1987 Topps Howard Johnson #413
Howard Johnson · Topps · Base
Player
Howard Johnson
Set
1987 Topps Baseball
Year
1987
Card #
#413
Condition Grade
PSA 8 (NM-MT). The centering is slightly heavy towards the bottom and right. Corners appear relatively sharp for the era, and edges show minimal chipping on the wood-grain border, which is common for this set.
Category
Base
Manufacturer
Topps
Demand Level
Low to Moderate. While it has nostalgia value for 80s collectors and Mets fans, it was mass-produced during the 'Junk Wax' era, leading to an extremely high supply.
Valuation
Raw (Ungraded) Value
$0.25 - $1.00
Graded Value
PSA 8: $8-12, PSA 9: $15-25, PSA 10: $60-80
Comparable Sales
Raw copies frequently sell in bulk lots for pennies per card. Recent PSA 9 sales have fluctuated between $15 and $22 including shipping. PSA 10 copies occasionally reach $75 due to set registry collectors seeking perfect specimens.
Description
Featured in the iconic 1987 Topps wood-grain border design, this card showcases Howard Johnson in his New York Mets pinstripes. 'HoJo' is captured in an action shot following through on a swing. The card features the classic Mets circular logo in the upper left corner and the player name in a bold orange bar at the bottom right.
Key Features
Features the legendary 1987 wood-grain border design, one of the most recognizable in hobby history. Howard Johnson is a Mets legend and a member of the 30-30 club.
Authenticity Indicators
High confidence. The 'Topps' logo and printing are crisp with the correct dot-matrix pattern in the photo. The cardboard stock is the standard brown/gray 'junk era' chipboard. This card is not frequently counterfeited as it is a high-population base card.
Flaws to Note
Slight top-to-bottom and left-to-right centering shifts (roughly 40/60). Minor white chipping typical of wood-grain borders may be present on the reverse edges. Grading is difficult because the wood pattern often disguises small surface issues.
Selling Guide
Where to Sell
Best sold as part of a team set or a complete 1987 Topps set on eBay. Individual raw sales are best suited for COMC (Check Out My Cards) or local card shop 'dollar bins'.
Selling Tips
Do not grade this card unless you are certain it will achieve a PSA 10, as the grading fees ($19+) far exceed the value of a PSA 8 or 9. When listing, use keywords like 'Hojo', '1986 World Series Champ', and 'Wood Border'. Use a penny sleeve and top-loader for protection.