The 2018 Topps Baseball card set featured some of the most highly sought after rookie and star cards in recent memory. The release of star rookies like Acuña Jr., Soto, and Ohtani generated a lot of hype leading up to the release of Series 1 in late February. While the base cards and inserts were plentiful as always, it was these highly touted rookie cards that became the most valuable and coveted by collectors. Several months after the release of Series 2 in late May/early June, here are some of the standout cards from the 2018 Topps Baseball set that have proven to be the most valuable and desirable.

Ronald Acuña Jr. Chrome RC /499 (Bowman Chrome): Acuña had one of the greatest rookie seasons in MLB history and his cards across all brands exploded in value as soon as he debuted. His Chrome Refractor rookie from Bowman Chrome parallels under /499, which carried over to Topps Series 1 and 2, rose exponentially after his blistering start and ended up as one of the most expensive modern rookie cards on the market, carrying estimates well over $1000 PSA 10.

Ronald Acuña Jr. Autograph RC /299 (Topps Finest): Acuña’s autograph cards were highly sought after from the start but the Finest parallel remains one of the most visually stunning. Printed to just /299 copies, these autographed rookie cards showcase Acuña’s bold looping signature on the red Finest refractor background. Graded PSA/BGS 10 examples now sell for $2500-3000.

Shohei Ohtani RC /250 (Bowman Chrome): As one of just a handful of true two-way players in modern MLB history, Ohtani’s rookie cards were a hot commodity from Day 1. The prized parallel from Bowman Chrome remains his /250 refractors, which carried over to Topps products as well. High-grade PSA 10 examples now fetch $800-1200.

Juan Soto Autograph RC /99 (2018 Topps Finest): Much like Acuña and Ohtani, Soto burst onto the MLB scene with record-breaking performances as a teenager. His autograph cards across all brands were in high demand and the Finest parallel, numbered to just 99 copies, stands out. PSA/BGS 10 examples have sold for as much as $3500.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Chrome RC /499 (Bowman Chrome): Though still awaiting his MLB debut at the time of the 2018 card release, Guerrero was considered a can’t-miss prospect and his cards enjoyed early hype. His prized Chrome Refractors from Bowman paralleled to /499 became hot commodities. PSA 10s now sell for between $600-900.

Mike Trout Autograph /50 (2018 Topps Finest): As one of the greatest players of this generation, Trout’s autograph rookies from 2009 have long been out of reach financially for most collectors. His autographs from active player issues like 2018 Finest, which was limited to just 50 copies, provide a more affordable Trout option. BGS/PSA 10 examples have sold for $2000-2500.

Cody Bellinger Autograph /25 (2018 Topps Finest): After winning NL Rookie of the Year in 2017, Bellinger broke out in a big way offensively in 2018. His autograph rookie cards rose in value accordingly and the ultra-short printed Finest parallel autographed to /25 became extremely popular. PSA/BGS 10 versions have reached $1800-2200.

Aaron Judge Autograph /50 (2018 Topps Finest): The reigning AL Rookie of the Year and home run champion, Judge’s star power translated to high demand for his 2018 signed cards as well. The extremely limited Topps Finest /50 parallel became one of the most coveted Reds of the year. PSA 10 examples have sold for $1500-1800.

Gleyber Torres Base RC /299 (Topps Finest): Torres announced himself as a potential superstar with a phenomenal 2018 in pinstripes. While his autographed cards gained more notoriety, even his red refractor base rookie from Finest paralleled to just 299 copies rose significantly in value after his rookie season performance. PSA 10s have reached $500-700.

Fernando Tatis Jr. Chrome RC /499 (Bowman Chrome): Viewed as one of the finest prospects in baseball coming into 2018, Tatis lived up to expectations with impressive play in A-Ball and the Arizona Fall League. As his prospect stock rose exponentially, so too did the demand for his prized Bowman Chrome parallel. PSA 10s have attained $300-450.

Shane Bieber Chrome RC /499 (Bowman Chrome): Bieber went from under-the-radar prospect to breakout Rookie of the Year contender with an electric season for Cleveland. Along with this emergence came heightened attention on his Bowman Chrome Refractors, which have gained steadily with each impressive MLB outing. PSA 10s have reached $200-300.

This covers just a sampling of some of the standout cards and rookies that defined the 2018 Topps Baseball release as one of the strongest modern issues from a hobby perspective. With elite young talents like Acuña, Soto, Torres, Guerrero and more, combined with veterans like Trout, Judge and Bellinger, the release had something for all types of collectors. Several months later, these elite parallels and rookies have proven to maintain strong near-future potential.