The 2022 Topps Series 1 Baseball set was released on February 16th featuring the latest rookies, stars, and key moments from the 2021 season. As with every year, there are always certain cards that stand out and hold greater value than others due to various factors such as the player, autograph, rare parallel, or unique photo. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the most sought after and valuable cards investors and collectors should be aware of from the 2022 Topps Series 1 release.
The undisputed gem of the 2022 Topps Series 1 set is the prizm refractors parallel which features intensely color shifting refractors in blue, green, pink, purple, and orange color variations. These 1/1 parallel cards are some of the rarest produced by Topps each year with extremely limited quantities. The prizm refractors showcase some of the biggest names in baseball with parallels featuring Fernando Tatis Jr., Ronald Acuña Jr., Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Shohei Ohtani being the most coveted. Due to their spectacular color shifting effects and scarcity as 1/1 variations, these prizm refractors routinely fetch well over $1000 raw on the secondary market. Their long term value is also very stable making them an elite investment grade card holding real rarity and desirability among collectors.
Another highly desired parallel are the Topps Chrome variations which feature intensely crisp photography on a classic refracting “chrome” stock. Topps Chrome parallels of stars like Mike Trout, Jose Ramirez, Mookie Betts, and Bryce Harper will often sell in the $100+ range raw and hold strong long term value over time. The harder to find Numbered parallels like /99, /75, /50 and lower also carry premium value and are must haves for collectors focused on completing parallel rainbow collections of their favorite players.
Hometown Heroes autographs remain a fan favorite subset with a significant auction presence. While most base Hometown Heroes autographs sell in the $10-50 range, the bigger stars command higher prices. Luis Robert, Joey Votto, Corey Seager, and Ozzie Albies autographs have sold in the $75-150+ range while more valuable stars like Tatis Jr. routinely fetch $200+. Numbered parallels or variations of these autos increase the value substantially and any 1/1 parallel auto is sure to command well over $1000 on the open market.
The 1987 Turn Back The Clock photo variant subset is also highly sought after by collectors looking to own meta-cards featuring iconic photos from baseball history. While most base cards sell fairly affordably, rarer variations like parallels and autographs carry premium value. A 1/1 refractor auto of the Keith Hernandez card recently sold for over $1200 on eBay showing the high demand for rare versions of these nostalgic flashback photos.
Rookies are always a driving force in the baseball card market and 2022 Topps Series 1 features several highly touted prospects making their debut. Most notably are Luis Robert’s second year card, Wander Franco’s sophomore issue, and top prospects like Bobby Witt Jr. While base rookie cards typically sell in the $10-20 range, numbered parallels create scarcity and desirability. Witt Jr.’s /99 parallel recently sold for $115 raw. 1/1’s of any major rookie will assuredly command well over $1000 long term as their careers develop and Hall of Fame potential is realized.
Veteran star cards also carry demand based on performance and career milestones. Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw continue to garner attention as perennial MVP candidates and soon to be Hall of Famers. Any rare parallel or memorabilia card of theirs holds value. A Trout Topps Chrome Gold /70 parallel sold for $350 while a Kershaw patch card fetched $225 showing steady collectability. Other stars hitting milestones like Albert Pujols chasing 700 home runs or Miguel Cabrera nearing 3,000 hits will be extremely popular as well. With such illustrious careers, their milestone moments are truly collecting epicenters each year and will retain value for decades to come.
Rookie autographs and memorabilia cards are always prized possessions as well given the opportunity to own an early career signed item from a player before they potentially make it big. While most 2022 Topps Series 1 rookie autos sell fairly affordably between $10-50, numbered versions can fetch more premium prices. Royce Lewis’s /99 parallel auto sold for $115 showing increased value for scarcer parallels. Big time prospects like Bobby Witt Jr. or Adley Rutschman bringing their first MLB autographs to the market are guaranteed to attract plenty of bidding as collectors look to snag theirSIGNED rookie cards as early in their careers as possible. Swatches, patches, and specialty memorabilia like bats, jersey cards can also be quite valuable depending on the player.
As an all-time great set each year, 2022 Topps Series 1 Baseball has once again delivered elite rookies, veterans, parallels and hits that will drive collector and investor demand for years to come. While most base cards might sell affordably online, it’s the true “hits” like prizm refractors, low numbered parallels, rare autographs and memorabilia that command premium auction prices every release. Collectors and investors who keep an eye out for the biggest rookie stars, superstar veterans and scarcest parallel variations of this set will lock in amazing long term holdings with stable and often appreciating value over the long haul. 2022 Topps Series 1 offers truly collectible cards across all levels that will be prized possessions in collections for decades.
