax pack boxes as a four card panel. The cards resemble the base set cards except for a yellow border instead of white. The cards are lettered A-P. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 in. (individually)
1000 Yard Club[]
This set totals 24 cards and was issued as inserts in the football wax packs. The 'members of the club' are players who gained 1000 yards or more during the season by rushing or receiving. The back of the cards list the total yardage gained by the player in each game of the season. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 in.
Topps American/UK[]
Topps issued an 88 card set of mini football cards and were available in the United Kingdom. The fronts look like the regular issue cards while the back explains football terminology. The Team Action cards form a puzzle on their reverse of William 'The Refrigerator' Perry. Size: 2-1/8 × 3 in.
Stickers[]
This set totals 285 stickers some of which came in pairs. The fronts are white bordered with four footballs set in each corner of the frame while the backs have info printed in red on a white background. There are Super Bowl XXI and All-Pro foil subsets. The stickers are numbered on front and back. An album was available for holding the stickers. Size: 2-1/8 × 3 inches
Ice hockey[]
Base Set[]
The 1987-88 Topps hockey set totals 198 cards and was issued in 12-card wax packs. Below the player photo is the player's name on a hockey stick, the position is to the left of the stick, and the team name is at the right inside a large puck. The backs feature career stats and game winning goals and highlights from the previous season. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 in.
Box Bottoms[]
This 16-card set appeared as four different 4-card panels on the bottom of wax pack boxes. The cards are the same design as the base set except for a yellow border instead of white. The players in the set are team scoring leaders. The cards are lettered A-P. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 inches individually.
Stickers[]
This is a 33-card insert set found one per wax pack. Dubbed the 'Hockey Helmet Stickers' there are included 21 stickers of team logos, pucks, and numbers along with 12 All-Star players. The backs are printed in blue and red over a white background. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 in.
Wrestling[]
WWF Wrestling
The 97 card set features pro wrestlers from the World Wrestling Federation. There are 75 photo cards with stars and stripes styled backgrounds for the wrestler cards and blue borders with a ring rope frame for the Ringside Action subset. A third subset called The Superstars Speak features wrestlers within a blue and yellow TV set frame talking via speech balloons. The last subset is the Wrestlemania III cards depicting highlights from the event. There are also 22 stickers cards which have die-cut photos over a red background with a WWF logo pattern. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 in.
Non-sport[]
ALF[]
This is the first of two series about the 'Alien Life Form' known simply as ALF. The set has 87 cards. The first 46 cards chronicle the life and times of the popular TV character. Another 22 cards depict Bouillabaseball stars from ALF's home planet of Melmac. The last 18 cards are stickers with blue starry backgrounds and feature captioned pictures of the show's characters. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 inches
Garbage Pail Kids[]
In 1987 the Garbage Pail Kids were still going strong with five new series being released. The number of cards issued for each series not including variations are: 7th - 84 cards, 8th - 84 cards, 9th - 88 cards, 10th - 78 cards, and 11th - 84 cards. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 inches
Harry and the Hendersons[]
This set totals 99 cards. There are 75 different story cards with yellow borders and vine style photo frames. Below the picture is the caption in white on a red panel next to a portrait of Harry. There are 22 stickers included that feature green leafy backgrounds without captions. The sticker backs are part of a puzzle. There is also one title card and a checklist to complete the set. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 inches
Max Headroom[]
This is a 44-card set based on the TV show Max Headroom. The set is all stickers with the first 33 having black borders and puzzle backs. The remaining 11 sticker cards have designs printed on foil the backs of which have a feature called 'The Origin Of Max'. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 inches
Sources[]
- Beckett, Dr. James et al. (2002). "Beckett Baseball Card Price Guide". Beckett Publications-Dallas, Texas ISBN 1-930692-17-X
- Lemke, Robert F. (2006). "Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards". KP ; Newton Abbot-Iola, Wisconsin ISBN 0-89689-372-3
- Beckett, Dr. James et al. (2005). "Beckett Football Card Price Guide". Beckett Publications-Dallas, Texas ISBN 1-930692-41-2
- "Tuff Stuff 2005 Standard Catalog of Football Cards". Krause Publications-Iola, Wisconsin ISBN 0-87349-866-6
- Benjamin, Christopher et al. (1988). "The Sport Americana price guide to the non-sports cards". Edgewater Book Co.-Cleveland, Ohio ISBN 0-937424-36-6
- Murphy, Mark (2002). "Unopened Pack, Wrapper & Display Box Guide". Mark Murphy-Stamford, Connecticut
- Beckett, James (2004). "Beckett hockey card price guide & alphabetical checklist". Beckett Publications-Dallas, Texas ISBN 1-930692-36-6