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DO BASEBALL CARDS STILL HAVE VALUE

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Baseball cards have been a collectible item for over a century and many people wonder if they still have value in today’s digital age. The answer is a definitive yes – baseball cards can still hold significant financial value, especially for rare and vintage cards in good condition. The value of any given card depends on many factors that collectors and dealers closely evaluate.

One of the primary things that gives baseball cards lasting value is nostalgia. For many people who grew up in the 1950s-1980s era, collecting cards was an integral part of their childhood and love of the game. Even younger generations today recognize the nostalgia and history captured in vintage cardboard. As long as baseball itself endures as America’s pastime, there will likely remain a market for those classic cards that stir fond memories for older collectors and cultural historians.

Card condition is obviously a major determinant of value. It’s rare to find pristine, gem mint vintage cards in their original packaging. Even minor flaws can significantly reduce a card’s worth. For example, a mint 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card in a PSA/BGS 10 gem rating has sold for over $2 million. The same card in poorer condition might fetch only $50-100K. Advanced grading services like PSA, BGS, SGC provide consistent standards to assess condition – which increases market liquidity and trust in a card’s value.

Of course, the individual players depicted hold immense sway over card prices. Superstar rookie cards from baseball’s golden era – Mantle, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, etc – will likely remain blue-chip collectibles. But stars of today like Mike Trout, Ronald Acuna Jr also have cards that stand to gain substantial long-term worth if they cement careers among the sport’s greats. Even obscure 1950s players like Sherm Lollar can suddenly spike in demand/value when a set they appear in appreciates over decades of collecting.

Beyond nostalgia and player/condition factors, simple supply and demand economics apply strongly to the baseball card market. The relative scarcity of any given vintage cardboard release is a primary driver of increasing collectible prices over the long run. Common 1959 Topps cards are less than $1 while rarer subsets and parallels in the same set can sell for thousands due to their limited initial print runs decades ago. This supply vs demand balance ensures continuing high valuations for vintage cards, especially as older collectors thin collectible holdings over time.

While the most iconic vintage cards are out of reach price-wise for most hobbyists, more affordable options still abound. Complete commons-based vintage sets can be assembled in the $100s-1000s and show steady appreciation potential over time. Modern stellar rookies from the late 1980s to today remain nicely affordable but hold future blue-chip potential as those players careers unfold. There are also many worthwhile specialty releases for collectors – like unique parallel, serial numbered, auto/relic cards where individual values are less tied to massive vintage/rookie cards markets.

Trading card companies release new products every year, securing ongoing interest in the industry as new stars are introduced and current players have new cards issued. Popular modern brands like Topps, Panini, Bowman produce affordable wax box breaks, blasters and hobby packs that give collectors fresh cardboard chasing. Parallel modern and vintage parallel card markets have also energized the hobby in recent decades with more esoteric collecting variations between brands. These expanding card categories help spread collector interest – and ensure ongoing demand and value across the industry for years ahead.

In summary – while some rare 1939 Playball cards might set new record prices with each passing decade, most vintage baseball cards provide steady long-term financial value to collectors simply by retaining utility as accessible historical artifacts in a stable, well-supported market. As long as the game of baseball survives into the next century and beyond, vintage cardboard value seems secure through both rarity factors and the nostalgia it evokes for past eras of America’s pastime. With evolving collector tastes and new cardboard being made every year, baseball cards continue to hold great worth both financially and culturally within the sports collecting world. The heyday of the1980s-90s boom may have cooled, but hobby endurance suggests the baseball card business is a solid long term investment even today.

DOES UPPER DECK STILL MAKE BASEBALL CARDS

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Upper Deck was founded in 1988 by entrepreneur Richard McWilliam. At the time, the baseball card industry was dominated by Topps and Donruss. McWilliam felt there was room to disrupt the market with a new brand focused on higher quality products. Upper Deck released their first baseball cards in 1989 featuring Ken Griffey Jr. on the cover. The cards were of nicer stock and produced using superior photography compared to the competition. This helped Upper Deck gain popularity and market share quickly.

