The 2023 Topps Baseball card Series 2 release is one of the most anticipated issues of the year. While Series 1 is usually the flagship set that collectors focus on, Series 2 often features popular rookie cards and scarce short prints that can become extremely valuable with time. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the most potentially profitable cards collectors could pull from 2023 Topps Baseball Series 2 packs and boxes.
One of the largest rookie class in years has collectors buzzing about 2023 Topps Series 2. Shortstop Gunnar Henderson headlines this class after his phenomenal debut with the Baltimore Orioles in 2022. His base rookie card can be found in most Series 2 packs, but the parallel and autographed versions have already started commanding big prices. Low-numbered parallels like Topps Chrome /50 or Gold Label /10 variants of Henderson’s rookie are selling in the thousands of dollars even before the full release of Series 2. If he becomes a superstar, these early cards could grow exponentially in value down the road.
Another highly-coveted rookie is Druw Jones, the #2 pick in the 2022 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. As the son of five-time Gold Glove winner Andruw Jones, Druw arrives with incredible pedigree and expectations. While he didn’t make his professional debut in 2022, collectors are already betting on his potential. An on-card autograph of Jones from Series 2 could be worth over $1,000 now and grow much higher if he lives up to the hype in the coming seasons. Low-numbered parallels and 1/1 plates/relics could shatter records for a pre-debut prospect card.
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Álvarez is perhaps the highest-ceiling hitting prospect in baseball after mashing in the minors in 2022. He received a September call-up and showed why there’s All-Star potential. His base rookie card sells for around $10-20 already, and parallels tend to start in the $50-100 range. Autograph cards begin closer to $300-500. Like the others, if Álvarez continues developing and becomes a cornerstone player, these early cards will multiply in value multiple times over.
Short prints have long been a driver of value in Topps Series 2. Legendary errors like Mickey Mantle’s 1952 design change make all-time favorite collecting mistakes. In modern sets, parallels with print runs of 10 or less always gain cult followings. In 2023 S2, collector eyes will be peeled for low print base cards of star veterans like Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, and Aaron Judge. Autograph and memorabilia short prints of these three superstars could sell for thousands due to their scarcity.
Veterans tend to draw less attention than rookies in Series 2 anticipation, but breakout stars can still see a boost. Cards of players like Miami’s Sandy Alcantara and Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez who broke out in 2022 and finished high in Cy Young/ROTY voting are starting to gain collectible momentum. Rare parallel and hit cards from Series 2 could gain value very quickly as these players’ careers progress. Veterans who are traded or change teams may develop new collector interest that drives prices on their early issues.
Lastly, autographed cards and patch/relic memorabilia cards tend to be the scarcest collectibles found in Series 2. ‘On-card’ autographs signed by the players themselves are always more desirable, with low serial numbers 10/25 or less bringing the highest sums. Gold Label signatures parallel to just 10 copies each are among the toughest pulls to land. Uniform/fabric swatches or autographs on mini bat or ball cards also tend to gain substantial value based on the specific Hall of Fame-caliber player signatures and memorabilia fragments featured.
While Series 1 usually dominates the initial collecting buzz each season, Series 2 offers its own valued cards that collectors have the opportunity to pull fresh from packs. Rookies like Henderson, Jones, and Álvarez set the standard, but short prints, breakouts, and hit cards of star veterans consistently gain high returns long-term. With increased rookie classes and scarce parallels/relics, 2023 Topps Series 2 appears to have several cards that could become extremely profitable for discerning collectors picking up boxes and packs now. Savvy investors pulling the right rookies or ‘hits’ could gain a serious long-term collection advantage.
