The 2013 Topps baseball card series marked the 60th anniversary of Topps’ iconic baseball card sets. In 1953, Topps released its first complete set of baseball cards and helped launch the modern baseball card collecting hobby. For the anniversary set in 2013, Topps paid homage to its rich history while still providing collectors with the latest players and stats from the 2012 MLB season.
The 2013 Topps base set included cards numbered 1-687 featuring major and minor league players from all 30 MLB teams. The design featured a classic vertical layout with the team logo and player photo on a solid color background. At the bottom was the standard stats table showing batting and pitching averages from the previous season. Topps also brought back its classic banner design across the top with the team name and “TOPPS” branding.
For the 60th anniversary, Topps included various insert sets honoring the history of its baseball cards. The “Topps Heritage” subset featured 60 cards recreating the look of Topps sets from the 1950s through 1980s using the same color schemes and design elements. Each card in the Heritage set paid tribute to a different year in Topps history. Another popular insert was the “Topps 60” parallel set limited to only 60 copies of each card to represent the anniversary. These parallel versions were highly sought after by collectors.
In terms of rookie cards, the 2013 Topps release featured debut cards for up-and-coming young stars like Wil Myers, Shelby Miller, Travis d’Arnaud, and Tony Cingrani. The most valuable rookie in the set was that of Los Angeles Dodgers sensation Yasiel Puig. After coming up from the minors in early June 2012, Puig took the MLB by storm and finished 4th in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. His explosive debut made the 2013 Topps Puig rookie one of the most coveted cards in recent memory selling for hundreds of dollars.
Aside from the base set and inserts, Topps also produced various specialty subsets highlighting different aspects of baseball. The “Topps Archives” subset showcased 50 historical photos from the Topps archives in a large horizontal card format. Other subsets included “Topps Tribute” honoring MLB greats who had passed, “Topps Towns” focusing on MLB players’ hometowns, and “Topps Traditions” highlighting on-field traditions. Topps also continued its “Topps Now” instant card program introduced in 2012 with cards produced on demand to commemorate that day’s MLB events and milestones.
In terms of parallels and serial-numbered short prints, Topps provided plenty of chase cards for avid collectors. The “Topps Finest” parallel featured foil refractors of the base cards limited to only 99 copies. Other short prints included “Topps Chrome” with a refractor treatment, “Topps Sterling” with a silver parallel, and “Topps Gold” limited to only 50 copies per card. Topps also produced “1/1” printing plates featuring the blank card surface signed by the player, which are the ultimate rare parallels coveted by collectors.
The 2013 Topps release saw tremendous popularity and sales due to the anniversary factor as well as strong rookie class. While base cards could be found for under $1 each, popular parallels, short prints, and star rookies commanded high prices. The Yasiel Puig rookie alone regularly sold for over $100. The 2013 Topps set showcased Topps’ storied history in the hobby while providing a fun, affordable base set for collectors of all ages to enjoy. Its various inserts, parallels, and rookie cards also created a deep level of collecting that kept even the most advanced collectors engaged in chasing down elusive cards. The 2013 release truly encapsulated everything that has made Topps baseball cards a cornerstone of the sport for 60 years and beyond.
