In 1990, Topps took a unique approach to releasing their baseball card set by packaging the cards inside of a collectible magazine. This produced the only magazine-style set ever issued by Topps and created a truly innovative product that baseball card collectors still appreciate over 30 years later.
Coming off the immense popularity of their flagship sets in the late 1980s, Topps decided to try something new for 1990 rather than stick to the traditional wax pack format. They wanted to reach casual fans and introduce baseball cards to non-traditional collectors in a different medium. The result was the 1990 Topps Magazine Baseball Cards. Measuring roughly 12”x9”, this 80-page magazine contained 131 different baseball cards mixed in among editorial content, stats, and fun extras.
On the front cover was Dodgers superstar Kirk Gibson, whose walk-off home run won the 1988 World Series. The back cover featured Reds first baseman Todd Benzinger. Inside, each left-hand page hosted a full-size 3.5”x2.5” card that could be easily removed. Meanwhile, the right-hand pages included informative articles and box scores. Some cards also had additional stats or factoids printed directly on the magazine paper facing them.
Perhaps the most distinguishing aspect of this set compared to traditional card issues was the inclusion of current events and stats from the 1990 season interspersed between the card images. This added a sense of fresh relevance that captured what was happening in Major League Baseball at that very moment. Page count breakdowns, player rankings, and division odds gave a true snapshot of the year.
In total, 131 different players were featured across all 26 MLB teams at the time. Ranging from superstars to role players, the selection provided good coverage of the entire league. Each card featured a colorful action photo and basic career stats on the front, with additional stats or a fun quote on the back. Exciting young stars like Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey Jr. received showcase cards towards the front of the magazine.
Besides the inserted baseball cards, other special extras included ticket stubs from historic games, mini posters, and sticker sheets. This added various collectible elements beyond just the standard trading card format. The cards were of higher quality stock and sized larger than a typical issue, which collectors appreciated for showcasing in albums or on display.
When first released in early 1990, the Topps Magazine set was quite popular and sold out at many hobby shops. While it never reached the lofty collecting heights of flagship Topps sets from the same year, its innovative one-of-a-kind design made it a true standout. Over the decades since, it has gained a strong cult following among collectors looking to add something unique to their collections. Prices have risen steadily too, with a near-complete magazine now ranging between $100-200 depending on condition.
In the end, the 1990 Topps Magazine Baseball Cards proved a memorable experiment that mixed editorial content, stats, and traditional cards in a wholly new format. While Topps never tried the magazine concept again, its creative one-year-only release remains a highly regarded set for its innovation over 30 years ago. The marriage of baseball cards and magazines was ahead of its time, making this 1990 issue a true one-of-a-kind treasure for collectors today.
