Topps is one of the largest and most iconic manufacturers of trading cards in the world, especially known for their baseball cards. They have been producing baseball cards since 1951 and have issued thousands of distinct baseball cards over the decades. Coming up with an exact number for how many Topps baseball cards exist total is quite challenging, as record keeping was not always perfect, variations were frequently printed, and new sets are still being released each year. Here is a breakdown of the approximate numbers of Topps baseball cards by decade to give a sense of the immense scope and history of Topps baseball card production:
1950s: Topps began producing baseball cards in 1951 and issued sets each year through the late 1950s. Across these initial 8-9 years they printed around 5,000 distinct baseball cards when accounting for variations.
1960s: Topps remained the lone MLB license holder in the 1960s and printed larger sets each year to meet growing collector demand. Some noteworthy 1960s sets included the very popular 1962 and 1963 Topps issues. Estimates indicate around 8,000 unique Topps baseball cards were produced in the 1960s.
1970s: Competition began to arise in the 1970s from Fleer and others, but Topps retained its position as the biggest brand. Experimental sets like the oversized 1970 and tie-ins like the 1976 Bicentennial cards expanded output. The 1970s saw an estimated 11,000+ new Topps baseball cards hit the market.
1980s: Even more competitors entered the fold like Donruss starting in 1981, but Topps continued aggressive releasing of new set each spring. Notable 1980s issues included the high-gloss 1981 and 1985 Topps sets featuring young stars. The output in the 1980s totals around 14,000 unique Topps baseball cards.
1990s: Not only did card production remain high, variations and parallel inserts became more common in the optimisticcollector boom of the early 1990s. Innovations like the first Topps Finest set in 1991 kept the brand fresh. The decade’s estimated numbers come out to 17,000+ new Topps baseball cards.
2000s: Into the modern era, insert sets grew exponentially while the base sets tightened focus. Digital imaging expanded design potential. Landmark sets included the postwar themed 2006 Topps Allen & Ginter and biographies in 2007 Topps Tribute. The 2000s saw an increase to an estimated 20,000+ new Topps baseball card issues.
2010s: Between the flagship Topps Series 1 & 2 each spring and all the innovation like Topps Project 2020, the brand maintained its longevity into the teens. Short prints and 1-of-1 cards multiplied parallels. The decade added a major estimated 23,000+ Topps baseball cards to the collective whole.
2020s: Although the brand is now over 70 years old, Topps continues to design new sets each season like this year’s Topps Big League and League Leader sub-brands. The company was recently acquired but output is not slowing. At our current pace, the 2020s may see 25,000+ additional Topps baseball cards and counting added to the sum.
To summarize – when accounting for variations, inserts, parallels not usually included in published count but still distinct cards – a reasonable estimate would be that over the decades from 1951 through today Topps has printed well over 100,000 unique baseball cards. And with new product lines each year, that total keeps growing making Topps the undisputed king of the sport’s card collecting landscape.
