Having one of the better rookie cards available from the “junk wax” 1987 Topps set, Bobby Bonilla did deliver on a good deal of his promise. With a .279/.358/.472 batting line, he was a well above average hitter (124 OPS+), but a somewhat below average defensive first baseman, third baseman, and outfielder. Overall, the total package was still an All-Star caliber player, especially in his Pittsburgh Pirates days.
Bobby Bonilla was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates, but was lost to the Chicago White Sox in the Rule 5 draft in 1985. After being generally unimpressive with the White Sox, though, Chicago traded him back to Pittsburgh for starting pitcher Jose DeLeon. It wasn’t an awful trade, as DeLeon would go on to be a fine pitcher for a few years, though only briefly with the White Sox. But, Bonilla also became the player the Pirates originally hoped he would be. It wouldn’t happen in 1986, though.
Then, in 1987, Bonilla hit .300/.351/.481 with 15 HR and 77 RBI. He was on his way to having a few very strong years in a row. Bonilla was well liked at the time and he’d continue to be a productive major leaguer through the beginning of 1998 with the Florida Marlins. So, this is a pretty good rookie card.
While Tiffany and base versions sell of the 1987 Topps Bobby Bonilla rookie card sell for roughly the same, you may want to invest in the rarer of the two sets, which is Tiffany. With PSA populations in the low 30’s, Bonilla’s rookie card in mint to gem mint condition is definitely one to get graded. In early 2019, PSA-graded copies were selling for around $20.
Bobby Bonilla was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates, but was lost to the Chicago White Sox in the Rule 5 draft in 1985. After being generally unimpressive with the White Sox, though, Chicago traded him back to Pittsburgh for starting pitcher Jose DeLeon. It wasn’t an awful trade, as DeLeon would go on to be a fine pitcher for a few years, though only briefly with the White Sox. But, Bonilla also became the player the Pirates originally hoped he would be. It wouldn’t happen in 1986, though.
Then, in 1987, Bonilla hit .300/.351/.481 with 15 HR and 77 RBI. He was on his way to having a few very strong years in a row. Bonilla was well liked at the time and he’d continue to be a productive major leaguer through the beginning of 1998 with the Florida Marlins. So, this is a pretty good rookie card.
While Tiffany and base versions sell of the 1987 Topps Bobby Bonilla rookie card sell for roughly the same, you may want to invest in the rarer of the two sets, which is Tiffany. With PSA populations in the low 30’s, Bonilla’s rookie card in mint to gem mint condition is definitely one to get graded. In early 2019, PSA-graded copies were selling for around $20.
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