Manufacturer: Donruss
Set Size: Base Set: 660 Cards | Rookies Set: 56 Cards
Card Size: 2-1/2” x 3-1/2”
Set Notes: 1987 Donruss features a color player photo on front, color line at bottom with player name and team logo in the right corner. A rich black boarder surrounds the content and a unique gray and yellow stripe runs horizontally across the card. The backs of these baseball cards stay with the simple Donruss design of player stats on a light orange color. At the time, the 1987 Donruss cards were extremely popular, and unknown to many being printed in tremendous quantities. While this set contains rookies from some of the most well known players of the decade, their rookie cards in raw condition only fetch a few bucks at most. Fortunately because of the black boarders finding and grading gem mint 1987 Donruss cards can be somewhat of a task. This helps these limited well preserved cards to still hold value.
Key Rookies From 1987 Donruss: 35– Bo Jackson | 36 – Greg Maddux | 46 – Mark McGwire | 492 – Barry Larkin
Pricing chart includes raw card price & some graded card value estimates.
These values are collated from a variety of resources including recently sold listings, sales averages and a variety of other sports card pricing data sources. Please see full disclaimer on “Terms Page” for more information.
(Rookiecardprices.com only shows values for regular base set cards. No prices are shown for errors, parallels, subsets, misprints or other cards unless noted.)
DISCLAIMER: This data is not intended as financial advice and should not be used as such. Please do your own research before making any investment or selling/buying decisions.
(–) : No Pricing Data Available | ($) USD Price Value | (¢) USD Price Under $1
The Free 1987 Donruss Base Rookie Card Price Guide
Tracking the current market value for the 1987 Donruss Baseball Rookie Cards. Below, find updated pricing data for ungraded (raw) copies, as well as verified PSA graded sales trends collected from secondary marketplaces.
| Rookie | Card # | Raw | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.J. Surhoff | 28 | $1 | $8 | $10 | $35 |
| Randy Myers | 29 | $1 | - | $10 | $50 |
| Ken Gerhart | 30 | 75¢ | - | $8 | - |
| Benito Santiago | 31 | $1 | $10 | $20 | $78 |
| Greg Swindell | 32 | 75¢ | - | - | $50 |
| Mike Birkbeck | 33 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Terry Steinbach | 34 | $1 | - | $20 | $40 |
| Bo Jackson | 35 | $5 | $25 | $55 | $530 |
| Greg Maddux | 36 | $4 | $20 | $30 | $420 |
| Jim Lindeman | 37 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Devon White | 38 | $1 | - | $8 | $30 |
| Eric Bell | 39 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Willie Fraser | 40 | $1 | - | - | - |
| Jerry Browne | 41 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Chris James | 42 | $1 | - | - | - |
| Rafael Palmeiro | 43 | $2 | $8 | $12 | $40 |
| Pat Dodson | 44 | $1 | - | - | - |
| Duane Ward | 45 | $1 | $7 | - | $25 |
| Mark McGwire | 46 | $3 | $10 | $25 | $220 |
| Bruce Fields | 47 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Ed Correa | 57 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Jim Deshaies | 184 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Greg Mathews | 208 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Juan Castillo | 249 | 75¢ | - | - | $25 |
| Eric King | 250 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Mike Diaz | 267 | 50¢ | - | - | $60 |
| Bill Bathe | 281 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Bill Mooneyham | 302 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Russ Morman | 306 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Jamie Moyer | 315 | $1 | - | $15 | $25 |
| Lee Guetterman | 322 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Ron Karkovice | 334 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Glenn Braggs | 337 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Dwight Lowry | 338 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Reggie Williams | 341 | $1 | - | - | - |
| Allan Anderson | 368 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Bobby Thigpen | 370 | $1 | - | $5 | $20 |
| Bryan Clutterbuck | 397 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Phil Lombardi | 401 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Chuck Finley | 407 | $1 | - | $6 | $20 |
| Tracy Jones | 413 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Mike Kingery | 424 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Al Newman | 426 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Ed Hearn | 446 | 75¢ | - | - | $15 |
| Mike Aldrete | 450 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Rob Murphy | 452 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Joey Meyer | 460 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Chuck Cary | 461 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Jeff Hamilton | 464 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Bob Sebra | 468 | $1 | - | - | $20 |
| Dave Leiper | 472 | 75¢ | - | - | $20 |
| Chris Bosio | 478 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Dave Martinez | 488 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Jeff Hearron | 490 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Barry Larkin | 492 | $1 | $6 | $15 | $70 |
| Jim Adduci | 495 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| David Cone | 502 | $1 | $10 | $15 | $50 |
| Ray Chadwick | 505 | 75¢ | - | - | $20 |
| Mike Loynd | 506 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Terry McGriff | 512 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Terry Mulholland | 515 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Jose Gonzalez | 525 | 75¢ | - | - | $15 |
| Wilfredo Tejada | 529 | 75¢ | - | - | $15 |
| Dale Mohorcic | 531 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Mike Maddux | 535 | $1 | - | - | $35 |
