The 2021 Topps Baseball card checklist is one of the most anticipated releases of the year. With players returning to the field after a shortened 2020 season due to the pandemic, fans were eager to see what rookie cards and new players would grace the flagship Topps checklist in 2021. Here is an in-depth look at the entire 2021 Topps Baseball card release:
Series 1 kicked things off with a 412 card base set featuring current stars like Mike Trout, Fernando Tatis Jr., Ronald Acuña Jr., as well as rookies Bryson Stott, Spencer Torkelson and Luis Garcia. Top prospect rookies like Wander Franco and Bobby Witt Jr. were noticeably absent as they had yet to make their MLB debuts. The base design featured a clean look with gray borders and photos taking up most of the real estate. Parallels included Gold (#/2021), Silver Pack (#/70), Rainbow Foil (1/1) and Printing Plates (1/1).
Insert sets included Topps Now Moments spotlighting notable recent performances, 2021 Topps Heritage highlighting retro designs, Museum Collection featuring artwork of iconic players and Stadium Club ’87 recreating designs from that year. Autograph and memorabilia chase cards included Legacy of Greatness Autographs and Jersey Numbers Memorabilia. Fan favorites like Topps Fire, Allen & Ginter and Storyline all made returns as well.
Series 2 was highlighted by the MLB debuts of top rookie sensations Wander Franco and Jarred Kelenic, who both received prized base rookie cards. The base design switched to a blue border to coincide with summer baseball. Parallels again included Gold (#/2022), Silver Pack (#/75) and Rainbow Foil (1/1). New insert sets included Sundays Best saluting Sunday uniform styles, Flashback Frames recreating old cards and Team Talent featuring team checklists. Autograph additions were Rare Materials swatch cards and Diamond Icons autographs.
The flagship Update Series issued in late August/early September contained additional rookie cards for players who had been called up after Series 2. Highly touted prospects Spencer Torkelson, Bobby Witt Jr. and Rookie of the Year candidate Jonathan India all received their inaugural base cards. The base design darkened the blue borders compared to Series 2. Parallels followed the same numbering scheme as prior releases. New inserts included Stadium Club cards recreating vintage ’92 designs, Topps Now Weekend Warriors and Team Card Moments highlighting best rivalries.
Topps Finest in October delivered premium refractors and parallels. The striking fluorescent designs received no more than 5 paralell versions (Platinum /50, Black /10, Gold /5, Orange /3, Red 1/1). Top rookies from Series 1 & 2 like Joe Ryan, Alek Thomas and Hunter Greene received their high-end Finest rookie cards alongside star veterans. New inserts included Finest Flashes focusing on great plays and Finest Moments celebrating walk-off wins and other highlights. Autograph cards were available as Finest X fractors or Diamond Icons autographs.
The Japanese version of Topps released their own Topps NOW Style cards featuring stars appearing in Nippon Professional Baseball during the pandemic. Their insert sets spotlighted Japanese standouts appearing in the Olympics and World Baseball Classic as well.
Overall it was a stellar year for Topps cards led by the impressive rookie class headlined by Wander Franco. With fans returning to stadiums and the excitement of playoff baseball, the 2021 Topps checklist perfectly captured the energy of America’s Pastime bouncing back. While supply chain issues created low print runs and scarcity across the hobby, the quality of the rookies and designs made this one of Topps’ best modern releases in recent memory.
