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2023 TOPPS HOLIDAY BASEBALL CARDS

The holiday season is a time for celebration, family, and gift giving. For baseball card collectors and fans, it’s also a time when Topps releases their annual Holiday card set. The 2023 Topps Holiday Baseball card set is sure to be a hit with collectors this year.

Topps has been producing special holiday-themed baseball card sets since the late 1980s. What started as a fun, limited release set has grown into one of the most highly anticipated card releases each year. The holiday sets allow Topps to get creative with card designs while celebrating the holidays and featuring some of the biggest names in the game.

The 2023 Topps Holiday Baseball card set is expected to include base cards showing players in festive holiday poses or settings. Past sets have featured players holding gifts, wearing Santa hats, or standing in front of a Christmas tree. Photographs are often taken during the offseason so players can get into the holiday spirit. Rosters will feature current MLB superstars as well as rookie sensations from the 2022 season.

In addition to base cards, collectors can expect to find popular insert sets packed with parallels, autographs, and memorabilia cards. Topps Holiday insert sets in recent years have paid tribute to holidays around the world, featured “ornaments” of players, and more. Special parallel versions on gold, silver, and other color-shifted stock add to the visual appeal and collector value. Autograph and memorabilia cards with material from special events allow collectors a chance at rare, game-used relics.

The release of the 2023 Topps Holiday Baseball card set is scheduled for November 2023. Like the flagship Topps series, the holiday set will be available in traditional wax packs, boxes, and hobby-exclusive cases. Retail blasters, hangers, and fat packs ensure availability beyond just hobby shops. This widespread distribution helps the holiday cards find their way into the hands of collectors both casual and die-hard.

While the base cards and common parallels can be found with relative ease, the chase inserts and hits will be scarce. Topps limits the print runs on autographs, memorabilia, and rare parallel versions to maintain their desirability. This scarcity fuels collector demand, especially for rookie stars and popular veterans. Sites like eBay allow collectors to track previous year’s sales to gauge which players and inserts hold the most value.

Topps has set the standard for holiday baseball cards since the 1980s. Each year’s set captures the magic of the season through creative photography and designs. The 2023 edition is sure to continue that tradition with its on-theme base cards, special inserts, and hits from the current MLB year. Whether collecting for fun or investment, the Topps Holiday release is a must-have for any baseball card enthusiast during the holiday season. With its widespread availability yet limited print runs, the 2023 Topps Holiday Baseball card set will make for perfect gifts or treats for collectors everywhere come November.

2021 TOPPS HOLIDAY BASEBALL CARDS

The 2021 Topps Holiday Baseball card set is one of the most unique, creative and collectible insert sets released each year. While base set rookies and numbered parallels are sought after, the Topps Holiday set stands out for incorporating the Christmas theme into baseball card form. Released each December for the holiday season, the 2021 version continues Topps tradition of beautifully crafted cards showcasing the stars of the sport.

Topps Holiday cards date back to the early 1990s and were initially inserted randomly into packs and boxes along with the standard baseball cards for that year. They gained popularity among collectors for mixing festive artwork and designs alongside players’ regular baseball photos. In more recent years, Topps Holiday cards have been released as self-contained 100-card commemorative sets available to purchase separately from the flagship Topps Series 1, 2 and Update baseball releases.

The 2021 Topps Holiday cards feature a variety of insert designs built around a Christmas theme. Alongside the standard player cards are inserts showcasing various aspects of the holiday season mixed with baseball imagery. One prominent insert is “Topps Snowflakes” which pictures individual players isolated against a white backdrop with their names creatively written out in an artistic snowflake font. Another is “Topps Presents” making players the gift wrapped neatly with a bow under the tree.

Of the 100 total cards in the 2021 Topps Holiday set, 83 feature individual MLB players arranged by their respective teams. Standouts include cover athlete and AL MVP Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels photographed holding a baseball like a globe ornament hanging from the tree. Other top stars highlighted are Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Bryce Harper and Mookie Betts. The set also makes room for several rookie cards including Randy Arozarena, Jonathan India and Trey Mancini after missing 2020 with cancer.

