The 2020 Topps baseball card set saw Topps return to its traditional release date after moving to late summer in 2019. As a result, the 2020 cards were available much earlier in the year from both hobby shops and mass retailers. With players still active in the shortened 2020 MLB season, interest was high in chasing rookie cards and short prints from the set. Several factors contributed to some 2020 Topps cards gaining value quickly.
Perhaps the biggest storylines from the 2020 MLB season that carried over to the baseball cards were the performances of young stars like Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. All three had monster seasons at the plate and established themselves as future superstars of the game. Their rookie cards and base cards from Topps 2020 saw immediate demand from collectors. Tatis Jr. in particular had one of the best seasons by a shortstop ever recorded and has become one of the faces of MLB. His rookie card gained value rapidly and now ranks among the most expensive cards in the set.
Similarly, young Astros pitcher Forrest Whitley had been highly touted prospect but suffered multiple injuries that derailed his career. His rare short print autograph card /50 from 2020 Topps Update Series became very scarce due to his health issues. With Whitley now trying to reestablish himself in the minors, condition-graded examples of his short print auto have sold for over $1000, an extremely high price for a minor league player card. Collectors saw it as a rare opportunity to acquire a prospect card that may never achieve another printing.
As the Covid-19 pandemic spread in March 2020, it became evident that MLB may have to delay, shorten or even cancel its season. This created an initial frenzy among collectors to obtain player cards, especially rookies, before there was clarity on if certain stars would lose development time. Prices rose sharply for coveted rookies as a result. Luxury boxes containing autographed memorabilia from stars like Mike Trout also sold out immediately online due to uncertainty around the season. Once MLB was able to implement a shortened 60-game schedule starting in July, some card prices cooled off until player performances renewed interest.
Two highly anticipated rookie short prints hit the “hot lists” after release of the Topps 2020 series 1 through series 2 hobby boxes. Giants 3B/OF prospect Luis Matos had an extremely short print /499 atomic refractor parallel that commanded over $300 raw on release weekend. Similarly, Blue Jays 3B prospect Austin Martin had an tough-to-find /499 paper stock photo variation that shot up to over $200 shortly after issue. Both had added value as premium short prints of top international prospects. While their prices have since settled lower, they illustrated how a scarce parallel card of an up-and-coming talent can generate buzz initially.
The success and popularity of the MLB authentic jersey program, coupled with the absence of in-person signings due to the pandemic, translated well for 2020 Topps baseball cards. Relic and autograph cards rose greatly in demand as collectors sought authentic memorabilia and player signatures. Stars like Tatis Jr., Acuna Jr., Soto and Guerrero Jr. had specially produced “Flowing Fabrics” autographs for Topps that flew off shelves. Exclusive 1/1 printing plate autographs for heroes like Buster Posey were highly pursued trophies as well. Swatches or patches of popular vintage uniforms proved to be strong seller parallels. High-end memorabilia cards from 2020 Topps maintained or increased value compared to recent years.
Two unlikely factors late in the 2020 season gave more life and value to certain cards as well. First, Shohei Ohtani’s dominant pitching return to MLB after Tommy John surgery renewed collector fervor for his rising star. His 2018 Topps Rookie Cup cards jumped back up to the $100-200 range raw. Second, Padres outfielder Tommy Pham’s midseason stabbing during a fantasy football dispute over league dues gained national notoriety. It put the spotlight back on his rookie cards, and lower numbered parallels started commanding prices over $50 each on the aftermath. Black Gold refractor parallels stay over $100 still.
Beyond the standout rookies and stars, base cards of solid veteran players in the $5-20 range from 2020 Topps have held steady or increased slightly in value through 2021 as the sets become scarcer. Topps Update Series cards released later in 2020 that featured photo or statistical updates on notable breakout performances maintained extra appeal compared to series 1 and 2 counterparts. The well-marketed “Your 2022 Bowman Prospects Are Here” insert set focusing on young players has also been heavily pulled, attracting devotees of favorites like Bobby Witt Jr.
Rookies and stars fueled much of the early pandemic demand and speculation for Topps 2020 baseball cards. Strong production values from Topps, the MLB season resuming, and fascination over achievements, injuries and other storylines has kept later subsets and base veterans relevant. With a successful 2021 season now archived and Topps serial numbering keeping 2020 sets finite, interest in the releases could increase longterm due to capturing that unique time period. There remains value to be found across the 2020 Topps set.
