Collecting Topps baseball cards is a fun and engaging hobby for people of all ages. Topps has been the dominant manufacturer of baseball cards since the 1950s, creating iconic designs and images of legendary players year after year. Here are the basic steps someone can take to start their own Topps baseball card collection:
The first thing any collector will need is some Topps baseball cards to start their collection. You have a few options for obtaining cards. New packs of the current year’s Topps cards can be found at most stores that sell trading cards like drug stores, hobby shops, and online retailers. These cards will contain a mix of players from the previous season. For older cards from past decades, you’ll need to check local card shops, comic book stores, online marketplaces like eBay, or attend card shows and conventions to find singles and complete sets from past years.
When first starting out, I’d recommend focusing your collection around a particular team, player, or theme to keep it manageable. Some popular options include collecting all the cards of your favorite MLB team, building a set of a legendary player across multiple seasons, or only acquiring Topps rookie cards of Hall of Famers. Having a clear focus will make sorting and displaying your growing collection much easier going forward.
One way many collectors like to organize their cards is by year in baseball card sheets, binders, or boxes tailored for storing cards. Arranging cards chronologically allows you to track individual players’ careers over time as you add to your collection. Make sure to sleeve any valuable or prized cards you acquire to prevent damage. Properly storing and protecting your investment is important as some older Topps cards can be quite valuable.
Speaking of value, it’s a good idea as a collector to familiarize yourself with the key factors that influence a card’s worth such as its condition, autographs or memorabilia relics, scarcity, and of course the significance and performance of the player depicted. While the main goal is simply enjoying the hobby, understanding value can help you get the most enjoyment out of your Topps cards whether showing, trading, or selling pieces of your collection down the road.
Trading duplicate cards online or at card shows is another aspect of Topps collecting many find enjoyable. Having a stockpile of duplicate commons can allow you to trade up for harder to find parallels, parallels, serial numbered cards, or stars you lack for your PC (personal collection). Networking within your local card community is a great way to expand your collecting needs through mutually beneficial swaps.
Keeping an inventory of your collection is also advisable, whether using a spreadsheet, checklists on trading card database apps like Trading Card DB, or just making your own lists. This serves several purposes such as ensuring you have a complete record of your cards, knowing what pieces are still needed to finish sets, and having a catalogue in case of any unexpected losses.
Attending organized card shows held weekly, monthly, or annually is a must for any serious Topps baseball card collector. These events allow you to peruse thousands of cards from dozens of vendors under one roof, giving you the best chance to find those elusive needs, examine condition in person before buying, and meet other collectors. Many even have on-site authentication services for big ticket cards. The social aspect of trading at shows can’t be replicated and is half the fun.
Stay involved by reading card news, blogs, and community forums to keep up with trends, innovations from Topps, newly released products, big pulls from breaks being shared online, and major collecting announcements that may impact your PC long term. Being an informed collector will help you get the most out of your Topps baseball cards for years to come as your prized collection grows. Following these essential steps should have any newcomer well on their way to happily collecting Topps cards for a lifetime.