Throughout the 1990s, Upper Deck was one of the big three baseball card manufacturers along with Topps and Fleer. They signed licensing deals with MLB, MLBPA, and the individual teams to produce official baseball cards. Some of their popular releases from this decade included Upper Deck Baseball, Stadium Club, and Ultra. Stadium Club became known for its glossy stock and beautiful photography. Ultra had elaborate inserts and parallels to excite collectors. During the baseball card boom of the early 90s, Upper Deck’s businesses prospered as people of all ages participated in the hobby.

The baseball card market crashed in the mid-1990s due to overproduction. Too many cards were released, which decreased values. Also, the internet was becoming more widely used, which led collectors to seek vintage cards instead of new products. This downturn significantly hurt Upper Deck and Fleer, as Topps had more financing to weather the storm. Fleer even filed for bankruptcy in 1991. Upper Deck survived but scaled back set releases and employee numbers in the late 1990s.

Into the 2000s, Upper Deck remained in the baseball card industry but took on smaller roles. They maintained their MLB license but no longer had the resources or market share of the 1990s heyday. Some popular releases included Ultimate Collection, which had high-end memorabilia cards. From 2005-2007, Upper Deck also produced MLB player lot licenses, allowing individual player contracts. These licenses expired and were not renewed long-term. Throughout the 2000s, Upper Deck focused more on hockey, basketball, and other sports versus baseball cards.

Today, Upper Deck still holds the MLBPA player license, which allows them to use active ballplayer names and images. However, Topps has the exclusive MLB tobacco card license through 2030. Within these parameters, Upper Deck produces modern baseball sets like Goodwin Champions on an annual basis featuring current stars. They have also released retro-style products like Ultimate Collection: Hall of Fame that revisits the 1990s design aesthetics. Additionally, Upper Deck authenticates and grades vintage/historic baseball cards through their Sports Authentication and Grading Services division.

While no longer one of the primary producers due to Topps’ MLB license, Upper Deck remains involved in the baseball card industry over 30 years after their founding. They have adapted their business model to focus more on set authentication, grading, and specialty nostalgic releases instead of mainstream annuals. Upper Deck’s high-quality beginnings also secured their place in the hobby’s history books. As long as there is collector interest in the sport, Upper Deck will likely find ways to participate creatively in the baseball card market for years to come.

ARE UPPER DECK BASEBALL CARDS STILL MADE

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Upper Deck was founded in 1988 and revolutionized the baseball card industry by introducing innovative printing techniques and card designs. They were the first company to use state-of-the-art printing technology that provided sharper images and cleaner lines on the cards compared to their competitors. Upper Deck also popularized the inclusion of swatches of game-used memorabilia in high-end cards. These innovations helped Upper Deck rise to dominate the baseball card market in the late 1980s and 1990s.

While other companies have seen their sales and popularity decline in recent decades, Upper Deck has remained one of the top baseball card manufacturers. They have maintained their reputation for high quality card stock, printing, and exclusive memorabilia relics by continuing to invest in the latest printing technologies. Upper Deck also differentiates their product by focusing on innovative collectors-oriented insert sets rather than mass-produced base sets. Examples include their annual “Artists Proof” set where various artists create one-of-a-kind renderings of players, as well as serial-numbered parallel versions of star rookie cards with coveted autographs or memorabilia pieces.

Upper Deck’s enduring popularity is a testament to their ability to evolve with the dynamics of the hobby. As the card industry transitioned from the “junk wax era” of the early 90s into the information age, Upper Deck was quick to embrace new technologies. They were one of the first companies to release insert sets only available as redemptions in hobby boxes that could be redeemed online. Upper Deck also launched collector-focused social media pages, online group breaks of cases, and live-streaming of meetings with players early on to better connect with their community.

The hobby today looks much different than when Upper Deck first started. While the collecting of base rookies and stars remains popular, many buyers are now focused on rare memorabilia cards and prospects. To satisfy this evolved demand, Upper Deck selectively includes coveted autograph and relic cards of up-and-coming stars even in their mainstream products like Series 1 and 2. High-end seasonal releases like Tribute and Elite Extra Edition offer sought-after autograph and memorabilia rookie cards of the game’s future phenoms at serial numbers less than 10 copies. For collectors chasing the rarest cards, Upper Deck’s Luxury Suite and Best of Sports issues come with premium patches, autographs on card, and 1/1 printing plates.

