You ripped a 1987 Topps box hoping to find this one. Same wood-grain border as the Bonds and McGwire, but Bo Jackson was the draw, the two-sport phenomenon who made the whole set worth chasing. It belongs in Baseball Icons as the emotional centerpiece of the most recognizable design of the decade. Bo's rookie is pure charisma: a supernaturally gifted athlete on the most iconic cardboard of the era. Overproduced and cheap, but if you asked a kid in 1987 which card they wanted from the wood-grain year, this was the answer.

The wood grain and Bo. You opened 1987 Topps packs praying for the Bo Jackson, because Bo was the most exciting athlete on the planet and his rookie was the prize of the set. The paneled-basement border framed a guy who looked like he was carved out of granite. Kids traded up for it, protected it, argued that Bo would be the greatest ever at whatever he chose. The card was everywhere and still felt special. Bo made the wood grain cool.

Topps printed Bo's rookie at #170 in the massively overproduced 1987 set, the wood-grain year that defined the decade's look. Bo's crossover fame and highlight-reel play made it the set's most wanted card, though the enormous print run keeps values modest at $3-15 raw. As with all 1987 Topps, the money is in high grade: the dark borders show wear and a genuine PSA 10 commands a strong premium. The 1987 Topps Tiffany parallel offers a scarcer chase. Bo's injury-shortened career only added to the card's mythic pull.

The 1987 Topps Tiffany parallel is the meaningful variation, glossy front and white back, printed in far smaller numbers and worth a strong multiple. No famous error on #170. The wood-grain borders chip and show wear, making high grades tougher than the low raw price implies. Aside from base versus Tiffany, there are no parallels. Confirm the grey back to avoid mistaking a base card for the premium Tiffany.

Card #170, the 1987 Topps wood-grain border with a team flag in the corner, Bo in a Royals uniform. The back is the horizontal orange-and-blue-on-grey 1987 layout with stats and a cartoon. Tiffany versions have glossy fronts and bright white backs. Confirm #170 and check corners for the border chipping this set is known for. The grey reverse marks the common base card.