The 2021 Topps Chrome baseball card set was highly anticipated by collectors due to it marking the return of the popular Chrome product line after a one-year hiatus in 2020. Topps Chrome features high-gloss photography on each card, making the cards more visually appealing than the standard Topps base card designs. As with any popular modern card set, the 2021 Topps Chrome release contained several extremely valuable rookie cards and parallel variations that have sold for big money already. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most expensive 2021 Topps Chrome cards on the market today.
Perhaps the biggest star of the 2021 Topps Chrome set is Los Angeles Angels pitcher/outfielder Shohei Ohtani. As the reigning American League MVP and one of the most unique two-way talents in MLB history, Ohtani’s rookie cards consistently shatter records. His base rookie card from Topps Chrome has sold for over $1,000 slabs and likely will continue gaining value as his career progresses. An even bigger ticket item is Ohtani’s Topps Chrome Refractor rookie, numbered to only 150 copies. Fresh PSA 10 graded examples of this ultra-short printed parallel have sold for $15,000 already, with prices expected to exponentially increase over time.
Another highly sought-after rookie is Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez. Though not as established a name as Ohtani yet, Rodriguez had a phenomenal 2021 debut that has collectors enamored with his long-term potential. Low-numbered parallels like his Topps Chrome Black Refractor (/75) and Rainbow Foil (/25) rookies have sold for $3,000-5,000 each in gem mint condition. Even Rodriguez’s base Topps Chrome rookies in a PSA 10 holder have jumped up over $800 based on his breakout playoff performance and bright future outlook.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays doesn’t technically qualify as a rookie anymore since he debuted in 2019, but his cards from the 2021 Topps Chrome set still hold tremendous value. This is largely due to Guerrero’s ascension into the elite echelon of MLB sluggers after blasting 48 home runs in 2021 en route to MVP consideration. Pristine PSA 10 examples of Guerrero’s base Topps Chrome card have crossed $500 already. Parallel versions like his Refractor (/150) and Black Border Refractor (/75) breached $1,000 apiece following the conclusion of the season.
While rookies and emerging young talents dominate the most valuable section of Topps Chrome, legendary veterans can still command high prices as well. A case in point is a Mike Trout Topps Chrome Refractor parallel from 2021, serial numbered to just 10 copies. Widely regarded as the best all-around player of his generation, any Trout short print inevitably fetches a premium. This 1/1 style Troot Refractor became the first post-rookie Trout card to reach $10,000 after an online bidding frenzy among serious Trout PC collectors this past fall.
Several other low-numbered star parallels also merit inclusion among the most expensive 2021 Topps Chrome cards. A Kris Bryant Orange Refractor (/50) hit $2,400. A Ronald Acuna Jr. Green Refractor (/99) realized $1,800. And an especially sought-after Fernando Tatis Jr. Missing Nameplate Variation was acquired for close to $3,000 due to its status as a premier statistical and visual flagship rookie parallel of a superstar in the making.
While hobby prices have cooled somewhat from the peak speculative frenzy of 2021, demand for coveted Topps Chrome rookies, stars and sharp parallels shows no signs of slowing. As long as today’s young talent like Ohtani, Guerrero and Rodriguez progress as expected in the majors, their flagship Topps Chrome cards stand to appreciate exponentially over time. With its desirable aesthetic qualities and history of significant rarities, Topps Chrome consistently delivers the most popular and valuable modern baseball cards on the secondary market. Collectors would be wise to acquire and hold desirable copies of these precious 2021 pilots while they can still be had at reasonable prices.