Upper Deck also utilizes their printing technology advantage to offer specialty parallel cards for discerning collectors. In recent years they’ve created parallel rainbow collections with colors like Gold, Sapphire, Rainbow Foil, and Topps Chrome-style refractor for star players. Numbered down to singular copies, these ultra-premium parallels command prices in the thousands of dollars. The company even sometimes collaborates with jewelers to physically infuse gems into exceptionally rare parallel cards.

A key part of Upper Deck’s long-term success in the baseball card market lies in their ability to secure high-profile players for autograph signings and memorabilia incorporation. Their exclusive multi-year partnerships with star players allow Upper Deck to design dedicated autograph and memorabilia cards for release over several seasons. Recent examples include deals struck with Mike Trout, Ronald Acuña Jr., Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani where Upper Deck gets first access to game-used memorabilia and signatures for inserts. These sorts of exclusive player arrangements keep collectors coming back to Upper Deck products year after year for the closest relics and autographs of their favorite stars.

The company has also expanded beyond baseball into other major sports over the years like football, basketball, hockey, soccer and MMA. Baseball remains their flagship sport as the origins and history within the hobby run deepest. From mainstream annual sets to high-end serial-numbered releases, Upper Deck continues producing a wide array of baseball cards that appeal to collectors across all levels. As long as the hobby retains devoted fans and the sport produces new stars, Upper Deck shows no signs of slowing down or relinquishing their position as one of the baseball card industry’s premier manufacturers. Their consistent application of cutting-edge printing technology and focus on rare memorabilia keeps collectors investing heavily in Upper Deck products decades after their founding.

Yes Upper Deck remains a major producer of baseball cards today through their application of innovative printing techniques, relationships with star players, and emphasis on exclusive memorabilia relics for discerning collectors. They have sustained relevance through adapting to changes in the hobby while preserving the traditions that made them famous. As long as those integral elements stay core to Upper Deck’s model, it is reasonable to expect they will continue making baseball cards for passionate collectors to enjoy.

DO THEY STILL PUT GUM IN BASEBALL CARDS

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The tradition of including chewing gum with baseball cards originated in the late 19th century when baseball cards were first introduced as a marketing tool and promotional item by the manufacturers and sellers of chewing gum and cigarettes. By providing appealing collectible cards along with their products, gum and tobacco companies were able to generate interest in their brands from children and adults alike who enjoyed collecting and trading the cards. Over the following decades as baseball cards grew into a major sports collectibles phenomenon, the inclusion of gum with packs of cards became an established part of the experiences for countless people who began assembling their treasured collections through regularly purchasing bags or packs of cards paired with sticks of gum.

Beginning in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the practice of bundling gum with baseball cards started to decline significantly for a few key reasons. One factor was the rising awareness around that time of the substantial health risks associated with chewing gum, especially for children who represented a primary target market and consumer base for baseball cards. There were growing concerns that providing gum along with cards could be encouraging unhealthy chewing habits in young fans and collectors. The material composition of gum posed sanitation issues when left adhered inside card packaging or stuck to the fronts and backs of the cards themselves over time. This gum residue risks damaging and diminishing the value and conditions of the prized collectibles.

A major practical consideration that drove the phasing out of gum inclusion was the dwindling profitability of the business model for card manufacturers. Withskyrocketing costs to obtain exclusive baseball card licenses and contracts from professional leagues and player unions, combining gum, which has very thin profit margins, with each pack of cards cut heavily into the potential revenue and net profits achievable from card sales. The perishability of unsold gum inventory left sitting in warehouses or store shelves represented a waste of resources. Eliminating gum from the equation allowed companies to focus on the primary collectibles aspect of the business and optimize their pricing strategies.

By the early-to-mid 1990s, only a small handful of mainstream baseball card manufacturers like Fleer and Leaf still offered a very limited number of series or subsets that included bubble gum, typically just one stick per pack. But these remaining gum-inclusive offerings were phased out by the late 1990s. Some smaller regional or independent card companies producing niche subsets experimented with bundling unique gum varieties into the late 1990s/early 2000s, but their products represented a tiny portion of the overall baseball card market.

