Baseball cards are a staple of the sport and have been collected by fans for over a century. The 2013 baseball card season saw some new designs, special inserts, and rookie cards emerge that captured the attention of collectors both young and old. Several of the major card companies such as Topps, Upper Deck, and Panini released new sets that highlighted the biggest names in the game from that year.
Topps had been the dominant baseball card manufacturer for decades and in 2013 they continued their tradition with the flagship Topps Series 1, Series 2, and Topps Update baseball card releases. The designs had an old-school vibe that paid homage to cards of the past with team logos and colors prominently displayed on a white background. Topps also included various insert sets within the base issues that featured parallel and short printed cards of star players.
One of the most coveted rookie cards in 2013 Topps was that of Los Angeles Dodgers sensation Yasiel Puig. After a meteoric rise to stardom in his first few months in the majors, Puig mania was in full force. His basic rookie card became a hot commodity and fetched high prices. Other notable rookies included Wil Myers (Tampa Bay Rays), Jurickson Profar (Texas Rangers), and Gerrit Cole (Pittsburgh Pirates). Each of these young players would go on to have impressive MLB careers.
While Topps had the traditional market locked down, competitors like Upper Deck and Panini tried to capture collectors’ attention with innovative designs and exclusive autograph and memorabilia cards. Upper Deck’s 2013 baseball release had a clean cut look with oversized player photos and team wordmarks above the image. Their “UD Black” parallel inserts featured a black border and were limited in quantity. Panini also focused on parallels and short prints but incorporated more photography into their base design compared to Topps’ simple renditions.
One of the inserts sets that was hugely popular in 2013 was Topps Five Star. This premium product contained cards that featured five swatches of jersey material embedded into the front of the card. Superstar players like Miguel Cabrera, Mike Trout, and Clayton Kershaw highlighted the set. Their Five Star cards regularly sold for hundreds of dollars online due to the coveted memorabilia component. Upper Deck also dabbled in memorabilia cards but saved their best hits for high-end releases like Ultimate Collection which retailed for thousands of dollars per box.
While the biggest card companies vied for collectors’ attention, smaller independent companies found niches within the industry as well. Companies like Leaf produced low-budget releases that still contained rookie cards and parallels at affordable price points. Their vintage-style designs paid homage to the early years of the hobby. Other boutique brands released themed sets that focused on a single player, team, or award winner. For example, Donruss put out a Mike Trout-centric collection after his breakout 2012 AL Rookie of the Year and MVP season.
As baseball cards transitioned to the digital age, online factors began influencing the hobby as well. Websites like eBay allowed collectors of all budgets to easily buy, sell, and trade cards. Prices for rare vintage cards from the 1950s-1980s would sometimes reach into the thousands due to demand. YouTube also grew the community as breakers uploaded box-opening videos, analyzing new releases for hits. Social media saw collectors sharing their latest pickups on platforms like Twitter and Instagram. This online presence kept the hobby socially engaging beyond just the local card shop.
In summary, 2013 was another strong year for the baseball card industry despite economic challenges. Topps, Panini, and Upper Deck delivered quality flagship releases while independent companies filled niche roles. Rookies like Puig and Trout kept the next generation collecting. Memorabilia cards and short prints added greater levels of rarity. And the transition to digital avenues engaged more collectors worldwide. The state of baseball cards remained healthy as one of America’s favorite pastimes. The young stars of 2013 would go on to have Hall of Fame careers, making their rookie cards from that year even more historically significant.
