1987 Topps 21 Jump Street is one of the more curious sets of trading cards from the 1980s. However, with one of the show’s actors going on to become on of the biggest celebrities in the world, the set has some notoriety today beyond 1980s nostalgia.
Even by the entertainment trading card standards of the day, this is a simple set. Just 44 cards are on the checklist. All are actually stickers as well, similar to Garbage Pail Kids and Wacky Packages. No jokes here, though, as the cards play it straight — at least as much as one can when cops are posing as high schoolers.
The design is an interesting one with a thick brick wall acting as the backdrop. Before you get to the image, there’s a second red frame. This limits the space for pictures and makes for tight cropping throughout much of the set. Add in the large show logo running through one of the corners and the available real estate is even smaller.
Backs are a mix of puzzle pieces and short write-ups that go more into the thought processes of the show’s creators and actors than any sort of storytelling.
Today, the biggest draw of 1987 Topps 21 Jump Street trading cards is the presence of Johnny Depp. This is his first appearance in a mainstream set. And while his star power was only starting to take off at the time, he is featured heavily when compared to some of the show’s other leads.
1987 Topps 21 Jump Street remains relatively affordable, although you’re unlikely to find packs anymore for $1 or less like they were for a long time. It’s still fairly easy to find both opened and sealed.
1987 Topps 21 Jump Street Checklist
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Set size: 44 cards
Cards per pack: 5
Packs per box: 48
Shop for 1987 Topps 21 Jump Street boxes and packs on eBay.
Base Set Checklist
44 cards.
Buy on eBay:
1 Five for Danger!
2 Proud and Fearless
3 Cops Who Care!
4 Officer H.T. Ioki
5 Officer Judy Hoffs
6 At the Rifle Range
7 A Man, His Duty
8 High School Cops!
9 Officer Tom Hanson
10 Time for Fun!
11 The City Beat
12 Hanson & Hoffs
13 One Cool Cop!
14 Undercover!
15 Judy’s Dream
16 Captain Adam Fuller
17 On the Job!
18 To Protect & Serve
19 Duo for Danger!
20 Fuller in Charge!
21 Dynamite Duo!
22 Jump Street’s Finest
23 What a Cop!
24 Ioki’s Gamble
25 A Fast Lane Life!
26 The New Case
27 Hot Night Out!
28 Huggable Hoffs!
29 Man and the Mission
30 Hot Young Star
31 Hanson Takes a Break!
32 A Laugh between Jobs
33 Hanson Undercover
34 Officer Doug Penhall
35 Top Secret!
36 What a Fox!
37 Lighten Up!
38 Teen Patrol
39 Schoolyard Blues
40 Officer H.T. Ioki
41 Officer Tom Hanson
42 What a Hunk!
43 Freeze!
44 Officer Doug Penhall
