The 2022 Topps Baseball card season is well underway, with collectors eagerly opening boxes of the flagship release in hopes of finding prized rookie cards and autographs of their favorite players. As with every year, the hobby boxes available on secondary markets like eBay provide an exciting opportunity for collectors looking to get in on the action outside of the initial release period. With inflated prices and risks of repacks or fake boxes, it’s important for buyers to do their research. Let’s take a deeper look at what collectors can expect when purchasing 2022 Topps Baseball hobby boxes on eBay.
To start, it’s crucial for buyers to understand the primary release timing and allocation of 2022 Topps Baseball cards. The standard hobby boxes had an initial print run released to licensed card shops and distributors starting in late January 2022. These boxes carried an MSRP of around $100-150 depending on the specific retailer and promotion. Demand vastly outstripped supply, as it does most years for the flagship Topps release. Within a few weeks, virtually all primary inventory at MSRP was cleared out, leaving the secondary market as the main avenue for collectors still looking to crack packs.
On the secondary market, prices for unopened 2022 Topps Baseball hobby boxes started rising sharply on platforms like eBay in February and March as this initial shortage took hold. Listings regularly sold in the $200-300 range, sometimes higher for particularly coveted parallel or autograph box variations. As more time passed from the primary release, prices continued creeping up as available supply dwindled. By summer 2022, it was becoming quite common to see Topps hobby boxes with Buy It Now prices above $400, with some reaching as high as $600-700 per box depending on certain desirable parallels included.
This boom in secondary pricing can largely be attributed to intense collector demand driven by the excitement surrounding several prized rookies in the 2022 class like Reds pitcher Hunter Greene and Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez. Continuing growth and speculation in the modern sports card market has inflated values for all recent Topps releases. It’s important for eBay buyers to beware of potential risks at these higher price points, such as resealed or tampered boxes.
To help ensure an authentic and unsearched product, savvy collectors recommend only purchasing 2022 Topps Baseball hobby boxes on eBay from highly rated sellers with a clear return policy. Checking for positive reviews specifically mentioning unopened wax boxes can provide added peace of mind. It’s also a good idea to carefully inspect the wrapping and box flaps upon receipt, looking for any signs of tampering. To avoid inflated “best offer” pricing wars, setting maximum budget filters when browsing listings helps prospective buyers stick to rational price thresholds.
Even with these precautions, there are no guarantees against potential repacks posing as factory sealed boxes in the volatile secondary market environment. The risk of overpaying or receiving tampered goods will always be somewhat higher compared to purchasing directly from a licensed card shop during the primary release period. For collectors still eager to rip 2022 Topps packs outside of the initial allocations, eBay does provide the most accessible avenue when diligently sourcing from trusted sellers.
Looking ahead to the rest of the 2022-23 season, prices for unopened Topps hobby boxes on eBay are likely to remain at elevated levels or possibly continue creeping up until the next major release cycle begins in early 2023. Demand shows no signs of slowing for the flagship brand, especially with another promising rookie class headlined by players like Nationals outfielder Elijah Green on the horizon. Parallel and autograph box variations will also stay hot commodities drawing premium prices. For collectors not able to purchase directly during the initial release windows, eBay will undoubtedly remain a lively secondary market to monitor for Topps wax throughout the year.
While 2022 Topps Baseball hobby boxes currently sell for inflated prices on eBay compared to MSRP, the platform does offer collectors an accessible avenue to still acquire unopened wax boxes outside of the primary release period. Just be sure to thoroughly vet sellers, inspect received items closely, and set budget limits to avoid risks that can come with the volatile secondary market pricing environment. With diligent sourcing habits, collectors can feel confident purchasing on eBay to rip packs and potentially pull valuable rookie cards, autographs, and parallels from the highly coveted 2022 Topps Baseball release.
