The 2017 Topps baseball card set featured several key rookie cards and short printed parallels that have the potential to become extremely valuable in the years to come. While it’s still relatively early, some 2017 Topps cards are already beginning to gain recognition among collectors as future gems. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the rarest 2017 Topps cards that could end up being long-term treasures.

One of the hottest rookie cards from 2017 was the Aaron Judge base card. Judge’s monster 52-home run rookie season with the New York Yankees turned him into a superstar and immediately made his Topps rookie desirable. While the base card has a good sized print run north of 10,000 copies, low-numbered parallels and autographs of Judge have already started fetching big money. His /5 gold parallel regularly brings over $1,000 on auction sites. The ultra-rare Premier Level diamond parallel, limited to /1, would be worth a small fortune if it ever became available. Judge autographed rookie cards also demand premium prices thanks to his popularity.

Another Yankees rookie who dazzled in 2017 was Clint Frazier. While he didn’t have Judge’s immediate stats, Frazier has five-tool talent that could make his cards valuable long-term. His base is somewhat plentiful now but rarenumbered versions are already beginning to gain collector interest. Ones numbered to /75 or less command four-figure prices. Likewise, autographed Frazier rookies hold strong value. The 2017 update issues of both Judge and Frazier are also burgeoning rookie ticket items.

Cody Bellinger exploded onto the scene for the Dodgers in 2017 and quickly proved himself as a true star. As a result, his Topps rookie is a must-have for Dodgers PC collectors. While print runs stayed normal, parallels like the /70 blue have begun appreciating. Autographs also carry premiums due to his accomplishments. Like Judge, a one-of-one Bellinger parallel could potentially end up as a true high-dollar asset in the long run for whichever collector owns it.

Many others from the 2017 rookie class have cards showing promise. Red Sox sensation Rafael Devers has created buzz, especially for numbered and autographed variations of his rookie. Astros star Alex Bregman also made his mark right away, driving keen collector interest in low-print Bregman cards from ‘17 Topps. Even players who didn’t debut until later like Yankees’ stud Gleyber Torres have key rookie cards that could boom with a strong career.

The 2017 Update Series featured short prints of veteran superstars, and some have already elevated in value. Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant had an ultra-tough Black Border parallel limited to a mere 10 copies. Any one that surfaces on the resale market would command an astronomical price from a starved Bryant PC collector. Likewise, a simple base card of Cubs phenom Willson Contreras from Update holds appeal since it was one of only a handful issued after his breakout season.

Topps also had some surprises with highly limited parallels in the standard base set. Perhaps most infamously was a one-of-one “Marvel” parallel of Yankees hurler Luis Severino which featured Captain America artwork. Whoever owns that true anomaly holds a true cornerstone for any collection. Series 2 also had an extremely short printed Alex Reyes blue parallel limited to just 5 copies. Any of these under-10 parallel cards could escalate to six-figure status if they get into the right collector’s hands down the road.

Finally, Topps Finest and Topps Chrome introduced some dazzling new parallel designs for 2017. The Finest versions featured embedded “hit” patches showing statistics. As results, specific “hits” become intensely collected. Also, First Pitch autographs like Miguel Sano in Topps Chrome hold immense potential appreciation. Being one of the scarcest autographed parallels out there, premier Sano examples could enter truly expensive territory with more of his career achievements.

While still in the early going, the 2017 Topps baseball product line debuted a bevy of rare cards that offer potential for huge returns. Savvy investors are already pursuing some of these esoteric pieces. In the coming years, as the careers of young stars develop further and nostalgia grows, several 2017 cards could emerge as true blue-chip collectibles. With rarities like short prints, one-of-ones, and star rookies and parallels, it remains a fun set to follow.

The 2017 Topps Baseball card release marked the 60th anniversary of the iconic baseball card brand. To commemorate the occasion, Topps included some very unique and special parallel cards in their flagship collection known as SPs (Short Print) that captured the attention of collectors both young and old. These parallel inserts provide a modern twist on the timeless tradition of collecting baseball cards.

