The 2013 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the more valuable sets of the modern era. Released in early 2013, this flagship set from Topps features current players, prospects, and rookies from the 2012 MLB season. While the base cards in the set hold little monetary value a decade later, there are several chase cards and parallels that have increased significantly in worth. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the key 2013 Topps cards that are worth money for collectors today.
One of the most valuable rookie cards from the 2013 Topps set is that of Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper. Harper was selected first overall in the 2010 draft and made his MLB debut in 2012 at just 19 years old. He immediately made an impact by winning the NL Rookie of the Year award. Harper’s base rookie card from the 2013 Topps set in a PSA 10 gem mint condition is currently selling for around $400-500. Autograph and memorabilia cards of Harper’s rookie season have increased even more in value, with some parallels and serially numbered patches reaching up to $2,000-$3,000 in top grades.
Another popular rookie card is that of Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who had established himself as one of the game’s elite starters by 2013. Kershaw’s base rookie in a PSA 10 can be acquired for $150-200. His autographs and memorabilia from 2013 Topps have appreciably higher valuations, breaking the $1,000 mark for scarce serially numbered versions. Fellow Dodger pitcher Zack Greinke also has an intriguing rookie from this set worth seeking out, with PSA 10s selling in the $70-100 range after Greinke won the AL Cy Young award in 2009.
Veteran superstars with sustained excellence, like Boston Red Sox DH David Ortiz, also hold valued cards from 2013 Topps. Ortiz was in the midst of his late career renaissance, and his base card in a PSA 10 gem condition can sell for $50-75 based on his iconic status. Autographs and memorabilia have multiplied in price proportionally. Fellow respected vets such as Ichiro Suzuki, Adrian Beltre, and Albert Pujols have cards from this set retaining interest and value near the $25-40 range for top grades.
Some of the most valuable parallels showcase rare manufacturing variants that are specially serial numbered. The ultra-short printed 2013 Topps Tek gold parallel cards number to only 10 copies each and command premiums. A Mike Trout Tek gold freshly pulled would sell for around $800-1,000 raw at auction. Graded PSA 10 examples escalate past $2,000 each. Other scarce parallel subsets like Red Hot parallels (/#50) and Green Shimmer parallels (/#99) also carry heightened values versus standard issue cards. Even base parallels like Black (/#333) and Gold (/#787) can realize over $50 a piece in pristine condition.
Approximately a decade after its original release, the 2013 Topps baseball card set remains a lucrative collecting and investing opportunity due to its intriguing mixture of star rookies, proven veterans, and limited insertion chase cards. While common base cards hold little secondary market worth on their own in 2023, the premium parallels and especially the rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like Harper and Kershaw ensure this set stays an enlivened component of the modern collecting sphere moving forward. For savvy vintage sports card speculators, cherry-picking valuable 2013 Topps rookie parallels and autographs represent an intriguing avenue to unearth mounting returns.