Amid the post-gum era that has now persisted for over 25 years, certain brands have testing limited runs or subsets paired with non-chewable novelty confections like hard candies to inject some nostalgic fun while avoiding prior gum-related issues. But for the most important national brands dominating the multi-billion dollar sports card sector today such as Topps, Panini, Upper Deck, and others, bundling actual chewing gum with packs of baseball cards is definitely a thing of the distant past.

It’s also worth noting that while gum has vanished from packaged baseball cards, nostalgia for that era has kept some independent nostalgia-focused vendors in business producing low-print run reprints of classic 1970s/1980s card designs bundled with period-appropriate bubble gum for adult collectors seeking a blast of retro fun and memories. The mainstream big league commercial sports card industry has very conclusively moved away from gum inclusion due to profit, sanitation, and public health concerns and has been a gum-free zone for card enthusiasts, young and old, during this new century so far.

So in conclusion, with full awareness raised of the health issues combined with reduced profitability from candy partnerships, the sports memorabilia powerhouses responsible for the lion’s share of modern baseball card production have decisively abandoned the traditional practice of bundling gum with packs of cards that date back to the earliest emergence of the collectibles hobby over a century ago. While niche novelty releases still experiment, the standardized baseball card product found on mass retailer shelves today remains 100% gum-free after over 25 years without any sign of that changing in the foreseeable future based on current industry and consumer trends.

IS TOPPS STILL MAKING BASEBALL CARDS

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Topps has been producing baseball cards since 1938 and remains the dominant force in the baseball card industry to this day. As the longtime exclusive partner of Major League Baseball for producing sealed packs of baseball cards for retail sale, Topps holds the exclusive license to include MLB team logos and player likenesses on its baseball cards. This license agreement with MLB grants Topps exclusive worldwide rights to produce stickers, trading cards, games and other related products featuring current major league players, team logos and trademarks through the 2030 season.

Topps’ flagship baseball card product each year is the release of its new Series 1 trading card set coinciding with the start of the Major League Baseball season in April. The Series 1 cards feature the newest photos of players from Spring Training as well as rookie cards for players who made their MLB debuts the previous season. A few months later in July, Topps follows up with its Series 2 card release which contains additional cards not included in Series 1, sometimes featuring updated photos of players from the current season. Later in the season in either August or September, Topps rounds out its annual baseball card release cycle with a Series 3 checklist of cards before moving on to special subset and insert sets like Topps Chrome, Photography Photo variations and various parallels.

In addition to its core Series 1, 2 and 3 Sets released each season under the Topps brand name, Topps also produces separate high-end and premium baseball card offerings. These include products like Topps Finest, Topps Tribute and Topps Five Star which feature rare refractors, autographs, memorabilia cards and low printed parallel versions of the base card designs. Topps also holds licenses to produce specialty baseball sets themed around milestone statistics anniversaries or containing special photo variations. Products like Topps Heritage and Topps Opening Day recreate vintage designs from Topps’ early baseball card years while Topps Archives uses high quality reproductions of historically significant cards.

As a long-established leader in the baseball card market, Topps has the financial resources and licensing relationships necessary to produce very limited premium products aimed at serious adult collectors with substantial disposable income. For example, Topps Inception and Topps Transcendent boxes guarantee rare 1/1 autograph or memorabilia cards personalized and game-used pieces to command five figures or more from enthusiastic collectors.

While physical printed cardboard remains its core product, Topps has also transitioned baseball cards into digital form. Since 2015, Topps has offered its BUNT and TOPPS NOW apps compatible with iOS, Android and Facebook devices. Through these apps, collectors can collect and trade virtual cards containing the same MLB photography seen on physical cards. Topps BUNT essentially replicates the baseball card collecting experience through a mobile app interface while TOPPS NOW allows users to collect timely Limited Edition cards commemorating iconic MLB moments within a matter of hours or days of them occurring during the season.