Let’s take a deeper look at some of the most popular and sought-after SP cards from the 2017 Topps Baseball set and what made each one so special. Topps produced the cards in much lower print runs than the base cards, giving collectors an exciting challenge to track them down. The scarcity of these parallel versions added greatly to their appeal and trade value within the collecting community.

Perhaps the most buzzworthy SP in the 2017 Topps Baseball release were the Autograph SPs, which featured on-card autographs of some of the game’s biggest stars. Only 10 copies of each autograph SP existed, making them extremely limited. Players like Mike Trout, Clayton Kershaw, Kris Bryant, and Bryce Harper graced these precious autograph parallels. Given their rarity and starring some of the new faces of the sport, the 2017 Topps Autograph SPs commanded astronomical resale prices in the collecting marketplace. Piecing together a complete autograph set presented a tremendous challenge but was highly coveted among the most hardcore collectors.

Another unique SP included in the 2017 Topps Baseball set were the Diamond Anniversary parallel cards. Featuring a dazzling diamond-inspired design treatment across the entire surface of the card, these parallels really popped on card shelves and in collectors’ hands. Topps stamped each Diamond Anniversary card with prominent “60th Anniversary” wording and color-tints to emphasize the momentous occasion. Only 60 copies of each Diamond Anniversary SP card were produced, adding to their allure. Players like Clayton Kershaw, Mike Trout, Kris Bryant and more received these ultra-limited diamond parallel treatments that shined brightly in sets.

The Rainbow Foil SP cards from 2017 Topps Baseball invoked the feeling of a classic 1990s style parallel insert but with a captivating modern twist. A vivid multi-colored shimmering rainbow pattern danced across these special parallel cards when tilted under light. Topps produced Rainbow Foil SPs for some of the games biggest young stars like Corey Seager, Carlos Correa, and Francisco Lindor. Numbered to only 99 copies each, the limited Rainbow Foils took collecting to a sensory experience beyond just cardboard. Finding high-number versions of the Rainbow Foil SPs became a hunt in itself.

Topps upped the sci-fi factor with galactic-themed Galaxy Forever parallel SP cards also found in the 2017 Topps Baseball product. A glittering star field covered these otherworldly SP cards alongside planetary bursts of color. Topps chose some true outer-space worthy superstars like Bryce Harper, Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw for these intergalactic SP tributes. Limited to an extraterrestrial 77 copies each, Galaxy Forever parallels took collectors to the farthest reaches of parallel card collecting. Tracking down a full set presented one giant leap for card kind.

A true blast from the past for collectors were the 1977-Style parallel SP inserts in the 2017 Topps Baseball release. With a authentic retro design straight from the hallowed 1977 Topps set, these parallel cards paid homage to where it all began for the modern baseball card era. Topps replicated the same stylized player image sizes, color schemes and fonts from that pioneering ’77 issue. Stars like Kris Bryant, Mookie Betts and Noah Syndergaard received these throwback parallel treatments. Limited to only 19777 copies each, finding high-number versions of these retro SP cards took dedicated hunting through endless packs.

The much-hyped Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War movie crossover was perfectly captured in a series of Infinity Gauntlet parallel SPs too. With player images morphed within the fabled Infinity Gauntlet itself, these Marvel-themed SP cards married two pop culture forces. Stars like Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper and Manny Machado took on an intergalactic flair within the stones of power on their SPs. Topps produced these comic book dream SP cards in quantities matching the Infinity Stones themselves, at only 6 copies each. Collecting these ultra-rare Infinity Gauntlet SPs challenged the enduring wills of even the most stubborn collectors.

Alongside more traditional parallel SP cards for bigger stars, Topps also included special parallel SP treatments of prospects to highlight the next generation. Topps chose Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Ronald Acuna and Eloy Jimenez for these hit potential laden Prospect SP parallels. Limited to only 2017 copies each, these prospectively low-numbered SP cards invited envisioning future stardom while being quite challenging to track down in the present. Prospectparallel collecting became its own mini-quest within the 2017 Topps Baseball modern relic hunting experience.

