The 2023 Topps baseball card release marks another year where collectors can hunt for valuable production mistakes and variations within the flagship set. As with any large printing run, a few errors are bound to slip through quality control. Some of these mistakes end up being quite rare and increase dramatically in value when found. Let’s take a closer look at some of the specific error cards to watch out for from the 2023 Topps baseball release.
One of the first errors reported involved Red Sox star Rafael Devers. In his main base card, the photo is slightly off-center compared to the standard issue versions. Only a small sliver of white space is visible on the right side of the card. With Devers being a star player on a big market team, this off-center photo variation is quite sought after by collectors. Early PSA Gem Mint 10 graded examples were selling for over $100, far more than a standard Devers base card.
Another popular Red Sox player, Xander Bogaerts, also has an exciting error variation. On his base card, the team designation under his name is missing the “Sox” text. Instead of the usual “Boston Red Sox” it just says “Boston ” with a gap before listing his position. This is a very obvious error that makes this card quite rare. Only a small number are believed to exist. One recently sold for close to $500 in a PSA 10 slab on eBay.
Rookie cards tend to be a hot spot for valuable mistakes since they feature future stars very early in their careers. In 2023 Topps, Diamondbacks prospect Drey Jameson has an exciting error on one of his rookie cards. On card #373 from the “Rookie Flashback” insert set, the team logo at the top is missing entirely. Just a blank blue space appears where the D-Backs logo should be. With Jameson having elite potential, this is a key card to hunt for errors. Pristine PSA 10 examples could eventually sell for thousands.
Errors aren’t limited just to photos or logos. Sometimes it’s the player’s name itself that is misspelled or missing entirely. In 2023 Topps, Reds pitcher Hunter Greene has such an error. On one of his cards from the “Top Prospects” insert set, his last name is completely missing. It just reads “Hunter ” with a blank space below. Text errors like this involving star players make for very valuable mistakes.
The biggest error card of the year involves superstar Shohei Ohtani from the Angels. In the “Stars of MLB” insert set, card number 161 features Ohtani on the front. On the back of the card, it has stats and info for an entirely different player – Braves pitcher Spencer Strider. This is about as extreme of a text and photo swap error as you will find. Only a tiny number of these are believed to exist. Examples that grade PSA or BGS Gem Mint could potentially sell for tens of thousands down the road.
In addition to specific player errors, there are also mistakes involving entire teams. For example, in the base set, the Chicago Cubs team logo on card #350 is missing the middle letter “U”. It just reads “Cbs” at the top. Another team error sees the Tampa Bay Rays logo on card #375 missing the first “A”. It spells out “Tay Rays” instead. Errors like this that involve full logos rather than just single players hold significant value as well, especially when they are found in high grades.
Autograph cards tend to have their fair share of mistakes too since player signatures can vary more than photos. In 2023 Topps, White Sox prospect Colson Montgomery has an exciting auto error. On his “Rookie Debut” autographed parallel card, his last name is signed as “Montgmery” with the O and E flipped. Autograph errors like this that are clearly not the player’s normal signature can be quite valuable to collectors.
As with any release, expect to see additional 2023 Topps errors pop up in the coming months that haven’t been widely reported yet. Things like missing or incorrect uniform numbers, stat typos, and photo color variations all have potential to emerge. For error card collectors and investors, it’s always worth diligently searching through new releases for anything that doesn’t look quite right. The rarest mistakes can end up being long-term keepers.
While errors are never intentional, they provide collectors a fun aspect of the hobby – the thrill of the hunt. Carefully examining cards under bright lighting or powerful magnifying glasses can occasionally reveal mistakes that others may miss. For those with a keen eye and patience to sort through many cards, the 2023 Topps release offers another opportunity to potentially find a valuable error. Only time will tell which errors stand out most, but the hunt is half the fun for many in the hobby.
