The 2020 Topps Chrome baseball card set launched in November and contained a variety of highly sought after rookie cards and veteran stars. While retail boxes were readily available throughout the holiday season, the high-end rookie cards quickly took off in secondary market value as the prospects began their journey in Major League Baseball. Let’s take a look at some of the most valuable 2020 Topps Chrome cards that have really popped over the past year.
Perhaps the biggest story of the 2020 Topps Chrome set was the outbreak of San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. Tatis had an incredible rookie season in 2019 that saw him finish third in NL Rookie of the Year voting. His prospects were sky high entering 2020 and Tatis did not disappoint, emerging as one of the game’s brightest young stars. As a result, his Topps Chrome rookie card skyrocketed in demand and value. Low serial numbered parallels like the /25 blue refractor, /10 orange refractor, and 1/1 rainbow foil autos easily crack five figures. But even the standard chrome rookie now sells for $400-500 in gem mint condition. Tatis’ emerging superstardom has made this one of the most desired modern rookie cards.
Another budding superstar, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout unsurprisingly has some of the most valuable cards in the set as well. Trout’s status as the best player in baseball translates to huge values for his Topps Chrome parallels. His /5 purple refractor auto and /1 rainbow foil auto regularly sell above $2,000. Low numbered refractor variations like aqua, orange, and blue also trade hands for $500-1000. While arguably past his true “rookie” status now, Trout remains one of the faces of the league and a huge draw for collectors.
Rookie pitchers also found popularity in the 2020 Topps Chrome set. San Diego Padres lefty MacKenzie Gore was considered one of the top prospects in all of baseball before making his MLB debut. While injuries have slowed his progress, collectors remain high on Gore’s longterm potential. His Topps Chrome autos, especially numbered to /25 or lower, have exploded in value thanks to the hype. Comps show the /10 orange refractor auto bringing near $1,000. Rasmus Bertin of the Toronto Blue Jays also saw early hype for his cards. The stocky righty flashed dominance in limited action and his Topps Chrome rookie autos mirror Gore’s in secondary pricing.
Two American League East prospects also made noise. Rays shortstop Wander Franco is considered a true “once in a generation” type talent. Franco simply dominated the minor leagues at very young ages and signed one of the largest international bonuses ever. Not surprisingly, his Topps Chrome rookie cards took off. Low serial numbered parallels especially the prized 1/1 rainbow foil auto exceeded five figures online. Meanwhile, Blue Jays pitcher Nate Pearson dazzled with his power arm before TJ surgery slowed him. Top Chrome rookies like the /10 orange auto changed hands for $700-800 during 2020 hype cycles.
Of course, established veteran superstars held value as well. Topps Chrome parallels for the likes of Mike Trout, Christian Yelich, Cody Bellinger, Ronald Acuna Jr. and others routinely exceed $100-200 even in higher serial numbers like /50 or /75. 1/1 rainbow foil autos for these types have obtained astronomical values. The /1 Yelich auto from 2020 reportedly sold for over $6,000. Parallels for late Hall of Famer legends in the set like Tom Seaver, Bob Gibson or Hank Aaron also attract top dollar from collectors paying homage.
The emergence of new young talents alongside continued production from perennial stars created a plethora of enormously valuable 2020 Topps Chrome cards over the past year. Rookie sensations like Tatis Jr. and prospects like Franco led the way but all the biggest names held cache as the true cream of the crop for this acclaimed Chrome issue. With the sport’s rising popularity among collectors, these cards profiles figures to remain some of the most coveted modern pieces in the hobby for years to come.
