I summarize 2024 Topps cards to add to your collection.
If you’re new to collecting Topps, which is owned by Fanatics, you should know that they are officially licensed by Major League Baseball to produce baseball cards with the official team logos and uniforms. Topps also offers different brands of cards, from Topps Chrome to Finest to Big League, which gives the collector a nice selection for collecting and the option of concentrating on one Topps brand.
Here’s a look at some of the different card brands that Topps has to offer, from the budget-conscious collector in mind to the more expensive cards. Topps Series 1 & 2 are the standard base card sets provided at reasonable prices if you start collecting. Series 1 release date is always around February each year, while Series 2 is around June. Most retail stores, from Target to Walmart, sell fat packs and blaster boxes at reasonable prices. Additionally, Beckett.com has a full section on all Topps brand card release dates and includes checklists in an .XLSX file spreadsheet.
If you just want to collect for fun, then Topps Big League is your choice, which is offered at a lower price and geared more towards kids. It’s released around March of each year and replaces the popular Opening Day cards. The cards are designed to be colorful and fun-looking, but they don’t offer top-player autographs that one can find in Topps’s other brand releases. The 310-card set is a good choice for just the fun of it, but it doesn’t offer any significant collecting value if you’re in it for the financial benefit.
One of the nicer brands offered is Topps Chrome, Chrome Black & Finest, made from chromium material. Much more expensive, the cards are made with the serious collector in mind, offering different card variations and more on-card autographs. Also available for Topps Chrome is the MVP Buyback Program, where Beckett.com states: “Base cards and parallels for the eventual National League and American League MVPs will be eligible for generous trade credit at participating stores.”
If you just want to collect specific players, here are the top five players that most hobby stores and sports card breakers are headlining:
Elly De La Cruz (Reds): Any card is a good card to get, especially since 2024 is his rookie season.
Paul Skenes (Pirates): Considered the best pitching prospect, he was the Pirates first overall 2023 draft pick.
Jackson Holliday (Orioles): Another rookie and the son of former MLB All-Star player Matt Holliday, the 2022 #1 draft pick.
Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers): Either be it his Angels or Dodgers card, his talent to pitch and hit makes him highly collectible…plus he’s an All-Star.
Aaron Judge (Yankees): The leader and power hitter of one of the most storied franchises in baseball.To keep an eye on the baseball card marketplace, Beckett.com gives excellent reviews and product breakdowns on all things related to collecting baseball cards. From card release dates to following specific players, they have all the bases covered.
If you want to learn the ins and outs of collecting, you can also watch the YouTube web series Chasing Cardboard. The show”s promotions says it’s about “a group of collectors in their pursuit to buy, sell, and educate you about sport cards.”
So, as they say on Chasing Cardboard, “Keep Chasing.”