Alongside its digital initiatives, Topps’ brick and mortar presence in the baseball card market remains strong as well. Each year, collectors flock to specialized hobby shops nationwide stocked with the latest Topps Series Sets, retail blaster and hobby boxes as well as related collectibles like autographed memorabilia, stacks of commons/uncommons and sealed vintage repack boxes. Through such retail avenues, Topps ensures its MLB-licensed baseball cards remain available and promote an in-person social experience for collectors of all ages to participate in the time-honored tradition alongside others with a shared interest.

As the exclusive licensee for physical and digital MLB trading card rights through 2030, Topps’ future in producing baseball cards looks very secure. After first establishing itself in the late 1930s, Topps has sustained its position as the leading name in the industry through continuous innovation, adapting to collectors’ changing interests while retaining nostalgia for its historic designs and brands. Whether sealed in retail packs, commemorated in limited app releases or acquired raw in hobby shop bins, Topps MLB cards will certainly continue to occupy a prominent role within the rich culture of baseball collecting for many seasons to come.

DO TOPPS BASEBALL CARDS STILL COME WITH GUM

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The tradition of including gum with baseball cards started in the late 1930s when the Topps Chewing Gum Company began packaging their baseball card collections inside wax paper wrappers that also contained a piece of chewing gum. This innovative business model helped popularize collecting baseball cards as kids enjoyed both chewing the gum and trading the cards. For over 50 years, nearly every Topps baseball card release came bundled with a stick of gum. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, several factors led Topps to phase out including gum with their baseball cards.

One of the major reasons Topps stopped bundling gum was for safety and sanitation purposes. Medical experts determined that leaving gum exposed inside wax paper or plastic wrappers for long periods of time posed a risk of the gum becoming moldy or developing bacteria. There were also concerns that some children may have choked on pieces of dried out gum. Eliminating the gum component helped address these public health issues regarding the long-term freshness and edibility of the gum. Shipping and storing bundled cards and gum packages posed unique challenges in terms of keeping the gum fresh and intact inside the wrappers during long warehouse and distribution cycles. Removing the gum simplified the packaging, manufacturing, and logistical process.

Another key business factor was that baseball card collectors in the late 80s and early 90s were generally older children and adults rather than the younger demographic that originally drove the market. Therefore, the gum incentive was less important to this collector base. Also, revenues from card sales alone were sufficient without needing to bundle gum as a marketing gimmick. Pure collectors were primarily interested in chasing complete sets and chasing rare cards rather than the low-value pieces of gum included. The rise of the memorabilia market blurred the lines between cards being sold purely as collectibles versus kid-friendly confectionery items that also promoted chewing gum. As the baseball card niche matured, the focus shifted from casual chewing gum buyers to serious hobbyists and investors.

At the same time, escalating costs associated with including sealed gum with each individual pack made it impractical and unprofitable for Topps to continue the decade’s long practice. Gum ingredients, packaging, logistics, and child safety regulatory factors collectively increased production expenses substantially per pack when including gum. For Topps, the marginal revenue generated from very low-price gum sales no longer outweighed these rising gum-related costs. Without the gum, profit margins were higher since card sales revenue was maximized as the sole revenue stream per pack.

Collectors at hobby shops and card shows had grown accustomed to buying factory-sealed wax packs without gum and saw the gum itself primarily as a choking hazard debris item cluttering vintage collections across their basements as the decades went by. Younger e-commerce oriented collectors today are even further removed from any nostalgia for those classic Topps cellophane bundles. Thus, demand and attachment to the original gum packaging had substantially faded by the 1990s.

In short, the combination of shifting consumer demographics, rising costs, safety issues, and changing business priorities ultimately led Topps to cease wrapping gum with their baseball card releases. While they have experimented with small licensed gum promotions since then, Topps flagship baseball card sets sold at hobby shops and mass-market retail outlets today do not contain gum. The tradition of bundling cards with gum started over 80 years ago helped define Topps’ brand identity for generations and remain an iconic part of baseball card history, but modern economics and safety standards necessitated moving away from that classic marketing formula. Though the gum era of baseball cards has passed, the popularity of collecting baseball cards themselves continues unabated to this day without the need for included confectionery incentives.

