2020 Topps Series 2 Baseball Card Overview
Topps released their 2020 Series 2 baseball card set on July 22nd, 2020. The release of Series 2 is highly anticipated each year by collectors as it provides an update to the rosters and includes new rookie cards and autographs that weren’t included in Series 1 from earlier in the season. The 2020 Topps Series 2 baseball card set contains 330 total cards including base cards, insert cards, autographs, and rookie cards. Let’s take a deeper look at what this year’s Series 2 release has to offer collectors.
Base Cards – The majority of the set is made up of 330 base cards showing current MLB players. The design has a clean and simple look featuring the player’s photo on a white background with their team logo, name, and position below. Most veteran players can be found in the base set while the top rookies and prospects are sprinkled throughout specialty inserts.
Rookies & Prospects – There are several ways to find the top rookie cards and prospects in Series 2. The most popular are the ‘Paper’ parallels which feature the same photo on cardstock. These include Luis Robert, Gavin Lux, and others. Also look for the ‘Topps Chrome’ rookie refractor parallels which have colorful refractors. Insert sets like ‘Prospect Premieres’ and ‘Top Prospects’ highlight some of the best up-and-coming players as well.
Autograph Cards – Series 2 includes approximately 20 autographed cards per box on average. The most coveted are the on-card autos which feature the signature directly on the front of the card within the original photo and design. Others are “relic” cards that contain a swatch of game-used uniform material alongside the auto. Popular signed players include Fernando Tatis Jr, Jo Adell, and Dustin May.
Short Prints – Each Series 2 box contains around 10 short printed cards that are harder to find than the base cards. The most valuable are the #/151 parallels that are only inserted 1 per case. Players like Mike Trout, Christian Yelich, and Cody Bellinger on these short prints can fetch over $100 individually.
Insert Sets – In addition to the base rookies and autographs, Topps included several popular insert sets in Series 2. ‘Fernando Mania’ highlights top prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. ‘Then & Now’ compares rookie photos to current shots. And the mini-box ‘Iconic Moments’ set recreates classic MLB photos on card stock.
Parallels – Topps added plenty of parallel card variations for collectors to pursue beyond the base versions. The most sought after include the ‘Topps Chrome’ refractors (#/150), ‘Photo Variations’ (#/75), and ‘Mini Logos’ (#/50). Top rookies and stars on these low numbered parallels can sell for hundreds of dollars each online.
In terms of overall product quality and design, the 2020 Topps Series 2 release delivered another strong and well-received set from the long-time MLB card manufacturer. With such a robust checklist of MLB talent including multiple ways to collect top rookies, prospects, and stars, Series 2 has something for fans and collectors of all levels to enjoy. Whether buying packs, boxes, or searching the secondary market – the 2020 Series 2 baseball cards offer a fun and rewarding collecting experience sure to provide many years of enjoyment.
