The 2013 Topps baseball card set was the 72nd year of Topps’ coverage of America’s pastime through its iconic trading card releases. Though not as acclaimed as some previous years such as 1955, 2011 Gypsy Queen or 2013 Update Series, the 2013 Topps base set featured many of the game’s biggest stars and rising prospects that have only increased in value in the years since. Below are some of the most valuable and coveted rookie cards, short prints and memorabilia cards from the 2013 Topps series that collectors scramble to find today.
Perhaps the single most sought after card from 2013 Topps is the Mike Trout rookie card. While not his true rookie as that came in the 2011 Topps set, Trout’s ascension to superstardom has made any of his early cards quite valuable. The standard Mike Trout card from 2013 can fetch $30-50 in near mint condition, with more pristine grades moving closer to $100-150. Not bad for a base card from the middle of his career. However, Trouts’ true grail is his 2012 Topps Update Series rookie, which routinely sells for well over $1000 in high grades thanks to his two MVP awards already.
Another megastar whose 2013 Topps rookie card holds great value is California native Bryce Harper. Though he struggled with injuries in 2021, when fully healthy Harper is a perennial All-Star and MVP candidate. His slick smiling rookie from 2013 can be found for $15-25, with higher grades pushing $50-75 due to his iconic status in the game. Like Trout, Harper’s true rookie card came the year prior in 2012 Topps, which earns several hundreds of dollars even in EX-MT condition.
Short prints are among the most eagerly awaited chase categories in modern Topps sets due to their scarcity and inflated values. The 2013 Topps set featured several hit short prints, namely the Starling Marte (#SP7) and Shelby Miller (#SP20) short prints. These tricky-to-find parallels routinely earn $50-75 each and have been known to break $100 for pristine mint copies. Series 1 short prints Gregor Blanco (#SP6) and Ross Detwiler (#SP14) have also gained popularity among completionists earning $15-20 regularly.
Autograph and memorabilia cards are a focal point for high-end collectors pursuing one-of-a-kind pieces from their favorite players. Some of the costliest authenticated cards from 2013 Topps include dual-signed patches of Mike Trout and Bryce Harper (#338) priced between $500-1000. Single signed Trout jersey cards run $150-300, and triple-relic cards featuring patches of elite young hurlers Jose Fernandez, Matt Harvey and Shelby Miller fetch $250-500 based on condition. Legendary veterans like Chipper Jones, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera also commanded premiums for their scarce autograph and uniform swatch cards.
Base rookies of future stars like Yasiel Puig, Edwin Encarnacion, Allen Craig and Tony Cingrani have grown sought after as these players developed. Their common Topps rookies can be acquired for $10-15 each. But the true prize is the ultra-short printed Yasiel Puig rookie variant (#SP86) endowed with only a print run of 10 copies. This pinnacle rookie card has sold for upwards of $3000 in pristine condition, becoming one of the most iconic and valuable modern short prints ever created by Topps.
While update and high-number parallels from Topps 2013 lack the true “rookie” designation for rising talents, they still carry significance for avid collectors. Prospective studs like Xander Bogaerts, Oscar Taveras, Javier Baez and Aaron Nola debuted professionally in this set’s later Series 2 variation. Their base cards trade hands between $5-15 usually. Autographs and swatches fetch higher sums case-by-case. And promotional parallels distributed via Hobby packs like Retail Exclusives and Value Box short prints round out the lucrative treasures waiting to be revealed.
In the years since its original release, the 2013 Topps baseball series has proven a hidden gem for finding affordable copies of today’s superstars in their earliest professional cardboard. While pricier than the mega-hits of decades past, common base rookies, autos and memorabilia cards from promising young talents can still be acquired with a modest budget. And the elusive SP and 1/1 parallel shortcuts to collecting fortune maintains an air of baseball card mystique that first enticed generations of fans decades ago. For astute vintage hunters and modern speculators alike, 2013 Topps retains plenty of lasting collecting appeal and profit potential further down the road.
