The 2021 Topps Chrome baseball card set was released on October 6, 2021 by trading card manufacturer Topps. As with previous years, the 2021 Topps Chrome set featured shiny refractors and parallels of the base cards from the flagship 2021 Topps Baseball set. However, Topps Chrome always takes the design and photography to the next level with its flashy hollow foil technology and short printing variations.
Some key things to know about the 2021 Topps Chrome baseball card release:
The base set included 382 cards like the 2021 Topps base set. However, Chrome versions are serialized with flashy refractors that pop under light.
Parallels and short prints were the big chase for collectors. Topps Chrome included parallels like Orange /249, Green /125, Blue /50, Red /10 and White /1. These give collectors rarer, more limited versions of stars.
Short prints featured even lower print runs like Gold /5, Gold /1, and Platinum /1 for the most sought after rookie and star veterans. These ultra-short prints command huge premiums.
Autograph and memorabilia cards inserted throughout packs and boxes at varying rarities provide opportunities to pull valuable autographed rookie cards.
Chrome Update and High Number sets released later in the season to capture new players and stats. These extended the flagship Topps Chrome release across the season.
International rookie phenoms like Wander Franco, Luis Robert and Vladimir Guerrero Jr attracted major hype and demand in their Topps Chrome rookie cards. Pulling one of their short prints was considered a massive hit.
Grading and condition is especially important for modern Chrome cards since the layers of foil can peel or wrinkle over time if not properly cared for. Upon release, eager collectors rushed to rip packs of 2021 Topps Chrome in hopes of landing the biggest rookie short prints and parallels to either attempt to grade and hold or immediately resell. Grading services like PSA, BGS and SGC were quickly backlogged due to the sheer volume of submissions as collectors raced to capitalize on rookie fever.
Values for 2021 Topps Chrome rookies and stars climbed rapidly in the initial hype of their release. For example, a PSA 10 examples of Wander Franco’s prized Gold /5 short print card were initially selling for over $10,000 in the weeks after release according to tracking on eBay sales and auction prices. Even base rookies like Franco, Robert and Guerrero commanded hundreds of dollars for toplevel PSA 10 grades. Parallels like Orange /249 and Blue /50 shorts prints also brought strong early returns. Graded market prices tend to stabilize over the long run as the initial hype dies down.
Some other 2021 rookies and prospects that generated buzz in Topps Chrome included Rays catcher Randy Arozarena, Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia, White Sox second baseman Nick Madrigal, and Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty. These players broke out with impressive rookie campaigns or sophomore seasons to raise the profile of their Chrome rookie cards. Veterans like Fernando Tatis Jr, Ronald Acuna Jr and Mike Trout remained highly sought after as well, with their lownumbered parallels retaining value as key chase cards in wax.
While the 2021 season was still impacted by Covid protocols, Topps Chrome managed to capture the excitement of emerging stars. The flashy refractor designs and scarce short prints make Topps Chrome a highly anticipated release each year. For modern card collectors, 2021 Topps Chrome rookie cards represent an opportunity to potentially invest in the future Hall of Famers while demand and prices remain high in the early years following their debut. Over time, the Topps Chrome sets will stand as an iconic tribute to the players and seasons they memorialize.
