The 1998 Topps baseball card set was the 67th annual set produced by Topps and featured cards of all 30 Major League Baseball teams from that season. Some key things to know about the 1998 Topps set include:
Total Cards and Design – The 1998 Topps set contained 792 total trading cards that were produced. The design of the cards featured various color action shots of players on a plain white background. At the bottom of each card was a yellow banner that displayed the player’s team, name, and position. The set also included 30 cards showing the team logos from that season.
Rookies and Rookie Cup – Some top rookies featured in the 1998 Topps set included Brian Anderson, Ramon Martinez, Armando Benitez, and Bobby Abreu. These players were given special “Rookie Cup” logo markings on their cards. Other notable rookies included Ian Snell, Matt Lawton, and Carlos Beltran.
Key Veteran Players – Established Major Leaguers that were included in high numbers in the 1998 Topps set included Ken Griffey Jr., Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken Jr., Greg Maddux, Pedro Martinez, Ivan Rodriguez, John Smoltz, Randy Johnson, and Barry Bonds among many others. These players were some of the biggest stars in baseball at that time.
refractors – For the first time, Topps introduced “refractor” parallels for certain star players in the 1998 set. These parallel cards had a refractive coating that made the image appear to shimmer or shine in different light. Some of the refractor cards featured included Ken Griffey Jr., Cal Ripken Jr., Alex Rodriguez, and others. These parallel insert cards are considered especially desirable by collectors.
Airbrush Variations – Topps also began experimenting with “airbrush” variants in the 1998 Topps set. These were parallel insert cards that featured an airbrushed effect overlay on the standard image. Players like Tony Gwynn, Roger Clemens, and Larry Walker had these airbrush parallel cards inserted in packs.
Chrome Variation – In addition to the refractor inserts, Topps released a parallel “chrome” variation for their stars like Griffey, Bonds, and Ripken. These featured a reflective chrome-like coating instead of the standard matte finish.
Insert Cards – Notable specialty insert sets within the 1998 Topps main set included “Diamond Kings”, “Hall of Fame”, “Turn Back The Clock”, and “Topps All-Time Fan Favorites”. Popular players from history mixed with current stars on these inserts sets.
Trading Card Popularity – The 1998 Topps set came out during the height of the baseball card trading card boom and speculation era of the 1990s. Many kids and collectors were actively pursuing this set at retail upon its release. Factor in the insert parallel chromes and refractors, and it became a very desirable issue.
Complete Set Value – In mint condition, a 1998 Topps complete base set in traditional wax paper packaging can fetch $150-$250 today. But star rookie cards like Abreu and Martinez parallels can reach $50-100 individual. The parallel inserts especially chromiums and refractors of big stars can be $20-50 each depending on the player. As with most older sets, grades of high condition really drive up value.
This covers some of the key details collectors should know about the popular 1998 Topps baseball card set from design, rookie content, top veterans included, and valuable inserts like the Chrome and Refractor parallels included for the first time that year. It remains a very collectible vintage set from the golden era of baseball cards in the 1990s.
