The 2022 Topps baseball card release schedule is jam packed with exciting new products giving collectors plenty of options to add to their collections throughout the year. Topps has dominated the baseball card market for decades and their 2022 offerings look to continue that tradition with some innovative sets mixed in with classic designs fans have come to love.
The flagship Topps Series 1 release kicks things off in late January/early February as always. This is the main retail baseball card set of the year containing current players from all 30 MLB teams. Hobby boxes of Series 1 typically include 12 packs with 5 cards per pack for a total of 60 cards. The design is always one of the more traditional styles Topps employs. Parallels, short prints, autographs and memorabilia cards can be pulled to increase the value of certain cards. Series 1 is widely available in stores, online and at card shops.
Just a month or two after Series 1 arrives, collectors can get their hands on Topps Heritage in March. This set pays tribute to the classic cardboard of the past with a retro design aesthetic. Heritage boxes have the same pack/card configuration as Series 1. The vintage look of Heritage along with the inclusion of some of the games all-time greats in addition to current players makes this a fan favorite release each spring. Hobby exclusive parallels and autographs are also inserted.
Topps Series 2 hits in late May/early June continuing the base set rosters from Series 1. The photographic style is usually an evolution from the previous release. Like the other Topps flagship products, Series 2 boxes contain 12 packs with 60 cards total. Short prints, parallels and memorabilia cards are spread throughout packs hoping to provide value. Both Series 1 and 2 are key components to completing a full base set for the current season.
The popular Topps Chrome series arrives in mid-June. Chrome has a slick, refracted design that stands out from the standard paper cards. The insert rate for parallels, autographs and relics tends to be higher in Chrome compared to the other Topps sets. Like Series 1 and 2, Chrome boxes house 12 packs with 5 cards apiece. This set is a must have for collectors seeking shiny, premium versions of the year’s top players.
Topps Allen & Ginter hits the market in late July/early August bringing its fun, eclectic checklists beyond just baseball. Along with current and former MLB stars, the set features artists, authors, explorers and more. The creative visuals and varied subject matter separate A&G from the rest. Hobby boxes have 12 packs with 5 cards each like most Topps products. Inserts include autographed memorabilia cards of baseball legends and figures from other genres.
Topps Update arrives in mid-September as the final flagship series of the year. Update adds players that were called up or traded to new teams after Series 1 and 2 were produced. It also has rookie cards of first year players who made their MLB debuts that season. Boxes mirror the 12 pack, 60 card configuration. Short prints, parallels and autographs can be found throughout packs as collectors aim to complete their 2022 Topps baseball sets.
In addition to the core yearly releases, Topps also offers several high-end products with huge price tags to target the most avid collectors. Topps Tribute is an ultra premium set that uses elaborate photo variations and autographs of all-time greats.Boxes contain a single autograph or relic card and sell for thousands of dollars. The Topps Transcendent collection takes the premium concept even further by housing incredibly rare 1/1 autograph cards of legends inside custom wooden displays that cost well into the five figures.
While the flagship products provide the foundation for most collectors, Topps also caters to specific fan bases. Topps Archives recreates vintage designs paying homage to the early years of the hobby. Topps Gypsy Queen features an artistic style with intricate cut signatures. Topps Definitive targets the high-end market with patches and autographs focusing on today’s stars. And Topps Project 70 attempts to capture the entire career of a legend on one card with 70 photographs fused together.
No matter your preferred style, team or player collection – Topps has a baseball card release each year that is sure to excite. With so many options starting in January and running into the fall, 2022 provides no shortage of opportunities for collectors new and old to grow their collections one pack at a time. The combination of classic designs, modern parallels, coveted rookies and one-of-a-kind memorabilia keeps the Topps baseball card experience as strong as ever entering its eighth decade dominating the sport’s collectibles category.