In addition to player cards, the 2021 Topps Holiday release also features manager, coach and team inserts acknowledging different aspects of the season beyond just the players. “Santa’s Helpers” pictures support staff dressed in elf costumes while tending to baseball duties. “Noel Notes” provides fun facts about each team printed on miniature notepad inserts. Historical figures from the sport are also paid tribute to with an “Ornaments of the Game” insert showcasing Hank Aaron, Jackie Robinson and more surrounded by Christmas lights.

Parallels and serial numbered rookie variations add to the desirable chase aspects of the 2021 Topps Holiday set beyond the base cards. “Foil Snowflakes” light up player images with holofoil embellishments while “Sparkly Snowflakes” coat the front in a frosted glimmer finish. Limited red parallel versions of star rookies number the production to just 10 copies bringing immense value. The short printed nature of special parallels coupled with the aesthetically beautiful designs makes completing rainbow sets an enticing pursuit for advanced collectors.

Pricing for individual 2021 Topps Holiday cards varies widely based on player, parallel and autograph/memorabilia content. Base rookie cards for emerging stars like India and Mancini sell in the $5-10 range while established names approach $20-30 per card. Serial numbered parallels jump up exponentially with popular rookie versions in the hundreds of dollars due to scarcity. Autograph and memorabilia insert cards signed by All-Stars can fetch thousands due to their rarity within the 100 card checklist. On the secondary market, individually graded gem mint 10 copies of short printed parallels break previous records.

As highly anticipated Christmas releases, Topps Holiday sets continue capturing collectors’ imaginations year after year. Combining elements of the holiday theme with portraits and stats of today’s greatest baseball talents, the 2021 edition remains a standalone gem within the prestigious Topps portfolio. Whether chasing fan favorites, future Hall of Famers or discovering hidden gems, the Topps Holiday set guarantees discovering new additions to any collection during the most wonderful time of year. Its creativity, quality and festive designs ensure this tradition remains a staple for dedicated sports card collectors worldwide.

TOPPS HOLIDAY BASEBALL CARDS

The Topps Company Inc. has produced iconic baseball cards since the early 1950s, becoming synonymous with America’s beloved pastime. While their standard flagship and special issue sets are released annually each spring, Topps also publishes limited holiday editions in the fall/winter months featuring fun, festive designs celebrating the various winter holidays throughout December.

The tradition of Topps Holiday Baseball Cards began in 1983 with their “Holiday Pack” issue. Containing 35 total cards across 5 different designs, each paid homage to a specific wintertime celebration such as Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Years, and Thanksgiving. Players were adorned with corresponding clothing like Santa hats, dreidels, kinaras candles, party hats, and more. The retro, whimsical visuals were a major hit with collectors.

Throughout the 1980s and 90s, Topps continued launching new Holiday Packs each year with updated themes and designs. Notable sets included the 1984 “Hats Off to the Holidays” that dressed players in various holiday headwear and the 1992 “Twas the Night Before Christmas” issue depicting players acting out verses from the classic poem. During this period, Holiday Packs typically contained 30-50 total cards of current MLB stars and were sold exclusively in specialty hobby shops or direct from Topps.

In 1998, Topps expanded their offerings by issuing the first dedicated Topps Holiday Baseball Card series as opposed to packs. The inaugural 110-card set took inspiration from Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” novel, showing players as characters from the story on uniquely illustrated cards. From there, annual dedicated Holiday sets with 100+ cards each became the norm sold primarily through mass retail. Design concepts have ranged from winter activities to classic stories and films throughout the decades.

