The 2012 Topps Baseball set was one of the most highly anticipated releases of the year. As the longest running brand in the industry, Topps never fails to deliver exciting rookies, stars, and short prints that capture the attention of collectors both young and old. With 792 total cards in the base set, there were plenty of choices for collectors to chase after. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest hits and most coveted cards from the 2012 Topps release.
One of the most sought after rookie cards in the set was that of Washington Nationals phenom Bryce Harper. As the number one overall draft pick in 2010 and called up to the big leagues as a 19-year old in 2012, Harper generated huge hype leading up to his rookie season. His card, numbered to #99 in the set, quickly became a hot commodity among collectors. Low serial numbered versions of Harper’s card, especially autographed and memorabilia cards, have sold for thousands of dollars. His star power and breakout rookie campaign made this one of the most important rookie cards in recent memory.
Another rookie who made a huge splash in 2012 was Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels. Though he played in only 40 games in 2011, Trout exploded onto the scene in 2012 by winning the American League Rookie of the Year and finishing second in AL MVP voting. Like Harper, Trout’s base rookie card from the set is numbered to #99 and is in very high demand. Low serial and autographed Trout cards have reached similar price heights to Harper cards. Collectors knew they had two superstar rookies on their hands after Trout’s phenomenal season.
Aside from the star rookies, one of the most iconic veterans featured in the set was New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera. Known as the greatest closer in baseball history, 2012 was Rivera’s final big league season before retirement. Topps paid tribute to the surefire Hall of Famer by featuring him on the set’s coveted #1 card. These #1 cards are highly sought after for any player, but Rivera’s held extra significance as a send off to his legendary career. Low numbered Rivera #1 parallels can sell for well over $1000, making it one of the most valuable base cards in the set.
In addition to star players, collectors also look for scarce parallels and inserts with each release. One such parallel that created a lot of buzz from the 2012 Topps set were the Diamond parallels, limited to only 10 copies each. Featuring a refractor-like design, these ultra-rare parallel cards included huge names like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Matt Kemp, and Robinson Cano. With only a handful of copies in existence, Diamond parallels of top players can demand prices into the thousands of dollars. They represent the true high-end hits within the set.
Another subset that captured collector attention were the ‘Star Rookies’ inserts, which paid tribute to the biggest first year players. In addition to featuring Trout and Harper, this insert also highlighted guys like Yu Darvish, Matt Moore, and Yoenis Cespedes. The Star Rookies parallels like Gold, Silver, and Black were also quite scarce, making complete rainbow sets very difficult to acquire. These inserts served as an exciting way to highlight the new crop of young talent joining the big leagues.
When it comes to memorabilia and autograph cards, 2012 Topps offered several premium options beyond the base cards. The ‘Topps Tribute’ memorabilia cards featured swatches of game worn jerseys or pieces of bats for legendary players. Superstars like Derek Jeter, Chipper Jones, Mariano Rivera, and Albert Pujols all had these highly sought after memorabilia cards. On the autograph front, Topps offered ‘Topps Signature Series’ and ‘Topps Authentic’ cards signed by both veterans and rookies alike. Low serial autographs of the games biggest stars like Mike Trout and Bryce Harper are true crown jewels for any collection.
In the years since its release, the 2012 Topps Baseball set has proven to be one of the most significant modern issues. Featuring the debuts of superstar rookies Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, as well as tribute cards for legends like Mariano Rivera, it captured many of the eras biggest storylines. Scarce parallels, inserts, autographs and memorabilia cards of the games brightest young talents and iconic veterans continue to gain value with time. For both investors and collectors alike, 2012 Topps Baseball stands out as a true heavyweight in the never-ending quest to find the “best cards.”
