The 2015 Topps baseball card set featured major stars from around Major League Baseball and commemorated key moments from the 2014 season. While still fairly new, many of the cards from this set have already begun appreciating in value for collectors. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most valuable 2015 Topps baseball cards and analyze what factors contribute to their worth.
One of the highest valued rookie cards from the 2015 set is that of Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Aaron Judge. Considered one of the top prospects in all of baseball entering the 2015 season, Judge’s potential was evident even before he made his MLB debut. His Topps rookie card, featuring his impressive stature at listed 6’7″ 280 pounds, has considerable eye appeal for collectors. In gem mint condition, Judge’s rookie routinely sells for $50-75 individually or more when obtained via group break sites. As Judge has emerged as one of the game’s brightest young stars in recent seasons with the New York Yankees, bashing prodigious home runs, his rookie card value is likely to continue appreciating substantially in the coming years.
Another highly sought after rookie from 2015 is Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant. After setting the minor leagues ablaze in 2014 and earning player of the year honors, Bryant was called up to the Cubs in 2015 and immediately made an impact. He won NL Rookie of the Year honors while powering the Cubs to the playoffs. Bryant’s stylish swinging stance and boyish good looks make his rookie card a fan favorite as well. Mint condition Bryant rookies currently appraise between $75-100 but are also poised to increase as his career progresses. As a key cog on a Cubs club that broke a historic championship drought in 2016, Bryant’s lore and card values seem certain to keep growing.
Two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer had a dominant campaign in 2014 while leading the Detroit Tigers pitching staff. Scherzer’s iconic card from the ’15 Topps set showing him mid-windup, ball in hand is among the most aesthetically appealing in the entire set. With Scherzer now performing brilliantly as the ace of the Washington Nationals, high-grade versions of his ’14 season highlight card have reached $50-75. With Scherzer still producing at an elite level in the prime of his career, his marquee non-rookie card continues appreciating for savvy collectors.
Clayton Kershaw, the longtime Los Angeles Dodgers ace and three-time NL Cy Young winner, is one of the faces of MLB. Kershaw dealt mightily once more in 2014, winning 21 games and the All-Star Game MVP. Unsurprisingly, Topps gave Kershaw’s card a special treatment worthy of his stature by making his the set’s lone horizontal layout. Mint condition copies of Kershaw’s striking 2014 highlights card are now assessing for $75-100 due to his preeminence and staying power at the top of his game. As one of the greatest pitchers of his generation, Kershaw’s cards maintain relevance and increase in perceived rarity years after release.
Rookie cards are so coveted due to capturing a player at the very beginning of their MLB journey when potential is highest and cards are lowest printed. But stars like Mike Trout, already a two-time MVP by 2015, demonstrate how performance can elevate even later-year cards. Trout bashed 36 homers in 2014 to lead the Angels, and his ’15 Topps card prominently featuring that deed is highly sought. In NM-MT condition, copies trade hands between $50-75 online. Trout’s cards will likely only gain from here as he closes in on a surefire Hall of Fame career still in its prime.
Veteran Adrián Beltré playing in his 15th big league season in 2014 may seem an unlikely source of a high-value card. But the now retired third baseman enjoyed one of his finest seasons hitting .315 with 24 homers for Texas. Topps made Beltré’s graceful-looking swing the centerpiece of his ’15 card. With his ageless play, many collectors fancied this as a career-capping remembrance. Accordingly, top-graded versions often sell in the $50-75 range on popular trading sites. For Beltré fans and appreciators of longevity in the game, his 2014 campaign card holds lasting appeal.
Condition, of course, is pivotal in determining a vintage card’s price on the secondary market. A baseball card freshly pulled from a pack likely holds some value due merely to its newness. But prolonged exposure to heat, light, moisture and the elements can all damage cardboard over the years in ways lowering its attractiveness and appraisal price. For this reason, sellers take care to note condition details such as centering, edges and corners when listing cards for auction online. Top-graded copies often demand the highest sums, as collectors seek the finest example of each player, set and important moment captured.
Price can also vary based on parallel inserts found throughout the Topps flagship set. Rarer short printed parallels featuring photo variations, autographs or memorabilia hold substantially higher valuations. For example, Topps Update Issue cards highlighting postseason performances may fetch five times or more relative to standard base cards. Similarly, Topps Finest refractors employing refractive technology captivate collectors with brilliance and command a premium above the base issue. Assessing all parallel variations adds complexity but color for enthusiastic traders.
The Topps 2015 baseball card set celebrated the game’s brightest talents at the height of their 2014 seasons of achievement. With rookies like Bryant and Judge just starting their careers and perennial stars like Trout and Kershaw in their primes, the set captured action that still heavily influences today’s diamond outcomes. For discerning collectors, choice cards from ’15 Topps have proven sound long-term keepsakes with staying power in the collecting marketplace. Condition, profile of the player, and parallel types all factor in determining which cards from the set have appreciated most in resale value in recent years.