Some notable Topps Holiday sets of the 2000s include 2004’s 144 card “Candy Cane Lane” issue featuring players amidst snowy suburbs. 2007’s 156 card “Jingle All the Way” set brought the festive spirit to the ballpark with players dressed as Santa or carrying presents on snow-covered diamonds. 2011 took collectors back to the 1950s with the 150 card “A Very Vintage Christmas” honoring mid-century holiday styles and advertisements.

Topps has also commemorated special milestones with premium Holiday releases. In 2013, they celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Holiday Card phenomenon with the premium “Holiday Treasures” issue featuring retrospective inserts and parallels. Another premium 150 card “Tinsel and Trimmings” set was issued in 2020 during the unprecedented Covid-19 impacted season to lift spirits.

In more recent years, Topps Holiday Baseball Cards have evolved designs to stay relevant for new generations of collectors. 2016’s 150 card ” 12 Days of Christmas” featured players unboxing presents in a popular YouTube-style short video format. The 2018 “It’s a Wonderful Life” inspired 152 card issue had short bios describing how the holiday season impacts each player personally.

A passion for tradition, history, community, and family are what drive the winter holiday spirit each year. Through their creatively crafted annual Holiday Baseball Card releases, Topps has become an integral part of spreading seasonal cheer among baseball fans and collectors for nearly four decades. Their popularity endures as one of the hobby’s most beloved special issues, offering a reminder to enjoy life’s simple pleasures both on and off the ballfield during this festive time of year.

TOPPS HOLIDAY BASEBALL CARDS 2022

Topps released their annual holiday baseball card offerings in late 2022, continuing a tradition of fun, themed cards to celebrate the holidays and ring in the new year. As with previous Holiday releases, the 2022 set featured many of baseball’s biggest stars in festive poses and settings sure to bring some holiday cheer to collectors and fans alike.

Some key things to know about the Topps Holiday Baseball Cards 2022 release:

The base set included 125 total cards, with photos of current MLB players dressed in holiday attire like Santa hats, reindeer antlers, and ugly sweaters. Popular veterans and young stars were all featured.

Parallels and insert sets added to the collector chase. Holiday parallels included photo and artist variants with snowflake, ribbon, and candy cane designs.

Popular inserts included Candy Cane Lane, featuring close-up headshots of players with candy cane striped borders. Another stood out insert set was Christmas Lights, placing players in front of colorful holiday light displays.

For the first time, Topps included autographed memorabilia cards in the Holiday release. Rated rookies and veteran stars provided autographs on cards that blended signature relics with festive holiday graphics.

International players joined the fun, showing that the holiday spirit crosses borders. Stars from various Latin American countries celebrated their own cultural traditions like Dia de los Reyes and Three Kings Day.

Bonus pack incentives and prize cards added to the excitement of the product. Rare parallel photo variations carried scarce print runs to entice collectors to seek the elusive chase cards.

Some notable individual cards that stood out in the set and excited collectors included:

Shohei Ohtani Santa – The Japanese two-way star donned a full Santa Claus outfit complete with hat, beard, and bag of toys in a fun nod to his popularity on both sides of the Pacific.

Bryce Harper Christmas Sweater – The slugging outfielder sported an ugly Christmas sweater with lights and embroidered snowflakes spelling out his last name – a reminder of the holidays even for MLB’s biggest stars.

Julio Rodriguez Reindeer Antlers – The emerging young Mariners star showed his playful side by donning reindeer antlers in full uniform, an homage to his breakout rookie campaign.

Albert Pujols Three Kings Day – The future Hall of Famer celebrated Epiphany traditions from his native Dominican Republic, honoring his cultural roots through the holiday parallel photo.

Judge/Ohtani Candy Cane Lane Duo – Two of the game’s biggest talents stood side by side sporting candy stripes, a perfect insert encapsulating the 2022 season for the AL Triple Crown contenders.

deGrom Snow Day Auto – A 1/1 red parallel autographed memorabilia card of the Mets ace posed casually by some fake snow, a true rarity for dedicated deGrom PC collectors.