| Rafael Belliard | 538 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Chico Walker | 539 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Jeff Sellers | 544 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Randy Kutcher | 547 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Casey Candaele | 549 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Bruce Ruffin | 555 | $1 | - | - | - |
| Jimmy Jones | 557 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Ed Olwine | 560 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Glenallen Hill | 561 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Mike Sharperson | 565 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Mark Portugal | 566 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Cliff Speck | 571 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Kelly Downs | 573 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Randy Asadoor | 574 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Dave Magadan | 575 | $1 | $5 | $15 | $55 |
| Marvin Freeman | 576 | 75¢ | - | - | $15 |
| Mark Ryal | 583 | 75¢ | - | - | $15 |
| Mike Greenwell | 585 | $1 | $10 | $15 | $50 |
| Ralph Bryant | 587 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Jeff Musselman | 591 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Mike Stanley | 592 | $1 | - | - | $20 |
| Drew Hall | 594 | $1 | - | - | - |
| Rob Nelson | 595 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Scott Nielsen | 597 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Brian Holton | 598 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Kevin Mitchell | 599 | $1 | $7 | $9 | $50 |
| Barry Jones | 602 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Dave Valle | 610 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Dave Clark | 623 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Kevin Brown | 627 | $1 | $7 | $9 | $40 |
| Ray Soff | 631 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Ray Hayward | 632 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Kevin Elster | 635 | 75¢ | - | $15 | - |
| Stan Jefferson | 642 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Bob Brower | 651 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Tim Pyznarski | 654 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Luis Aquino | 655 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Data Updated: June 2026 | |||||
(–) : No Pricing Data Available | ($) USD Price Value | (¢) USD Price Under $1
The Free 1987 Donruss Rookies Card Price Guide
Tracking the current market value for the 1987 Donruss “The Rookies” Baseball Rookie Cards. Below, find updated pricing data for ungraded (raw) copies, as well as verified PSA graded sales trends collected from secondary marketplaces.
| Rookie | Card # | Raw | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark McGwire | 1 | $2 | $10 | $35 | $200 |
| Eric Bell | 2 | $1 | - | - | - |
| Mark Williamson | 3 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Mike Greenwell | 4 | $1 | $10 | $12 | $80 |
| Ellis Burks | 5 | $1 | $5 | $15 | $100 |
| De Wayne Buice | 6 | 50¢ | - | $10 | - |
| Mark McLemore | 7 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| Devon White | 8 | $1 | - | $12 | $50 |
| Willie Fraser | 9 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Les Lancaster | 10 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| Kenny Williams | 11 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| Matt Nokes | 12 | 75¢ | - | - | $30 |
| Jeff Robinson | 13 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Bo Jackson | 14 | $6 | $20 | $80 | $925 |
| Kevin Seitzer | 15 | $1 | $9 | $20 | $90 |
| Billy Ripken | 16 | 50¢ | - | - | $35 |
| B.J. Surhoff | 17 | 75¢ | $7 | - | $30 |
| Chuck Crim | 18 | 50¢ | - | $10 | - |
| Mike Birkbeck | 19 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| Chris Bosio | 20 | 50¢ | - | $10 | - |
| Les Straker | 21 | 50¢ | - | $10 | - |
| Mark Davidson | 22 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| Gene Larkin | 23 | 50¢ | - | $10 | - |
| Ken Gerhart | 24 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| Luis Polonia | 25 | 50¢ | - | $10 | - |
| Terry Steinbach | 26 | 75¢ | - | $10 | - |
| Mickey Brantley | 27 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| Mike Stanley | 28 | $1 | - | - | - |
| Jerry Browne | 29 | 25¢ | - | $10 | - |
| Todd Benzinger | 30 | 50¢ | - | - | - |
| Fred McGriff | 31 | $1 | $7 | $12 | $40 |
| Mike Henneman | 32 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| Casey Candaele | 33 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Dave Magadan | 34 | $1 | - | $15 | $75 |
| David Cone | 35 | $1 | $8 | $15 | $45 |
| Michael Jackson | 36 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| John Mitchell | 37 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| Mike Dunne | 38 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| John Smiley | 39 | $1 | - | $10 | - |
| Joe Magrane | 40 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| Jim Lindeman | 41 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| Shane Mack | 42 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| Stan Jefferson | 43 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Benito Santiago | 44 | $1 | - | $12 | - |
| Matt Williams | 45 | $1 | $10 | $20 | $30 |
| Dave Meads | 46 | 50¢ | - | $10 | - |
| Rafael Palmeiro | 47 | $3 | $8 | $14 | $32 |
| Bill Long | 48 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| Bob Brower | 49 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| Jim Steels | 50 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| Paul Noce | 51 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| Greg Maddux | 52 | $4 | $15 | $35 | $300 |
| Jeff Musselman | 53 | 50¢ | - | $10 | - |
| Brian Holton | 54 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| Chuck Jackson | 55 | 25¢ | - | - | - |
| Data Updated: June 2026 | |||||
Overview of 1987 Donruss Baseball Cards
The 1987 Donruss baseball card set is a popular and memorable product from the “Junk Wax Era” of collecting. Known for its distinct design and a remarkable rookie class, it holds a special place in the hearts of many collectors who came of age in the late 1980s.
