Topps has been producing baseball cards for decades and their 2023 collection continues their tradition of offering fans high-quality cards featuring today’s top Major League Baseball stars. Some of the most anticipated releases for the upcoming year include Series 1, Series 2, Update Series, and Topps Chrome. Let’s take a closer look at what collectors can expect from each set.
Series 1 is always one of the first major releases of the new year, dropping in late winter or early spring. The 2023 Series 1 checklist is expected to feature rookie cards of some of the biggest names from the 2022 season like Julio Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners and Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals. Established stars like Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, and Mookie Betts will also grace the base cards along with veterans and depth players. Parallels, short prints, and autographs can provide some big chase cards for collectors. Retail boxes of Series 1 can be found in most hobby shops, drug stores, and mass retailers for around $20-25.
Series 2 usually follows Series 1 by a couple months. While it doesn’t have the same level of rookie hype, it provides another opportunity for collectors to continue building their player collections. Topps often saves a few highly sought rookies like Michael Harris II for Series 2 as well. Parallels, inserts, and hit odds are similar to Series 1. Hobby boxes of Series 2 run in the $80-100 range and provide a fun mix of base cards, short prints, and autograph or memorabilia chase cards.
The Topps Update Series arrives in late summer or early fall and is notable for including players that weren’t in the initial Series 1 and 2 checklists, like call-ups and late season additions to rosters. Update also spotlights award winners and leaders from the current season. The 2023 Update Series should provide first Topps cards for rookies like Oneil Cruz and some of the top prospects that made their MLB debuts throughout the year. Hobby boxes of Update will offer a similar product mix to the main Series releases for around $90-110 per box.
Perhaps the most coveted Topps release each year is Topps Chrome, which utilizes a photo-variation parallel format on a chrome stock card. Chrome cards have a beautiful, eye-catching visual style that draws in many collectors. The 2023 Topps Chrome checklist will feature the same players as the main Series but offer parallel versions like refractor, negative, and prism. Chrome also carries autographs, memorabilia, and 1/1 rare parallel chase cards. Hobby boxes are pricier at around $150-200 but offer some of the best card designs and exciting hits on the market.
In addition to the core Series and Chrome, Topps produces numerous special products throughout the year. Topps Heritage pays tribute to the design styles of the 1970s and 1980s with a retro cardboard look. Topps Five Star focuses on the game’s biggest stars and offers exquisite memorabilia cards. Topps Museum Collection highlights iconic moments in photos. Topps Archives reprints rare vintage designs. And limited premium products like Topps Tribute and Topps Finest target high-end collectors.
Topps also offers various insert sets within the standard releases highlighting special categories like All-Star candidates, Silver Slugger and Gold Glove winners, and postseason performers. Popular recurring inserts include Photo Shoot, Topps Now for real-time card production, and Home Run Challenge for stat tracking. Topps Authentic provides game-worn memorabilia from MLB’s official uniform provider.
With such a wide array of products, Topps 2023 baseball cards have something to excite collectors both casual and avid. Whether hunting for rookie stars of tomorrow, chasing parallels of today’s greats, or reminiscing of the past, Topps continues to deliver high quality cardboard that captures the essence of America’s pastime with each new season. As spring training gets underway and the 2023 campaign begins, hobbyists can look forward to building their collections through the wide-ranging releases that Topps has in store throughout the year.