As with any year, the Holiday release maintained Topps’ tradition of putting fun, seasonally-themed cardboard into the hands of fans during the most wonderful time of the year. With over a century of experience producing baseball cards, Topps once again succeeded in crafting a memorable and coveted collector’s item to ring in the holidays. Whether adding to player collections or bringing smiles during gift-exchanging, the 2022 Topps Holiday Baseball Cards brought some yuletide cheer to the hobby.

2022 HOLIDAY BASEBALL CARDS

The holiday season is upon us once again, and for baseball card collectors that means a new batch of holiday themed cards being inserted into retail packs. While holiday cards have been a tradition in the hobby for decades, recent years have seen manufacturers get more creative with their designs and inclusion of popular current players.

Topps continues to be the leader in holiday cards, with several insert sets planned for their 2022 releases. Their main flagship “Holiday Wishes” set will feature over 50 big name stars in festive photo poses wishing fans a happy holiday. Players like Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Juan Soto will surely be hot commodities for collectors. A fun twist Topps is adding this year is dual poses, with some cards showing the same player in both a Christmas and Hanukkah themed image.

Panini also has holiday offerings planned for their Donruss and Prizm basketball products extending into baseball. Their “Tis The Season” parallels will showcase rainbow foil photos of up-and-coming young stars like Bobby Witt Jr. and Julio Rodriguez. An added bonus is some of these parallels come serially numbered to only 25 copies, making them true short prints.

For collectors looking to open retail packs of Donruss or Prizm and find a hit, these inserts provide that excitement of the unknown in every pack during the gift-giving time of year. With baseball’s rising stars, the designs capture both the present and future of the sport in a festive wrapper.

Another innovative holiday set comes from Leaf with their “12 Days of Baseball” cards. Taking inspiration from the classic Christmas carol, each day represents a different player featured within a snow globe design. Ranging from legends like Hank Aaron to current aces like Shane McClanahan, it’s a creative way to showcase over a dozen different athletes.

Leaf also has “Snow Day” parallels in their Metal Universe and VALOR football/basketball products that will crossover into baseball. Featuring a wintry snow-covered photo within a snowflake frame, these 1-of-1 printing plate parallels are true one-of-a-kind collector’s items sure to end up under the tree or in a stocking for someone special.

While the biggest three manufacturers lead the way, smaller independent companies are getting into the holiday spirit as well. Stadium Club from Topps continues their mini card tradition with a “Tiny Trees” set of Lilliputian size stockings and trees featuring today’s stars.

Black Gold from Press Pass has a “Deck the Halls” insert set showcasing players within Christmas lights and ornaments. For vintage collectors, Sportlots is releasing a “Yuletide Yankees” set recreating vintage 1960s Topps designs of Yankee greats in wintry poses.

Whether it’s hunting for stars, chasing short prints, or appreciating creative designs, holiday baseball cards are a fun way for collectors of all interests to find some surprises over the gift-giving season. With new innovations and popular current players, 2022 looks to be a memorable year for the hobby’s wintertime tradition. From stocking stuffers to presents under the tree, baseball cards are sure to spread some holiday cheer amongst collectors young and old.

MOST VALUABLE 2020 TOPPS HOLIDAY BASEBALL CARDS

The 2020 Topps Holiday Baseball card set featured a variety of special inserts and parallels that have become highly sought after by collectors. With the holiday set only being available in limited quantities through direct purchase from Topps or winning boxes in giveaways and contests, the rarity of some of these cards has driven values up significantly in the year since their release.

One of the most popular sets included in the 2020 Topps Holiday release was the 12 Days of Baseball collection. This featured iconic players photographed in a winter setting, with each card relating to a different Christmas theme or tradition. The biggest hits from this set tend to be the parallels and serially numbered versions. The 1/1 Mikolas Snowman parallel from this set recently sold for over $1,000. Other highly valuable cards include the Frank Thomas Gingerbread Man 1/1 ($850), Anthony Rizzo Eggnog 1/1 (nearly $700), and Yasmani Grandal Mistletoe parallel (/25) which has traded hands for around $250.

