Topps released Series 2 of its 2020 baseball card set in July, continuing the design and theme that was established with Series 1 earlier in the year. Series 2 saw Topps pack even more exciting rookie cards, stars, and memorable moments from the 2019 season into packs, boxes, and blasters available everywhere baseball and trading cards are sold.
The 2020 Topps Series 2 set contains another 350 total base cards. Like Series 1, the colorful and photo-realistic design continues to shine through with vivid portraits of today’s top MLB players on the front and memorable action shots or highlights from last season on the back. Some veterans and stars who had highlights from 2019 featured in the Series 2 set include Ronald Acuña Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Cody Bellinger, Mike Trout, Christian Yelich, Jacob deGrom and more.
Of course, an exciting part of any new Topps series release is the rookie cards. The 2020 Topps Series 2 release packed plenty of promising prospects and budding young stars in their rookie cards. Some of the top rookies included in Series 2 with their first Topps cards were Bo Bichette, Pete Alonso (who had a breakout rookie season winning the 2019 NL Rookie of the Year award), Fernando Tatis Jr., and Chris Paddack. Other notable rookies included Dylan Carlson, Dustin May, Keston Hiura, and Tony Gonsolin. Collectors hunted high and low trying to pull these valuable rookie cards.
In addition to the base card set, Topps Series 2 also included several popular parallels and insert sets. The “Topps Chrome” refractor parallel was back with a limited parallel printing that collectors loved to hunt. Topps also again included “Green Shimmer” and “Rainbow Foil” insert sets sprinkled throughout packs with short print runs. The popular “Topps Now” set that highlights events from the current MLB season was back as well with additional cards added in Series 2 chronicling moments from the 2019 season. Autograph and memorabilia cards of stars were also available as highly sought after premium “hit” cards in Hobby boxes of Series 2.
The design of the 2020 Topps Series 2 cards carried over the clean and classic modern look from Series 1. Bold colored borders surrounded action packed photos on the fronts. Team wordmarks, player name plates, and colorful graphics accented the designs. The backs provided stat lines, career highlights and summarizing player bios. Clearly visible serial numbers on the lower fronts verified authenticity and print runs. As with all modern Topps releases, the cards were cut sharply using the standard Topps card dimensions.
Reviews from collectors praised Topps’ continued execution of the retro-inspired yet modern aesthetic for the 2020 design. While sticking to a familiar visual language, each new series still managed to feel fresh. The exciting rookie class and choice highlights from 2019 drove even more excitement for Series 2 releases on store shelves that summer. Although the ongoing coronavirus pandemic disrupted the MLB season itself and led to delays and uncertainty, Topps managed to deliver another fantastic and highly anticipated new series release for collectors.
As expected, the increased popularity of baseball cards over the years meant Series 2 products faced more demand than ever. Scalpers unfortunately snatched up many of the most coveted Series 2 Hobby boxes and special parallels before collectors could get their hands on them. This secondary market speculation led to rapidly inflated prices compared to the MSRP of retail products. While disappointing for collectors looking to complete their sets, it was also a sign of the continued growth and passion for the hobby even in trying times.
Secondary markets like eBay allowed collectors the chance to trade, compare collections and find the specific Series 2 cards they were still hunting for their set. Popular strategies included “hobby boxes vs. blasters/hangers/packs” debates and group breaks where people could share in the hunt of breaking open various Series 2 products together virtually. Communities formed around collecting, trading and discussing the 2020 Topps Series 2 release deep into the fall and winter months.
As the 2020 MLB season wound down and the playoffs began, Topps Series 2 provided a fun distraction and connection to the game during an unprecedented year. For many, putting together the 2020 Topps Series 2 base set and chasing parallels was a memorable collecting experience even without a complete MLB season played out as normal. The classic designs combined with exciting new rookie cards as always delivered for both casual and avid baseball card collectors. Now immortalized in the tradition of Topps baseball cards series, 2020 Topps Series 2 will forever be remembered as documenting a pivotal time in MLB history and the hobby during the coronavirus pandemic.
