The 2018 Topps baseball card set was the 73rd complete regular set released by Topps, featuring cards of players and teams from the 2017 Major League Baseball season. Some key things to know about the 2018 Topps baseball cards complete set include:
The 2018 Topps set included cards numbered 1-520, continuing Topps’ recent tradition of 520-card standard releases. The set featured current players from all 30 MLB teams, managers, coaches, and even a handful of retired player cards looking back on memorable moments from seasons past. Ranging from rookie cards to star players to future hall of famers, the 2018 Topps set captured the wide array of talent that made up the 2017 MLB season.
In terms of design, the 2018 Topps cards featured a clean, straightforward look with players shown in action shots on colorful backgrounds. The team logo appeared prominently above the player’s name and position at the bottom. Statistics from the 2017 season were included on most cards. The design was attractive yet simple, allowing the focus to remain on the players and the action photos chosen to represent their 2017 campaigns. This clean design has been a staple of Topps baseball cards for several years now.
One of the most highly anticipated rookie cards in the 2018 Topps set was that of AL Rookie of the Year Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees. Judge’s breakout 2017 season saw him hit 52 home runs, and his popularity as one of the new young stars in baseball made his Topps rookie card a hotly sought after chase card for collectors. Other notable rookie cards included those of Cody Bellinger, Andrew Benintendi, Dansby Swanson, and Rhys Hoskins. Collectors enjoy pursuing these rookie cards of future stars early in their careers.
Topps continued its “Traditions” subset in the 2018 set, honoring baseball’s rich history. These inserts within the base set paid tribute to retired players and historical MLB figures like Hank Aaron, Bob Gibson, and Eddie Murray. While not numbered, these nostalgic cards were popular with collectors seeking to commemorate baseball’s past. Numbered inserts in the 2018 Topps set included “Gold Label” parallel insert cards numbered to only 50 copies each. These ultra-short print run cards featuring top talents like Mike Trout and Corey Kluber carried significant collector demand.
The Flagship Series brand of Topps has become the most iconic in the industry, and the 2018 edition was no exception in terms of demand. While supplies were plentiful at retail in the early months after its April release date, the primary issue of the complete base set soon sold out online. On the secondary market, sealed and unopened wax boxes, factory sets, and individual cards remain very popular with collectors. Common base cards can usually be found for a dollar or less, while star rookies, parallels, and popular veterans command premium prices. As is always the case with Topps, investments made early in the product’s lifespan often prove quite fruitful for collectors in subsequent years.
One of the factors that adds to the intrigue of each year’s Topps release is the seemingly tiny odds listed on the packaging for hitting big rarity cards. For 2018, Topps printed odds of 1:3,066 packs for any Gold Label parallel, 1:24,192 for any 1/1 printing plate parallel, and even rarer print runs for memorabilia and autograph inserts. While the odds seem dismal, every year some combination of patience, luck or deep coffers allows dedicated collector to ultimately check even the rarest boxes. Online group breaks, case breaks and team/player variant collecting help collectors target specific cards amidst such daunting allocated print runs.
In terms of the lasting legacy and collectability of the 2018 Topps baseball card set, signs point to sets maintaining or growing their value over time much as other Topps Flagship issues have. Rookie cards like Judge and Bellinger are likely to remain in high demand. Numerous accomplished veterans from the 2017 season like Clayton Kershaw, Kris Bryant and others ensure this set will live on as a showcase of that specific season in baseball history. The clean and classic Topps design is both nostalgic and stands the test of time. And the rarity factors inherent to parallel, memorabilia and 1/1 cards provide endless possibilities for discovery even years later. Like the game of baseball itself, each new Topps Flagship release joins a lineage solidifying the brand’s place as a perennial collectible and an annually chronicled piece of MLB’s rich history.