Another prized insert set was Holiday Cheer, featuring colorful renderings of MLB stars wishing fans a merry Christmas. Justin Verlander’s card from this insert is among the most costly, with a Gold parallel (/50) selling for $425. But perhaps the single most expensive card from the entire 2020 Topps Holiday set is the Alex Bregman Holiday Cheer 1/1, which a lucky collector acquired for a whopping $1,850 back in December 2020. Bregman’s popularity and on-field success have continued to drive interest and demand for this ultra-rare parallel.

When it comes to the base set, the biggest money cards tend to focus around rookie sensations and active superstars. Foremost among these is Fernando Tatis Jr’s base card, with a recent PSA 10 Gem Mint grade fetching $450. Tatis’ success and young age make him one of the most in-demand players in the hobby. Likewise, cards of rookie sensations like Dylan Carlson and Devin Williams in top grades have seen similar lofty prices in the $300-400 range over the past year.

Veteran superstars still hold plenty of collector interest as well. A PSA 10 Mike Trout base from the 2020 Holiday set traded at auction for $380 last spring. Other high-dollar examples include a Bregman PSA 10 at $300 and a Christian Yelich mint copy reaching $275. But some lesser stars can see major jumps in value based on parallel and serial numbering scarcity. A prized example is Mike Clevinger’s Gold Wave parallel (/50), which sold for an astonishing $600 last summer during one of the hobby’s peaks.

For collectors seeking investment-grade potential, the lowest-numbered parallels and serial-numbered inserts from the 2020 Holiday set offer the most upside. The Trout Gold Wave (/50) and Photo Variation (1/1) would command five-figure sums for the right buyer. But ultra-short print parallel versions of talented young talents could emerge as long-term gems. Examples that may appreciate significantly given their players’ talents include Wander Franco Forest Green (/15 – recently traded at $600), Luis Robert Green Wave (/25 – $450 estimated value), and Bo Bichette Photo Variation (1/1, valued around $800 if it surfaced on the market today).

There’s no question that the COVID-19 pandemic supercharged interest in sports collecting over the past year. That phenomenon, coupled with the holiday set’s small production numbers, helped drive early speculation and investment into the 2020 Topps Holiday Baseball release. While the initial frenzy has cooled, many of these prized cards hold potential to further appreciate – especially those featuring today’s emerging stars or parallels with the lowest print runs. Savvy collectors understand the long-term potential of securing iconic rookies, veterans, and serially numbered inserts in top condition from a critically acclaimed yet Limited modern set release like 2020 Topps Holiday Baseball.

2022 TOPPS BASEBALL HOLIDAY CARDS

Topps is one of the leading producers of sports trading cards, renowned for its iconic baseball cards released each year. For the 2022 holiday season, Topps released a special insert set within its flagship baseball card product called “Topps Holiday.” Featuring festive designs and winter themes, these inserts have become a highly anticipated new tradition for collectors each December.

The 2022 Topps Holiday insert set totals 78 cards and features every MLB team represented. Each card depicts a current player from that franchise dressed in a custom designed winter outfit. Most feature winter clothing like coats, hats and gloves, while others get more creative. For example, New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso is dressed as Santa Claus complete with a fake white beard and red suit. Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez is depicted wearing reindeer antlers and a red nose.

Topps’ designers clearly had fun with the concept, coming up with unique winter-themed costumes and poses for each player. San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. is lifting a present over his head while Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw pretends to ice skate. Some cards even incorporate actual winter activities, like Detroit Tigers pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez proudly displaying a freshly caught fish on an ice fishing hole.

In addition to simply being visually appealing collector’s items, one of the biggest draws of Topps Holiday cards is the potential for increased memorabilia value over time. Since they depict specially designed one-of-a-kind costume concepts, each individual card carries rarity compared to standard uniform poses from Topps base sets. As a result, authenticated Topps Holiday cards featuring star players often trade for a premium on the secondary market.

