Target has been selling sports trading cards for decades, providing fans both young and old a chance to start or add to their collections. While they don’t have the same extensive selection as hobby shops that specialize in cards, Target does carry some best selling and highly sought after baseball card packs. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the top baseball card options available at Target.
Topps Baseball Cards
Unsurprisingly, Topps dominates the baseball card section at retailers like Target. As the longest running and most iconic brand in the industry, Topps annually produces the flagship “Base” sets that include every player on every MLB team. Each year’s edition contains at least 300 cards and varies in the number of stars and rookies included as checklists. Target typically stocks the most recent and prior year’s Topps base sets.
Beyond the base sets, Topps also puts out various insert sets each season highlighting categories like stars, rookies, Milestone achievements, jersey cards and more. Target may have a sampling of these insert-heavy packs but the checklist varies greatly between retail sku’s. For example, some “Hit Parade” packs guarantee at least one jersey or autographed relic card while others are standard inserts.
A favorite in the sports card aisle for both price and fun are Topps Opening Day packs. Selling for around $5, these fat packs contain over 30 base cards along with inserts focusing on that year’s Opening Day festivities. They are a cost effective way for collectors to start their sets or look for stars and prospects. Topps Chrome is also a retail staple, offering a shiny, refractory variant of the base cards with some added parallels and short prints inserted randomly.
Bowman Baseball Cards
While Topps reigns supreme, Target also stocks products from their chief competition: Panini/Bowman. Bowman produces prospect-driven sets that highlight rising farm system stars before they make the majors. Their Flagship “Chrome” base sets are a favorite due to the flashy refractor design on each card. Target usually has the current year’s Bowman Chrome along with the previous year available in both jumbo blaster boxes and rack packs.
Scouting reports and prospect rankings from outlets like Baseball America are included to help identify who may become the next stars. Autographs, memorabilia cards and parallels add to the allure for collectors seeking the next Mike Trout or Shohei Ohtani before their breakouts. Target may also stock standalone insert packs from Bowman like “Draft Picks” highlighting young talent from that year’s MLB draft class.
Donruss Baseball Cards
A storied brand that was a Topps competitor back in the 1980s, Donruss returned to the card scene a few years ago under the Panini umbrella. Their releases differ from Topps and Bowman by using a square design on most base cards and a more action packed photographic style. At Target you can normally find their “Optic” retail product which uses refractive technology on each card for added visual interest.
While Donruss sets tend to include fewer stars compared to Topps, they do spotlight notable rookies and prospects. Inserts highlight categories like “Rookie Ink” autographs and memorabilia hits. Though not as hyped as some other brands, Donruss packs offer collectors diversity in their collections at affordable price points similar to other big three baseball producers. With Target usually stocking both sealed rack packs and blaster boxes, it gives fans options to dive in.
Looking Beyond Big Three Brands
Beyond the major player brands, Target might sporadically stock other niche baseball card products throughout the year capitalizing on special promotions or releases. Examples could include standalone “Artifacts” or “Museum Collection” memorabilia boxes from Topps focusing solely on autographed jersey or bat relic cards of stars. Limited regional or special holiday inserts may also pop up only at Target for a short time.
Upper Deck, longtime innovators in the baseball card space that launched brands like SP Authentic, occasionally has blaster boxes or hanger packs stocked as well featuring a mixture of base rookies and hits. Outside brands can sometimes secure Target exclusive distribution deals resulting in their products appearing on pegs for a limited release window. This provides a fun surprise element for dedicated collectors to discover.
Finding the Right Baseball Card Packs
With so many potential options spread across brands like Topps, Bowman and Donruss, it can be challenging for fans to identify the best baseball card packs to pursue depending on their collecting interests. A few key factors to consider when perusing the Target trading card aisles include:
Price Point – Rack packs are the most budget-friendly starting around $2-4 while Blasters and Fat Packs provide more cards for $5-15.
Product Focus – Do you want the latest rookies or proven stars? Prospect-heavy or MLB ready players? Autographs or base cards?
Checklist – Research sets online beforehand to ensure included players match your PC needs.
Pull Rates – Higher priced boxes statistically yield better hit odds but packs are luck of the draw.
Resell Value – Popular sets hold long term potential but obscure releases may not.
By weighing these choices based on their collection needs and budget, fans can select the perfect Target baseball card packs to add to and grow their lifelong collecting hobby. Periodic trips down the trading card aisle are sure to turn up new finds that capture the imagination.