DOES SCORE STILL MAKE BASEBALL CARDS

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Yes, Score Entertainment still produces baseball cards today, although they have changed ownership multiple times over the years. Score was a major player in the baseball card industry for decades. Some additional context:

Score entered the baseball card market in the 1960s and became known for innovative subsets and serial-numbered parallels that collectors loved. They produced popular sets like Score Board, Filmstars, and O-Pee-Chee throughout the 1970s and 80s. Score’s trademark stained glass-style designs were visually appealing to collectors at the time.

In the late 1980s, the baseball card market became oversaturated as many new companies entered the business chasing profits. The glut of mass-produced cards devalued the entire hobby. By the early 1990s, the baseball card bubble had burst. Score struggled as sales declined industry-wide. In 1992, they were acquired by Fleer Corporation, one of the two remaining major card manufacturers along with Topps.

Fleer consolidated Score’s library and production under their own banner. However, Fleer itself eventually ran into financial troubles due to the softened baseball card market. They sold their entire sports division, including Score assets, to The Topps Company in late 1995. Topps dominated the card industry for much of the remainder of the decade as their main competitor.

In 2006, in another major acquisition, The Topps Company was purchased by corporate investors for $385 million and taken private. There was some concern this might diminish Topps’ long-term commitment to the baseball card industry. Under new ownership, Topps continued operating their traditional card lines normally.

A year later in 2007, another private equity firm bought Fleer Corporation’s brand and intellectual property rights from its former parent company. This new Fleer brand owner licensed the Score name and trademarks to produce dedicated Score brand sets and reissue popular Score designs from the 1990s going forward.

In 2010, Score Entertainment was formally established as an independent company to manage the baseball card rights it had obtained. Score re-launched new flagship product lines like “Score Major League Legacy” in 2012, drawing on archives of classic Score designs from the 1970s and 80s. Subsequent Score sets aimed to faithfully recreate the look and feel of these nostalgic earlier releases.

Throughout the 2010s, Score released annual baseball card sets under license from Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association. Popular Score branded baseball products of this period included on-demand printed boxes, memorabilia cards with game-used fabric relics, and limited parallels/case-hits from high-tier offerings like “Score Legends” and “Score Platinum.” Score also issued special throwback sets each year.

In 2017, The Topps Company and professional wrestler Daniel Bryan sued Score Entertainment and its licensee claiming infringement of their intellectual property. The case was settled out of court in 2018. Though the terms were not disclosed, Score was allowed to continue baseball card production under new licensing agreements.

Today in 2022, Score remains an active baseball card manufacturer, albeit on a smaller scale compared to their industry dominance in previous eras. They hold licenses from MLB and MLBPA to create new wax box sets annually featuring current players. Score also continues revisiting their archives with retro-styled releases drawing inspiration from the 1970s-90s. While no longer one of the Big Two alongside Topps, Score is still recognized as a pioneering name that helped grow collecting enthusiasm for the hobby. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Score appears committed to sustainably producing new baseball cards year after year going forward that appeal to both modern and vintage collectors alike.

While ownership and production have changed hands multiple times, Score Entertainment maintains an ongoing presence creating officially licensed baseball cards today. They focus on tapping into nostalgia for their classic designs of the past alongside curated new annual releases centered around Major League players and a dedicated collector following. Score’s six-decade history so far suggests they will likely remain engaged in the sport for the foreseeable future.

DO THEY STILL MAKE BASEBALL CARDS WITH BUBBLE GUM

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The tradition of including baseball cards with sticks of bubble gum dates back to the late 1930s. At that time, the Frank Henry Topps Company, which is now known simply as Topps, began experimenting with ways to market and sell baseball cards to children. They realized that bundling the cards with bubble gum was an innovative way to generate interest and incentivize kids to purchase the packs. This business model became wildly popular and helped turn Topps into the dominant manufacturer and distributor of modern baseball cards.

For decades throughout the mid-20th century, it was common for kids to find packs of Topps or other brand baseball cards featuring the latest players, stats, and action shots, along with a piece of bubble gum to enjoy. The combo helped spark children’s interest in collecting cards as well as enjoying a snack. Throughout the 1950s, 60s, 70s, and 80s, Topps baseball card packs with gum remained enormously popular among young fans and collectors. In more recent times, some changes have occurred in regards to the pairing of cards and gum.