For example, based on recent eBay sales, the Tatis Jr. and Alonso cards from the 2022 series have sold for around $10-15 each graded and encased by third party authentication companies like PSA or SGC. Rookie sensation Julio Rodriguez’s reindeer-adorned card has brought $20-25. Meanwhile vintage 1990 Topps Holiday cards of Hall of Famers like Kirby Puckett and Cal Ripken Jr. in their fake winter gear have sold for over $100.

Part of what helps drive interest and memorabilia value for Topps Holiday inserts over the years is the increasing scarcity as versions from past decades become more difficult to find in high grade. Since they saw significantly less manufacturing runs and distribution compared to standard flagship releases, pristine preserved examples of early 1990s Topps Holiday cards have developed cult followings among collectors.

Gem mint PSA 10 examples of Ken Griffey Jr. as Santa from 1992 or Frank Thomas as the Abominable Snowman from 1993 can fetch thousands of dollars at auction. This scarcity factor is a big part of what also fuels demand when brand new Topps Holiday sets are released each December, as collectors eagerly snap them up hoping to acquire popular stars for potential long term value.

There is no disputing the impact Topps Holiday inserts have had on the collectibles market since their debut over 30 years ago. They offer a fresh spin on the standard baseball card concept by dressing players in playful winter wardrobes. While meant first and foremost as a fun collector’s novelty, their Memorabilia potential has grown each year.

As more recent Topps Holiday issues featuring current stars like Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuña Jr. enter the collecting spectrum, their values will be closely watched. Only time will tell which specific cards from the 2022 series achieve durable demand and appreciation over the next few decades. But one thing is for certain – Topps Holiday continues to be a highlight among baseball card collectors anticipated release each year during the holiday season.

2022 TOPPS HOLIDAY BASEBALL CARDS

The 2022 Topps Holiday baseball card set is a special winter release from Topps that captures the festive spirit of the holiday season. As with previous years, the set features current MLB players dressed in holiday themed attire and poses. The 2022 edition introduces some new designs and innovations that collectors will enjoy.

At only 150 cards, the set is smaller than typical Topps flagship releases. Each card features premium quality photography to capture the unique holiday moments. For the first time, several parallels were included to add to the excitement of the product. Silver Snowflake parallels have snowflakes embedded throughout the design. Gold Snowflake versions feature gold snowflakes. Red Snowflake parallels are done entirely in red with white snowflakes. These parallel designs give collectors multiple card variants to find of their favorite players.

Some of the most sought after cards in the set feature cover athletes and superstars. The Juan Soto card has him dressed as Santa Claus complete with hat and bag of toys. The cover card of Shohei Ohtani has him dressed as an elf while holding a baseball. Other notable cards include Aaron Judge as Frosty the Snowman, Mookie Betts as a gingerbread man, and Ronald Acuña Jr as the Abominable Snowman. Collectors love finding creative holiday themes applied to today’s top MLB talents.

Beyond the main set, Topps also included several promotional inserts to add value. ‘Holiday Traditions’ cards highlight various winter celebrations from around the world. ’12 Days of Baseball’ is a countdown featuring different players each day. ‘Winter Warmups’ imagines players prepping for spring training in holiday gear. And ‘Presents Under the Tree’ puts players beside wrapped gifts with fun surprises inside. These inserts provide extra cards to find beyond the base checklist.

In a nod to the digital card collecting boom, Topps also released the 2022 Holiday set as NFTs on Topps NFL All Day. These include the base cards along with exclusive “Snow Globe” parallels only available digitally. Within the Topps NFL All Day platform, the Holiday NFTs can be collected, traded, and potentially increase in value over time. It expands the reach of the property beyond traditional physical cards.