In total, Topps produced SP parallels in the 2017 Topps Baseball release numbered in the single digits up to a maximum of around 20,000 copies depending on the specific parallel. These short printed variants added a thrill of the hunt element to the traditional base set collecting and increased the fun, challenge and replay value of the flagship Topps product for its 60th anniversary. Whether pursuing autographs, parallels or prospects, 2017 Topps Baseball SP cards truly captured imaginations and took collecting to new stratospheres. They firmly solidified the SP parallel’s place as modern baseball card collecting’s most prized quarry.

The 2017 Topps baseball card set was the 66th year of Topps producing baseball cards and contained many interesting designs and player cards. As with previous years, Topps produced their flagship set which contained several series throughout the year with different designs and subsets.

The flagship set kicked off in March with Series 1. This first series included updates rookie cards for star players like Corey Seager and Kris Bryant who had made their MLB debuts the previous season. The design featured a basic white border with player photos on one side and stats and career highlights on the reverse. The backs also incorporated a new simplified layout for stats and information to make them cleaner and easier to read compared to prior years. Series 1 and the rest of the flagship set cards measured 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches, the standard size for modern baseball cards.

Later in the spring, Topps released Series 2 which maintained the same simple design aesthetic as Series 1 but incorporated a new photo and information for each player to update their 2017 seasons thus far. Series 2 also included the first installment of the “Then and Now” subset which put current player photos side-by-side with older classic photos from their earlier careers. This was meant to show how players had changed or progressed over the years both physically and statistically.

Topps kept the production moving through the summer with Series 3 in June. The design went back to the basic white borders but included colorful team logo backgrounds behind each player photo. This helped differentiate the cards from the previous series while still keeping to the clean minimalist style. Series 3 was also the inaugural inclusion of the “Stars of the Game” subset highlighting some of the top young talents beginning to emerge like Corey Kluber, Jake Arrieta and Anthony Rizzo.

As August arrived, Topps commemorated the 2017 All-Star festivities with their Series 4 release. The cards used a foil embossed design with shimmering silver colors and patterns around each player portrait inspired by the Midsummer Classic. Subsets in this series focused on the All-Star Game itself including cards spotlighting the Home Run Derby and highlights from the game itself. With roster and stats updates along with the eye-catching design, Series 4 captured the excitement of the break for baseball’s best gathering in Miami that year.

Wrapping up the flagship set in September was Topps Series 5. Maintaining the color team logo backgrounds from Series 3, this final installment allowed for final stat and roster updates for the conclusion of the 2017 regular season and beginning of the postseason. Notable rookies like Aaron Judge who had breakout rookie seasons were also included. Series 5 contained the concluding installments for subsets started earlier like “Then and Now” and “Stars of the Game”. The designs and information in each series neatly bookended the 2017 baseball year before the start of the fall Classic.

In addition to the five series of flagship cards, Topps also produced several inserts, parallels and specialty subsets throughout 2017. Some examples included the “Flashback Friday” cards recreating design styles from previous decades, “Archive In Action” highlighting great playoff moments, and “Pinstripes” focusing specifically on the New York Yankees. Numerous parallels were also available in numbered versions, autographed relic cards, and special prismatic and refractor finishes that provided appeal for collectors at all levels.

Topps traditionally donates a portion of its baseball card proceeds to support various baseball-related charities each year. In 2017, Topps directed funds to the Baseball Assistance Team which provides financial help and social services for those in the baseball community in need. Topps has actively supported BAT and other causes for decades through their annual MLBPA license, demonstrating part of their ongoing commitment to the game beyond just producing cards for collectors and fans.

Overall, Topps’ 2017 flagship baseball set was another quality production maintaining the company’s standard of regular stat and roster updates befitting the nature of the sport. Incorporating new visual designs each series and compelling subsets, Topps succeeded in creating an engaging and lively annual documentation of MLB’s 66th season alongside digital and social media platforms which have grown baseball card collecting into a global hobby. As America’s Pastime marches on to new frontiers, Topps appears poised to remain a leader in the baseball card industry for the foreseeable future.