While Topps still produces baseball cards today, they have largely moved away from including physical gum with every pack over the past few decades. There are a few key reasons for this shift away from the classic cards plus gum model. One factor is that including gum poses certain logistical and hygienic challenges in terms of packaging, distribution, and preventing moisture damage to the cards. Gum is also more expensive to produce and ship compared to card stock paper alone. Concerns about littering discarded gum wrappers and sticks led many retailers to ban products containing gum from their stores.

These pressures incentivized Topps and other mainstream baseball card manufacturers to move to gum-free models. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, gum slowly disappeared from Topps packs and was replaced by other bonus incentives like team logos or serial numbers. By the 2010s, physical gum was virtually nonexistent in Topps flagship baseball card sets bought in traditional hobby shops or mass-market retailers. Some manufacturers now include digital ‘gum’ coupons or exclusive online-only virtual packs that can be redeemed for digital stickers or emojis instead of real bubble gum.

While traditional gum-inclusive baseball cards have declined, they have not disappeared entirely from the market. A number of smaller independent companies have sprung up over the past decade specifically catering to nostalgic collectors seeking a retro experience. Many of these boutique brands still produce limited edition, high-end runs of baseball cards packaged together with small sticks or slabs of bubble gum hand-inserted into vintage-style wax paper envelopes or tin containers. The inclusion of real gum helps command premium prices of $10 or more per pack from dedicated hobbyists.

While mass-produced Topps packs found in stores are now gum-free, the company has created special annual or limited “Gum Edition” release sets primarily sold online directly to collectors. These exclusive runs go back to bundling individual cards with true bubble gum pieces or gumballs to satisfy die-hard fans longing for the original experience. Topps also occasionally still produces special summer or holiday “Gum only” packs sold in independent card shops as a nichey nod to history. Some ballparks even sell retro-style cards plus gum bundles as a nostalgic concession item.

While the inclusion of bubble gum inserts declined for practical reasons within mainstream baseball cards sold widely in stores, the tradition has certainly not been forgotten amongst collectors and niche manufacturers. Periodic releases going back to the classic combo of cards and chewing gum help satisfy history buffs and allow a newer generation to experience what captivated so many young fans over many decades following the late 1930s innovation by Topps. So while rare in typical new packs today, the linkage of baseball cards and bubble gum remains alive as a collectible specialty item keeping alive memories of simpler times at the local candy store.

DO THEY STILL MAKE TOPPS BASEBALL CARDS

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Topps has maintained the exclusive license to produce Major League Baseball cards in North America since 1981. This exclusive deal gives Topps the only officially licensed rights to use team logos, uniforms, and player likenesses and photograph on baseball cards. The current licensing deal between Topps and MLB runs through 2025, ensuring Topps will continue to be the premier producer of baseball cards well into the future.

Each year, Topps releases several different baseball card products aimed at collectors of all experience levels and budgets. Their flagship series is the annual Topps Base Set, which features the latest photos of all Major League players on standard trading card stock. For the 2022 season, the Topps Base Set included over 700 cards across several Series 1-4 releases from February through July. By far the best-selling and most collected modern baseball cards each year are from the Topps Base Set.

In addition to the base set, Topps also releases higher-end products like Topps Chrome, Topps Finest, Topps UPDATE, and Topps Heritage. Chrome features player photos with refractors and parallel color variants, Finest uses premium stock and inserts, UPDATE releases midseason player updates, and Heritage replicates classic designs from the 1950s-80s. These special sets are aimed at more experienced collectors looking for inserts, autographs, and limited parallels.

For the budget-conscious collector, Topps also distributes value packs and boxes containing the base set and inserts at a lower per card price point. Products like Topps Series 1 & 2 Hanger Boxes and Value Packs make collecting attainable for any fan. And for the casual fan that simply wants current stars, Topps also provides retail blaster and jumbo packs at national big-box retailers and local hobby shops each year.