For collectors of the physical product, Topps Holiday was available in several retail formats. Hobby boxes contained 10 packs with an average of 3 cards per pack. Blaster boxes held 18 packs. And value jumbo packs had 20 cards total. Retail products were sold at major hobby shops, card shows, and some big box retailers. Online, the set was also available in boxes or by the pack through Topps.com and major card sites.

Initial reviews of the 2022 Topps Holiday baseball card set were very positive. The creative holiday themes applied to current players were well received. Incorporating parallels for the first time added an element of chase. And the inclusion of digital NFT variants expanded the collector base. For those wanting a fun winter release to enjoy, the 2022 Topps Holiday set delivered premium quality cards in a festive package. Going forward, the property has potential to grow even further by building on this solid foundation.

The 2022 Topps Holiday baseball card set was another successful special release from the industry leader. By capturing today’s MLB stars in creative holiday scenarios, applying premium designs and parallels, including sought after insert cards, and expanding into the digital NFT space, Topps delivered an exciting winter product for collectors. The 2022 edition built upon past Holiday sets and introduced new innovations that should keep the property growing in the years ahead. Whether collecting the physical cards or digital NFT variants, the 2022 Topps Holiday set was a festive way for baseball fans to celebrate the holidays.

2022 TOPPS HOLIDAY BASEBALL CARDS CODES

The 2022 Topps Holiday Baseball card set was released in November 2022 as a limited-edition insert set included randomly in packs of the main 2022 Topps Baseball series 1 and series 2 releases. The holiday cards feature players dressed in festive costumes or poses related to Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s themes. Along with physical card packs, Topps also released digital versions of the cards that can be redeemed through online redemption codes.

The 2022 Topps Holiday Baseball card set totals 80 cards and features current MLB stars from across the league. Notable players included are Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Mookie Betts, Fernando Tatis Jr., and more. The digital codes for these special cards were highly sought after by collectors looking to build their virtual collections without having to hunt packs for the rare physical parallels and variations. Redeeming the codes unlocked special animations, backgrounds, and bonus content not found on the standard cardboard issues.

Topps distributed the holiday card codes in a few different ways. Some codes were included at random in physical 2022 Topps Series 1 and Series 2 hobby boxes, blasters, and hangers. Others were given out through Topps social media accounts like Twitter as prizes in contests and drawings around the release dates. A limited number of complete code sheet sets were also auctioned off on platforms like eBay with all 80 codes bundled together.

For collectors seeking to find the codes on their own, the odds of pulling one were estimated at around 1 in every 10 hobby boxes or 1 in every 50 blasters/hangers. So it required ripping a substantial number of packs to try and find even a single code. This made the code sheets with a full set particularly valuable for those wanting to avoid the cost of buying multiple boxes just for the chance at codes.

Once obtained, redeeming the codes was fairly straightforward. Collectors would go to the Topps website and log into their account. In the “Redeem Codes” section, they could enter the 16-digit alphanumeric code. If valid, the corresponding digital holiday card would then be added to their collection. Each code could only be used once. If an invalid or previously redeemed code was entered, an error message appeared.

In addition to the base holiday cards, Topps also included parallels and short prints in the digital format that provided rarer card artwork and numbering. These included Gold /50, Silver /25, Rainbow Foil /10, Black 1/1, and Hand-Numbered 1/1 variants that drove up demand. After redeeming all codes, collectors could then view, trade, and sell their complete sets or individual cards on the Topps BUNT, Huddler, and TOPPS NOW! apps.

As with most limited edition insert sets, the 2022 Topps Holiday Baseball cards held strong resale value in the weeks after release. Complete code sheet sets in mint condition fetched prices upwards of $500-600 on auction sites. Highly sought rookies and stars with rare parallels also sold for $50-100 individually. Even the base codes retained value of $5-10 each due to the difficulty of finding them. This made the holiday cards a profitable investment for those able to pull or purchase full sets early on.

