1987 Topps #170 Bo Jackson Rookie

Few athletes in American sports history captured the collective imagination the way Bo Jackson did in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The dual-sport phenomenon who played professional football for the LA Raiders and professional baseball for the Kansas City Royals (and later Chicago White Sox) became arguably the most recognizable athlete in America through Nike's legendary "Bo Knows" advertising campaign. His rookie baseball card in the 1987 Topps set is one of the defining cards of the junk wax era and benefits from a nostalgic market that keeps values strong for high-grade examples.

Bo Jackson's Career

Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson was drafted in the first round of the 1986 MLB draft by the Kansas City Royals and simultaneously selected fourth overall in the 1986 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (which he declined). He began playing baseball in 1986 and joined the LA Raiders football team in 1987, initiating his dual-sport career.

His 1989 MLB All-Star Game home run, which he hit on the first pitch he saw, became one of sports' most replayed moments. He hit 32 home runs in 1989 and made the football Raiders as a running back while appearing in baseball's best-player highlight reels simultaneously. An injury in a January 1991 NFL playoff game ended his football career and later required hip replacement, but his legend was already fully formed.

The "Bo Knows" Nike campaign, which ran from 1989-1990, featured Bo demonstrating proficiency in virtually every sport and is considered one of the greatest sports marketing campaigns ever executed.

The 1987 Topps Card

The 1987 Topps set used a distinctive design with wood-grain borders and was the defining set of the "junk wax" era, printed in enormous quantities. This era (roughly 1987-1993) saw card overproduction that depressed values across the board. However, the genuine stars of the era in high grades have recovered and appreciated significantly.

Bo Jackson's card #170 shows him in his Kansas City Royals uniform. It is his recognized rookie card (Donruss and Fleer also issued Jackson cards in 1987, but the Topps version is most recognized).

Values and Condition Grades

The 1987 Topps set's massive print run means that ungraded copies are everywhere and worth very little. The value in this card concentrates in the high-grade tier.

The PSA 10 population is proportionally large (the massive print run means more opportunities for pristine copies), but the values are still meaningful. For the "Bo Knows" era collector demographic, PSA 9 and 10 copies are the targets.

Grading Notes

The 1987 Topps wood-grain border design is actually somewhat forgiving for grading because the dark borders hide edge nicks that would be more visible on white-bordered cards. However, the wood-grain design also makes any border damage (scratches, scuffs) very visible against the consistent pattern.

Centering matters enormously: a well-centered 1987 Topps card is noticeable and appreciated by graders. Many copies show significant left-right centering variation.

The Dual-Sport Legacy

Bo Jackson's status as possibly the greatest dual-sport athlete in American sports history, combined with the cultural immortality of the Nike campaign, ensures lasting collector interest in his cards. The 1987 Topps rookie specifically is the entry point for virtually every Bo Jackson collection.

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