2022 marked the 67th year of Topps’ marquee baseball card release. After decades of refining their formula and maintaining their position as the leading sports card company, Topps’ 2022 Series 1 release was again eagerly anticipated by collectors.
The base set totaled 369 cards and featured each player’s team logo along with short player stats on the rear. Ranging from rookies and established stars to depth players, constructing the complete base set is a time-honored tradition for many collectors, young and old. Veteran players like Albert Pujols, Clayton Kershaw, and Yadier Molina graced cards as living legends, while rookies like Bobby Witt Jr. and Spencer Torkelson debuted on the baseball card scene.
Parallels and insert sets added variety for collectors. Topps employed several parallel designs within Series 1 that attracted attention. These included Rainbow Foil parallels (1:36 packs), Gold Foil parallels (1:72 packs), and Sepia parallels (1:144 packs). Topps also introduced Sparkle parallels featuring a superimposed holographic shine on the image (1:288 packs).
Among the popular insert sets were Topps Now cards. These traded cards commemorated key moments from the 2022 season in near real-time such as no-hitters, cycle performances, or home run milestones. Topps Now added relevance and gave fans an avenue to collect timely moments. The Base Ball Heroes and Topps 205th inserts also paid homage to legend players and milestone anniversaries.
Additional inserts rounded out the offering like Topps Heritage Minors League Leaders, Topps Traditions highlighting team logos through the decades, and Topps Superstars spotlighting the game’s elite talent. Non-sport inserts like Topps SKetch Cards invited amateur artists to use players as creative inspiration. A collaborative effort between Topps and MLB, Series 1 incorporated FanFavorites inserts chosen through fan votes.
Design and production value remained meticulously high standards. Crisp player photography wrapped around visually striking borders. Gold foil lettering heightened brand prestige on boxes, packs, and individual cards. Attention to detail extended to quality card stock and minimization of print defects. The “rookie card” of rookie phenoms excited collectors looking to potentially land a star of the future.
Retail releases hit Target, Walmart, Walgreens along with the typical hobby shop destinations. But increased scalping of sought-after cards at retail locations frustrated customers. The perceived lack of supply to meet demand fueled criticism of Topps’ allocations to the mass market. Meanwhile the rise of direct-to-consumer breaks offered a different way to enjoy the product.
Secondary market prices reflected the popularity of Series 1, especially for rookie cards. Big name rookies like Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and former Angels star Mike Trout had fetched immense sums in recent vintage auctions. Collectors hoped 2022 rookies might one day join those ranks, while investors eyed rookies as potential assets. Prices seemingly inflated across all levels drew both praise and skepticism online.
Despite macroeconomic challenges, Series 1 signaled the excitement level for the national pastime remained high. The nostalgia and affordability of the traditional baseball card endured as a connection between fans new and old to their favorite teams and players. As Opening Day neared, Topps Series 1 encapsulated the renewal of hopes and promise of another baseball season unfolding card by card. After 67 years, Topps maintained their grip atop the sport while proving that in a digital world, the simple baseball card still held immense collecting power and joy for many.
