Topps released their 2018 baseball card series in January of 2018, continuing their reign as the longest running and most iconic brand in the baseball card industry. Some of the highlights of their expansive 2018 offerings included flagship flagship series, special inserts, and vintage throwbacks that provided collectors with an exciting year of new cards.
The Topps Series 1 release kicked things off on January 10th, featuring current stars and rookies from the 2017 season on the front with statistic and career highlights on the back. As always, the base card designs were clean and classic with vibrant photography that captured the essence of America’s pastime. Numbered parallels like Gold Label (/2018), Rainbow Foil (/75), and Negative Photo Variations (/2018) offered collectors short printed chase cards in both hobby and retail formats. The set totaled 352 cards with managers, coaches, and all 30 MLB teams represented.
Some of the top rookie cards in Series 1 included names that would go on to have breakout seasons such as Cody Bellinger, Aaron Judge, and Rhys Hoskins. Veterans Mike Trout, Clayton Kershaw, and Bryce Harper again led the way on the checklist as among the game’s elite talents. Insert sets included Home Run Challenge, Team Traditions, and Rookies & Stars of Tomorrow that focused on up and coming young players. Autograph and memorabilia cards of the games greatest provided hits for those seeking high-end relics.
As they had done in years past, Topps Series 2 released on May 2nd with another full base set featuring players through the early weeks of the 2018 MLB campaign. While Series 1 rookies like Judge and Bellinger remained hot commodities, Series 2 saw the debut of new talents who had been called up later in the season such as Juan Soto, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Shohei Ohtani. Short printed parallels again upped the chase factor. Inserts like Rainy Day Fund centered around player stats while others paid tribute to milestones and honored Negro Leagues legends.
The highly anticipated Topps Series 2 also featured coveted Veteran Collection inserts profiling the careers of star players from the past few decades, from Ozzie Smith to Ken Griffey Jr. Autographs and Memorabilia relic variations provided collectors a shot at pulling game worn memorabilia from their favorite active players. Later in October, Topps issued Series 2, Part 2 with additional players and teams from the end of the regular season and playoffs.
After Series 2, Topps delivered a number of special insert sets to keep the hobby buzzing throughout the summer months in anticipation of their flagship trading card product releases that fall. In June came Heritage Minors highlighting top minor league prospects. Stadium Club and Ginter also hit the streets around this time with their own retro photography styles before Topps teased the release of their signature Allen & Ginter issue in July and August.
Topps Chrome, the ultra modern refractor parallel version of the flagship sets, arrived on August 8th. Featuring the same base cards but with flashy prisms, refractor, and negative acetate variants, Chrome was a fan favorite for the sleek modern design and sought after parallel short prints. September 5th saw the arrival of Topps Archives, the company’s vintage throwback series paying tribute to card designs of the past through the likes of 1953, 1967, 1972, and 1983 “turns back the clock” themes in parallel with modern players.
In September, Topps unveiled their most hyped release of the year – Topps Update. As baseball’s regular season wound down, Update provided collector’s the latest stats and roster moves through call-ups, injuries, and late season performances. Rookies that burst onto the scene in August and September like Acuna Jr. and Soto received their true MLB rookie cards debuts here. Popular inserts like Photo Variations, Canvas, and Artifacts spotlighted both current stars and vintage greats. Autographed memorabilia cards capped ultra-rare hit potential.
The 2018 postseason brought October excitement to baseball card collectors as well. Topps Finest delivered refined engraving style designs and premier technology with refractive refractive printing techniques. Limited parallels in gold, silver, and negative offered short printed chase cards. For World Series contenders, Topps produced special World Series cards highlighting the two teams that made it to the Fall Classic. And their traditional Season Recap product provided a year in review checklist encased in tin to commemorate an unforgettable campaign.
Through flagship issues, specialty releases, and late season products, Topps dominated the baseball card market in 2018 as they had for decades prior. With talents like Acuna Jr., Soto, Bellinger, and future stars emerging, the future remained bright for the hobby and Topps’ dominance. Their meticulous attention to stats, images, designs, and technological innovations kept collectors thoroughly engaged all year long in chase of their favorite modern and vintage players. And with another season now in the books, baseball card fans eagerly anticipated what new offerings Topps might have in store for 2019.