The Card Design: The 1987 Donruss cards feature a clean, straightforward design. Each card has a full-color player photo bordered by a dark gray, almost black, frame. The player’s name and team are prominently displayed in a bold font at the bottom, which gives the cards a metallic and modern feel for the time. One of the set’s defining characteristics is the inclusion of “Diamond Kings” cards, which are beautifully illustrated cards of top players by artist Dick Perez.
Key Rookie Cards: The 1987 Donruss set is highly sought after by some collectors due to its exceptional rookie class. The most notable rookies in the set include:
- Mark McGwire (#46): A highly-regarded “Rated Rookie” card that was the highest individual value in the set at the time of release.
- Greg Maddux (#36): Another key rookie card, especially for those who appreciate Hall of Fame pitchers.
- Barry Bonds (#361): The rookie card of the all-time home run leader.
- Barry Larkin (#492): A rookie card of a future Hall of Famer.
- Bo Jackson (#35): A fan-favorite “Rated Rookie” card of the multi-sport star.
Other notable rookie cards include those of Will Clark, Kevin Brown, David Cone, and Rafael Palmeiro.
Inserts and Variations: The set also includes a number of insert sets and variations that are of interest to collectors.
Diamond Kings: As mentioned, these illustrated cards are a popular feature of Donruss sets from this era.
The Rookies: A 56-card extended set that was distributed in factory-set form. It features a green border instead of the standard black and includes key extended rookie cards for players like Ellis Burks and Matt Williams. The Mark McGwire card is particularly notable as the first card in the factory set, making it condition-sensitive.
Puzzles: Donruss packs from this era did not contain gum. Instead, they included three pieces of a 63-piece puzzle, which in 1987 featured Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente.
While individual cards from the 1987 Donruss set are not typically high-value items due to the massive production numbers of the era, the set remains popular for its nostalgic appeal and the strength of its rookie class. High-grade examples of the key rookie cards, particularly those graded by services like PSA, can command a higher price. The complete set, while not incredibly valuable, is a common and affordable item for collectors looking to own a piece of baseball history from the late 1980s.
1987 Donruss Baseball Set FAQ
Q: How can I recognize the exact visual design of a 1987 Donruss card?
A: Donruss brought back their signature solid black outer borders for 1987, but added a very distinct inner framing pattern. Two bright yellow parallel lines run down the left and right sides of the photo, framing a gray accent section filled with a repeating pattern of tiny printed baseballs. At the bottom, a clean bar colored to match the player’s team holds their name and primary position. Top prospects once again proudly feature the iconic white and blue “Rated Rookie” logo banner.
Q: Are there any famous error cards or variations to watch out for in this set?
A: While the main base set is relatively clean, the most famous error of the year happened in a 272-card maroon-bordered spinoff set called 1987 Donruss Opening Day. In the initial factory printing, someone accidentally swapped the photos and printed a card (#163) that was labeled as Barry Bonds but actually featured a photograph of his Pirates teammate, Johnny Ray. It was corrected incredibly fast, making the uncorrected “Johnny Ray photo” error one of the rarest and most valuable Bonds cards of the entire decade.
Q: How does the condition sensitivity of these black borders impact their market value?
A: Just like the 1985 Donruss release, the solid black edges on these card fronts are notoriously fragile. Because they were printed in massive quantities at the height of the boom era, common raw copies are incredibly inexpensive. However, finding pristine copies that have avoided microscopic edge chipping, corner wear, or factory centering issues is very tough. Because of this, a select handful of these cards that achieve a perfect PSA 10 grade command a massive premium compared to their raw counterparts.
Popular Rookies From 1987 Donruss Baseball
