The 2022 Topps Baseball card release brought many exciting new designs and parallel inserts that have collectors excited to chase rare and valuable cards. As with every new season, the prices for highly coveted rookies and stars continue to climb. Below is an in-depth look at the 2022 Topps Baseball price guide to help you understand the current valuation of cards from the main set, inserts, parallels and more.
Topps has been the premier brand in baseball cards since the 1950s and their standard release each year is one of the cornerstones of the modern collecting hobby. The 2022 flagship base cards come in packs of 11 cards each with odds of finding chase hits varying greatly. Most common base cards can be found for under $1 in Near Mint condition. Top rookie cards though command much higher prices already. Ghost photo variations, which feature an ethereal “ghost” image behind the player photo have sold for $5-10 over the standard base card.
Sequoia green parallel base cards were inserted at a rate of 1:50 packs and have settled at a $3-5 average price point depending on the player. Sequoia Crimson parallels were much tougher pulls at 1:200 packs and cards of stars like Soto, Acuna and deGrom fetch $10-15 each already. The true short print of the base set is the Sequoia Blaster parallel, found only 1 per blaster box. The few that have surfaced so far for top talents have sold in the $30-60 range.
Topps Update Series has always been a favorite for rookie debuts and revealed prospect photos. Early indicators suggest 2022 Update will only enhance player values from the flagship release with Alonso, Tatis Jr. and many others hitting new price highs upon Update release in August. The coveted Clear Photo negative variation parallels from Update commanded $50-100 for many stars in recent years and prices are sure to escalate further this year.
Some major standouts from special 2022 inserts sets that are driving high collector demand and prices include:
Topps Transcendent Autographs – 1:80,000 pack odds. Only 5 copies of each player autographed card inserted. Ronald Acuna Jr. and Juan Soto editions have sold north of $5,000 already.
Topps Greats of the Game Signatures – 1:160,000 pack odds. Multisignature cards with memorabilia swatches of the sport’s icons like Clemente, Mays and Aaron selling $3,000+.
Topps Now Moments – Low numbered, on-card autographs capturing the season’s top performances. A Spencer Strider autograph card /50 just sold for nearly $800 as his rookie hype accelerates.
Topps Inception – Fan-favorite insert set with dazzling refractors, mosaics and silver/black parallels that inject new life into veteran stars and rookies. A Mike Trout Inception card /25 recently sold for over $2,000.
Topps Topps 85/86 – Tributes to the 1980s design with high-numbered parallels and autographed variations. Even veterans are getting attention, with a Clayton Kershaw 3/25 having sold for $700 to date.
When it comes to ultra-premium products like Topps Transcendent, Topps Tribute, and Topps Gallery which have exclusive autographed and memorabilia cards – demand is skyrocketing and prices even for lesser known players can reach thousands of dollars per card. Top rookies like Julio Rodriguez, Bobby Witt Jr, and others will particularly capture collector focus in these kinds of products throughout 2022.
While base 2022 Topps cards can still be acquired relatively inexpensively, the inserts, short prints, parallels and top rookie cards are appreciating at a rapid clip. Factors like performance on the field this season will only amplify certain player values further. Consultion of recently sold prices on platforms like eBay will help give the most accurate assessment of where a card’s valuation stands currently in this fast-moving market. The 2022 release shapes up to be one of Topps’ strongest in years, fueling intense collector passion and higher prices across the board.