By the new year, as more codes entered circulation through pack openings and contests, prices gradually declined from the initial hype. Within a few months, complete sets settled in the $200-300 range while individual base cards could be had for $2-5 each. Still, for casual collectors it remained a challenge to obtain all 80 cards without spending over MSRP on product or codes. The limited print run and short shelf life kept the 2022 Topps Holiday Baseball cards highly coveted among digital and physical collectors alike long after the holidays passed.

The 2022 Topps Holiday Baseball card codes represented a fun way for Topps to celebrate the season and engage collectors beyond the standard cardboard releases. While finding the codes required luck or deep pockets, for those able to redeem a full set the experience of collecting the festive player cards provided entertainment and brought digital and physical collecting together. The rarity, bonus content, and resale value ensured the holiday inserts remained a hot commodity throughout the new year.

TOPPS 2021 HOLIDAY BASEBALL CARDS

Topps launched its 2021 Holiday Baseball card set in November 2021, featuring special designs and inserts focused around the Christmas and holiday season. For over 70 years, Topps has been producing special sets around the winter holidays to celebrate baseball and the festive time of year.

The 2021 Holiday set continues this tradition, containing 252 base cards making up rosters for all 30 Major League Baseball teams at the time of production. For collectors of complete team sets, this provides a nice winter offering with all current players. As with most Topps Holiday releases, the designs on the base cards feature a wintry, Christmas-themed template rather than standard baseball imagery. Player photos are encased in colored snowflake borders with holly leaf edges.

Beyond the base cards, Topps packed this set with a fun assortment of specialized inserts meant to convey the holiday spirit. One of the most popular is the “Presents Under the Tree” parallel, featuring players dressed as Santa Claus holding boxes wrapped in their team colors. Only inserted 1 per pack on average, these Santa parallels fetch a premium on the secondary market. Other popular inserts include “Cookies & Milk” player cards laid out next to a plate of holiday treats as well as retro styled “Holiday Past” cards based on 1960s and 70s designs.

New for 2021, Topps introduced a “Holiday Homes” insert set transporting players to festive winter scenes. Ranging from 1-5 cards per player, these pose athletes inside snow globe dioramas or decorating Christmas trees amid falling snow. Outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. received the highest Homes count at 5 cards in different locations, while stars like Shohei Ohtani and Fernando Tatis Jr. also received multiple Homes inserts reflecting their popularity. When paired together, the home scenes can form larger winter landscape collages – providing fun for collectors to assemble.

While base rosters make up the bulk of packs, Topps upped the excitement for this release by beefing up the ratio of short printed parallels and hit cards. Findable at approximately 1 per hobby box on average, the “Snowflakes” parallel dresses base cards in a delicate lace of white flakes adding sophistication. Numbered to only 2021 copies, these proved very desirable for collectors chasing limited edition versions of their PC players. As a true chase card, Topps crafted a 1/1 printing plate autographed by Tommy Pham to end its Inception autograph checklist with extreme rarity.

Packaged in festive red and green designs clearly branded as a holiday product, the 2021 Topps Holiday Baseball set proved very popular upon its late fall release. While supply chain and printing issues delayed some shipments into early 2022, the finished product lived up to the highly anticipated release. Containing fun new insert sets combined with the traditional base cards and parallels collectors look forward to each year, the 2021 edition gave baseball card fans plenty of holiday cheer to unwrap. On the resale market, the set has maintained steady premium pricing reflecting its place among the most coveted winter releases in sports card history.

Overall, Topps’ continued production of annual Holiday Baseball sets is something fans look forward to each November. While future pandemic disruptions remain a risk, the 2021 edition showed the company’s commitment and creativity in delivering a memorable winter treat for collectors. The inserted dioramas, retro designs, and increased short prints all amounted to one of the most exciting Holiday releases in recent memory. For those lucky enough to open valuable hits pulling Acuña Jr. Homes or the 1/1 Pham plate, the set provided lifetime memories of sharing the holiday spirit of baseball cards.