Topps baseball cards are among the most popular and valuable trading cards on the market. Each year, Topps produces its standard flagship baseball card set as well as specialty subsets highlighting top players, rookie cards, special editions and more. Determining the value of any given Topps baseball card can vary greatly depending on the player, year, condition and more. This article will take an in-depth look at Topps baseball card values throughout 2013 to help collectors understand what drives prices and which cards were most coveted.
One of the biggest factors that determines a card’s worth is the player featured on the front. Superstar players command higher prices than role players or career minor leaguers. In 2013, cards featuring superstars like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Clayton Kershaw and Albert Pujols led the way in terms of value. A near mint-condition Mike Trout 2012 Topps rookie card could sell for over $300. Meanwhile, a PSA 10 graded version of Trout’s iconic 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects Superfractor parallel card was valued at close to $10,000.
Beyond the biggest names, rookie cards also hold significant value. Topps Update & Topps Pro Debut sets are good places to find rising star rookies at affordable prices. In 2013, rookie hits of Wil Myers, Shelby Miller, Anthony Rendon and Travis d’Arnaud all jumped in price as their MLB debut seasons commenced. Condition is equally as important when determining value. Heavily played cards in poor shape may only be worth a dollar or less, while a mint Near Mint-Mint (NM-MT) copy of the same card could sell for 10x more.
Parallels, short prints, autographs and memorabilia cards are also highly sought after variants that charge premium prices. Topps Finest Refractors, Topps Chrome Updates, Bowman Sterling parallels and Topps Retired Signature Edition autographs regularly topped $100+ in 2013. The biggest RARE parallel hits like 1/1 patches or serial numbered cards under 10 copies escalate values exponentially, sometimes reaching the thousands. Although risky, these high-end parallel cards offered collectors a shot at finding great value if hit.
Vintage 1960s-80s cardboard continued gaining recognition and price appreciation in 2013. The 1957 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 8 was valued around $150,000. A 1969 Topps Mantle PSA 6 sold for $32,000, showing increased demand and stabilized prices for the “golden age” subsets. Higher graded vintage wax-era cards moved in for five-figure sums. A PSA 9 1970 Topps Nolan Ryan or 1975 Topps Rod Carew were valued at $2,000-$4,000, affordable for truly high-end vintage cardboard.
Iconic baseball moments translate to big modern card value too. A 2013 Topps Archives 1965 Koufax no-hitter parallel refractor numbered to /25 sold for over $500 due to capturing Don Drysdale’s call of Sandy Koufax’s perfect game broadcast. Rare autograph or patch cards of retired legends routinely moved for multi-thousand dollar sums. Topps Heritage has also sustained interest in classic designs featuring today’s players. Heritage parallels often push $50-$100 price tags.
Rookie premier parallel cards highlighting MLB’s top prospects gained traction in 2013 and still provide opportunities for cost-effective cards. 2012 Topps Update Wave Refractors featuring Byron Buxton, Lucas Giolito and others settled in the $10-25 range in 2013. Box toppers, Black Gold parallels and 1/1 printing plates parallels are tougher pulls but offer true rarities for big one-of-a-kind benefits in collections. 2013 Topps Archives Snapshots subset parallels also started gaining attention for affordable vintage reprints and lower print runs.
Specialty high-numbered parallel subset releases like Topps Triple Threads patches and autographs, Allen & Ginter minis and Topps Tier One premium cards held $50 minimum values across the board with biggest hits regularly topping $500+. In 2013, sports memorabilia was exploding in popularity which translated to steady price increases on autograph and uniform relic cards compared to a few years earlier. Target and Walmart exclusives provided more accessible autograph rookies as well.
Overall, 2013 saw steady growth and stabilization at the high-end vintage levels. Significant star rookies emerged with affordable parallel value plays. Short prints and 1/1 vintage reprints tantalized collectors. The rise of high-end parallels offered new collecting opportunities while autograph and uniform relic demand increased card values significantly across the board. Condition remained critical and the bigger the star, the bigger the potential price tag. Knowledge of production numbers and subsets gave collectors advantages in determining rarities and future potential too.