In addition to physical cardboard cards, Topps has become a leader in the growing world of digital and virtual baseball cards as well. Topps BUNT and Topps NOW are popular MLB licensed mobile apps that allow users to collect and trade virtual real-time cards featuring the latest games, performances and milestones. In 2021, Topps even became the first-ever licensed physical trading card company to launch Major League Baseball NFT trading cards featuring star players.

Though competitors like Panini have entered the market in recent decades, Topps maintains around 90% of the total baseball card sales industry each year thanks to their exclusive MLB license and multi-decade reputation. With no indication the MLB deal won’t be renewed, Topps baseball cards will assuredly continue being produced and remain the most popular and collected cards for the foreseeable future. Their wide range of annual products ensures there is a Topps baseball card option available to attract both novice collectors as well as seasoned veterans seeking the next vintage find or rookie hit. After 70 continuous years in business, Topps baseball cards show no signs of disappearing from the market or losing their prominent place within the larger sports card industry and pop culture.

In closing, despite changes in technology, fan interests, and competitors entering the space, Topps has endured as the preeminent producer of officially licensed MLB trading cards due to smart licensing agreements, talented creative teams, and diverse yearly product lines. As long as baseball is being played, Topps baseball cards will be there to commemorate each season and help grow new generations of lifelong collectors.

ARE BASEBALL CARDS STILL WORTH MONEY

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The collector market for baseball cards has changed significantly since the peak popularity and value of cards in the late 1980s and early 1990s. While some cards from that era remain extremely valuable, the overall market has cooled off considerably. That does not mean baseball cards are worthless investments. There is still value to be found for savvy collectors if you know what to look for.

One of the biggest factors that influenced the decline in baseball card values over the past few decades was an oversaturation of the market. In the late 80s and early 90s, baseball card companies like Topps, Fleer, and Donruss released set after set each year with sky-high print runs. They made cards incredibly accessible and common, which drove down scarcity and inflated the supply. With so many collectors trying to sell off duplicates, it flooded the secondary market and caused prices to fall.

The players featured on many of those mass-produced cards from that time period did not necessarily stand the test of time or live up to expectations. When fans lost interest in players over time, so too did the demand and value of their rookie cards. This contributed to the overall “bubble” of prices in the late 80s/early 90s finally bursting in subsequent years.

It’s also important to note the collector market has stabilized in the past decade. While prices may never reach the unprecedented heights of the past, strategic collectors can still profit if they focus on the right players, conditions, and vintage years. Here are a few key things that can give baseball cards lasting value:

RARENESS – The scarcer a particular card is, the more valuable it will be to collectors. This includes one-of-one printing plates, serial-numbered parallel sets, autographed memorabilia cards, and low-print older issues from the 1950s-1980s before the modern boom.

TOP PLAYERS – Rookie cards and vintage cards of legitimate superstar players still retain interest and value over decades as those athletes’ legacies endure. Think Mike Trout, Ken Griffey Jr., Mickey Mantle, etc. Bonus if it’s a rare parallel, autograph, or rookie cup variant of a legendary player.

CONDITION – Like any collectible, the finer the condition and centering/corners of a baseball card, the more collectors will pay. Near Mint or better grades are ideal to fetch top dollarlong-term. Also protect cards in protective sleeves, holders.

RECENT ROOKIES – While it’s impossible to predict future success, the rookie cards of today’s young breakout stars like Juan Soto, Ronald Acuña Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr. offer potential long-term gains if those players live up to hype.

SET BUILDING – Completing full vintage or modern sets can still be a fun and money-making endeavor for collectors. Bonus points for higher-end parallels, inserts, autograph/relic sets.

BIDDING WARS – Auction sites like eBay let savvy collectors determine true card values in a competitive bidding environment. Though some prices may be inflated short-term in feverish auctions, they show what the serious collector market is currently willing to pay for coveted pieces.

While the overall baseball card market is nothing like the boom days of the past, with strategy and patience there is still potential to build collections and even profits long-term. Key is focusing on the right players, conditions, rarities and release years that will hold intrinsic collector interest for decades to come. General junk wax era cards may not be worth much, but premium modern parallels and vintage gems of all-time legends can always attract bidders. Knowledge is key to success in any collectibles market.