The 2020 Topps Heritage baseball card set pays tribute to the design styles of Topps cards from the late 1960s through the 1980s. As with every Heritage release, the 2020 version features retro designs on front that evoke the nostalgia of years gone by while still showing photos of today’s MLB stars.
Topps Heritage has developed a very strong and loyal following among collectors over the past two decades. Given the popularity of the retro design concept combined with the excitement surrounding some of the key rookies in the 2020 set, many of the Topps Heritage cards from this year carry solid value.
Some of the most valuable rookie cards from 2020 Topps Heritage include Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Eloy Jimenez, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Kyle Lewis. Guerrero had one of the hottest rookie seasons in baseball in 2019 and remains one of the game’s brightest young stars. His Heritage rookie sells for around $30-40 raw but can reach $60-$80 graded Mint 9 or higher.
Jimenez and Tatis also made huge splashes in their inaugural MLB campaigns and have seemingly limitless upside. Their Heritage rookies trade hands for $20-30 each ungraded but climb towards the $50 mark for top-graded examples. Kyle Lewis emerged as an Rookie of the Year contender for the Seattle Mariners in 2020’s shortened season and his cards gained popularity. His Heritage rookie holds value around $15-25 currently.
In addition to the heavy-hitting rookies, stars signs to lucrative contracts see their cards retain strong worth as well. Players like Mookie Betts, who was traded to the Dodgers and promptly inked a huge extension, have Heritage cards valued around $10-15 each for base versions and up to $30-50 for parallels and serially-numbered inserts.
Legendary veterans with Hall of Fame resumes like Albert Pujols, Clayton Kershaw and Yadier Molina command $5-10 per base Heritage card due to their tremendous careers and fan followings. Numbered parallels and rare inserted cards featuring these future Cooperstown residents can fetch prices of $25 or more.
The 2020 Topps Heritage set also paid homage to a number of memorable players and teams from baseball’s past. These “Flashback” cards depicting legends from eras long past hold nostalgic appeal. Examples include cards featuring 1967 and 1977 World Series MVPs Reggie Jackson and Ricky Henderson priced between $5-10 each.
The most sought-after insert from 2020 Heritage is undoubtedly the “Then and Now” dual-portrait cards pairing a past star with his modern day counterpart. Pulling a parallel version of these inserts featuring pairings like Piazza/Realmuto or Maddux/deGrom in low serial numbers can net hundreds of dollars due to their scarcity and aesthetics showcasing history colliding with the present-day game.
When it comes to parallels and serially-numbered inserts, the Heritage set is renowned for its staggering array of extra Ultra, Superfractors and 1/1 legends. While these are incredibly rare pulls, the ones that surface online sell for outrageous amounts—often thousands to tens of thousands of dollars. Even numbered to less parallels like /25, /50 or /99 hold value upwards of $100 being very limited edition takes of beloved players.
The retro designs and focus on honoring baseball’s rich history gives Topps Heritage enduring nostalgic cachet and makes the set a strong long-term investment for collectors. While base rookie cards of emerging stars reign as the most financially lucrative cards at the moment, the full vintage-inspired set has demonstrated appreciation over the years. With the iconic Heritage brand name and quality guaranteed by Topps, savvy collectors can feel confident adding 2020 Topps Heritage to their portfolios.
