Topps baseball cards are among the most iconic and valuable trading cards on the market. Topps has produced MLB cards continuously since 1951, making them the longest running baseball card manufacturer. Let’s take a deep look at everything you need to know about Topps baseball cards from their history to the modern day.
Topps got their start in 1938 by producing gum-stickered photos of movie stars on the backs of chewing gum wrappers. In 1947 they moved into baseball cards by producing a set containing all 16 MLB teams as a promotion for Wrigley’s gum. It wasn’t until 1951 that Topps secured the exclusive MLBPA license to produce officially licensed baseball cards.
Their 1951 Topps set is considered the true start of modern baseball card collecting with designs and formats that would become industry standards. Iconic rookie cards like Mickey Mantle’s are from this seminal 1951 series. Topps doubled down on their exclusive license by not renewing Bowman’s rights in 1956, cementing Topps as the sole MLB card producer for decades.
Throughout the 1950s and 60s, Topps released several classic designs that are collector favorites to this day. The 1959 Topps design with a photo and player stats on the front and a cartoon-style illustration on the back remains one of the most coveted sets. Other notable designs included the 1967 set which featured multiple photos on the back and included rookie cards for Reggie Jackson and Thurman Munson.
The late 1960s/early 1970s saw huge growth in the baseball card market. Topps embraced this by expanding their sets with more cards, parallel series, and oddball promotional issues. This period produced all-time iconic cards like Joe DiMaggio’s final season in 1951, Nolan Ryan’s rookie card in 1966, and Hank Aaron’s 715th home run card from 1974. It was also a time of experimentation that saw fails like the infamous 1979 Disco Demolition Night promotion cards.
While wax packs filled with bubbles remained the packaging standard for decades, the 1980s saw the rise of factory sets sold sealed in plastic wrapping at retail stores. Topps also began short printing rare serially numbered parallel inserts known as “short prints.” The increased scarcity led to these cards achieving enormous values today as flagship rookie cards of stars like Barry Bonds further drove collector interest.
In the 1990s and 2000s, competition finally caught up to Topps as companies like Fleer, Score, and Upper Deck entered the baseball card market. However, Topps regained the MLBPA license in 2007, ending their competitor’s run. This period produced enduring stars like Ken Griffey Jr. and Roger Clemens whose rookie cards remain popular investments. parallels and insert sets also became a bigger part of flagship Topps releases.
Since 2007, Topps has maintained their exclusive MLBPA license while continuing to release innovative products. Their core flagship series remains the standard introduction for every new player, but sets like Topps Transcendent have pushed the limits by producing rarer and higher end cards using new technologies like blockchain authentication.
Topps has also leaned into digital platforms with apps like Topps BUNT allowing for e-packs and online virtual collecting. Their physical flagship base set remains the most traditional way for fans and collectors to follow the MLB season as new stars emerge in every year’s Topps Rookie Cup cards and All-Star ballots.
As the longest continuously running baseball card company, Topps has arguably had more influence over the collecting hobby than any other. From classic iconic designs to pioneering new insertion parallels and digital platforms, Topps engages multiple generations of fans. Their indispensable flagship sets introduce each new baseball season and future Hall of Famers, making Topps an inextricable part of documenting MLB history through collectible trading cards.
