When it comes to collecting baseball cards, the brand you choose matters. Topps, Panini, Leaf, and Upper Deck have long been the dominant players in the baseball card industry. Each brand brings something unique to the hobby, from exclusive photography and autograph deals to innovative insert sets and parallels. Determining the “best” brand often comes down to personal preference as well as the specific products, players, and sets being released each year.
Let’s take a closer look at the top baseball card brands and evaluate which may be the best options for collectors in 2023 based on recent performance, exclusive content, and what we know so far about upcoming releases.
Topps: As the longest-running and most iconic brand in the industry, Topps remains a staple for collectors of all levels. Topps has produced baseball cards continuously since 1951 and owns the exclusive license with Major League Baseball, giving them access to team and league marks/logos as well as current player photos, autographs, and memorabilia. Some of their flagship baseball sets over the decades include Topps, Topps Chrome, Allen & Ginter, Stadium Club, and Bowman. For 2023, Topps is celebrating the 75th anniversary of their baseball cards with special retro designs and throwbacks across many of their standard releases. The Topps Project 70 set will feature oversized cards with unique 1970s-inspired artwork of all current MLB players. With their exclusive MLB deals and unmatched history in the hobby, Topps cards will likely remain a staple for most collectors in the coming year.
Panini: As the current number two brand, Panini has made major strides in recent years. They now have exclusive NFL and NBA licenses and produce popular sets like Prizm, Flawless, and Impeccable. For baseball, Panini gets player and team rights directly from the MLBPA (players association) rather than MLB itself. This allows them more flexibility with innovative insert sets featuring current players. Panini baseball cards have also gained popularity due to their slick “chrome” parallels and use of serial numbers on higher-end products. Some of their top 2023 baseball releases previewed so far include Prizm, Donruss, and Immaculate Collection. Panini cards tend to have more “hits” (relics, autographs, etc.) than Topps as well. With high-end products that rival Blowless and exclusives like “The National” memorabilia set, Panini is a strong contender.
Leaf: Leaf Metal Draft and Leaf Trinity have become two of the hobby’s most sought-after modern releases in recent years. Leaf holds the exclusive autographed rookie ticket deal with MLB, meaning their releases have first access to rookie signatures before other brands. While Leaf produces fewer total baseball sets compared to Topps and Panini, the ones they do release tend to be high-end and innovative. In addition to their popular autograph sets, Leaf is known for “Hit Parade” memorabilia cards that feature unique game-used artifacts. Their 2023 releases are not fully known yet but will likely include another highly anticipated Metal Draft baseball set in addition to their standard Trinity release. Leaf’s exclusive rookie deals and focus on high-end parallels/hits make them a top choice for collectors seeking the biggest stars and rarest content.
Upper Deck: As one of the “Big 3” original card manufacturers along with Topps and Donruss, Upper Deck fell behind in recent decades but has made a comeback. Their baseball releases are now focused on smaller print runs of higher-end parallels and memorabilia cards rather than major base sets. Examples include Ultimate Collection, Final Edition, and SP Authentic. Upper Deck remains the exclusive licensee for NHL and NFL trading cards. Their 2023 baseball plans have not been fully revealed but will likely involve more premium releases with serial-numbered parallels and game-used memorabilia from current stars. Upper Deck is a solid choice for advanced collectors seeking the rarest parallels and “hits” from their limited-edition baseball sets.
Other Notable Brands: While the “Big 4” of Topps, Panini, Leaf, and Upper Deck dominate the baseball card market, there are some other smaller brands producing unique content as well. Some examples include Dynasty (known for their high-end parallels and patches), Bowman Draft (exclusive access to draft class autographs), Allen & Ginter (vintage tobacco style cards with unique non-sports parallels), and Donruss (popular for “Optic” parallels and “Hit Parade” relics). Brands like Topps Chrome, Stadium Club, and Ginter have also been revived by other manufacturers in recent years. There are usually niche releases from several smaller brands each season as well that are worth exploring depending on player/team/set preferences.
For the 2023 baseball card season, Topps remains the safest choice for collectors due to their exclusive MLB license and unmatched history in the hobby. However, Panini, Leaf, and Upper Deck all offer compelling alternatives depending on collector priorities and budget. Panini has become a major competitor to Topps with their innovative Prizm and Flawless releases as well as exclusive player/team rights. Leaf focuses on premier autographed rookie cards and high-end parallels. Upper Deck produces some of the rarest memorabilia cards available. With so many great options across different brands and release levels, there is no single “best” – the top choice depends on what specific players, teams, designs, parallels or memorabilia each collector is seeking to add to their collection in 2023. Staying up to date on brand announcements and release schedules will help determine the products providing the best value and collecting opportunities over the coming year.
