The 2018 Topps Opening Day Baseball Card set is the latest edition in Topps popular annual Opening Day series celebrating the start of the new Major League Baseball season. The base set includes 286 cards featuring current players from all 30 MLB teams. As with previous Opening Day sets, the 2018 version includes parallels, autographed cards, and short prints to add extra collecting options and chase cards for baseball card enthusiasts.
Some of the top rookies featured in the 2018 set that collectors were eager to find include Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels, Gleyber Torres of the New York Yankees, Juan Soto of the Washington Nationals, and Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Atlanta Braves. All four players had outstanding debut seasons and their rookie cards hold significant value. Veterans Mike Trout, Clayton Kershaw, Bryce Harper and Mookie Betts again garner high interest from collectors due to their star power and place among the game’s elite players.
The base cards in the 2018 Topps Opening Day set feature current action player photos on the front with team logos prominently displayed above the images. Player name, position, and team are listed below the photo. The back of each card contains career statistics, a brief bio, and sometimes an inspirational or fun quote from the player. As with all modern Topps baseball sets, the Opening Day cards use high quality card stock and vivid color reproduction to capture the best visuals of each ballplayer.
In addition to the base 286-card checklist, the 2018 Topps Opening Day set includes several parallels and inserts to increase collector interest. Gold parallels are one of the most popular variations, featuring the same designs and information as the base cards but printed on gold-colored cardboard stock instead of the traditional white. The gold parallels are distributed one per box on average to make them somewhat scarce and desirable for collectors looking to upgrade their collections.
Another coveted parallel available is the refractors, which have the same designs but use a colored refractive ink to make the images shimmer and sparkle differently depending on the angle they are viewed from. Refractors are distributed much more rarely than the gold parallels at about one per three or four hobby boxes. Finding a refractor adds significant monetary value to the already recognized players within the set.
Lower print parallel inserts like Team Color Variations and Bat Down parallels also provide alternative versions for collectors to pursue. The Team Color cards feature designs on colored card stock matching each player’s uniform, while Bat Down parallels depict the player with a baseball bat overlayed across their image. Both parallels are inserted about one per pack or box to allow most collectors a chance to build full team sets if desired.
Autograph and memorabilia cards provide the premium “hits” that boost the excitement of ripping Opening Day packs and boxes. The 2018 version included several different signed and game-used options at varying rarities. Base autographs featuring a simple on-card autograph in black or silver ink of current major leaguers could be pulled in about one out of every three hobby boxes. Rarer 1/1 autographs decorated with artwork, patches, or serial numbering increase the thrill of finding one of the ultra-limited parallel signatures. Very occasionally jersey and bat cards can be found containing uniforms swatches or wood slivers with guaranteed player authentication. These memorabilia cards with signatures rank among the most desirable chase cards that can be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars if a star player is featured.
Since Topps Opening Day cards are released right around the first week of the MLB season each spring, the timing makes them very popular for baseball fans looking to get their collecting fix as soon as America’s pastime resumes. Many view finding and collecting the year’s Opening Day cards as a great way to get excited about the new season and potential of each player and team as spring gives way to summer. Whether building full base sets, chasing parallels and hits, or stocking up on future star rookies, the 2018 Topps Opening Day set provided plenty of opportunities to spark collecting passion for another baseball year.
The 2018 Topps Opening Day Baseball Card set captured the enthusiasm of a new MLB season with its classic base cards highlighting all current major leaguers plus memorable parallels, inserts, and autographs to fuel the hobby for collectors. Released each March or April, the annual Opening Day sets from Topps are a time-honored tradition that kick off the collecting year in true baseball style. With quality designs, current player imagery, and desirable chase cards at all levels, the 2018 edition continued delivering the perfect representation of the start of America’s favorite pastime through the universal language of baseball cards.
