The 2020 Topps Complete Baseball Card Set saw Topps release yet another massive complete set for collectors to chase after. As with past years, the complete set consisted of standard player and team cards along with a wide variety of insert and parallel cards making for a diverse and robust collecting experience. While the pandemic caused some delays and uncertainties throughout the year, Topps was ultimately able to deliver all the content collectors had come to expect from the flagship brand.
The 2020 Topps base set featured cards numbered 1-374 and included all 30 MLB teams. Rosters reflected the 2019 season so some players that were traded during the offseason were featured on their old teams. The standard size and stock of the base cards remained unchanged from previous years. Notable rookies in the set included Yordan Alvarez, Brian Anderson, John Means, and Mike Soroka among others. The design featured team wordmarks along the bottom and player photos overlayed on colored team panels. As always, Topps incorporated various levels of parallels for the base cards including Silver Pack, Gold Pack, Rainbow Foil, and Refractor versions adding significant chase and collection aspects.
In addition to the base cards, Topps released a wide array of compelling insert sets that collectors enjoyed hunting throughout the 2020 season. The ‘Then and Now’ cards featured a classic retro design on one side and a modern photo on the reverse. Players like Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, and Ken Griffey Jr were highlighted. Topps also marked significant milestones with the ‘ Milestone Moments’ cards honoring achievements like 500 home runs. Rookies received their own dedicated insert set titled ‘Tastes of Topps’ which featured creative photo variations. Iconic ‘Turn Back The Clock’ inserts imagined vintage-style photos of current players.
Veteran players received recognition through inserts like ‘Legends of the Game’ and ‘Topps Finest’ featuring elegant scans of signature patches. Topps captured exciting postseason moments with inserts like the ‘October Heroes’ and League Championship subsets. Topps also paid tribute to retiring icons with the classy ‘End of an Era’ cards saluting Mariano Rivera, Adrián Beltré, and others. For the first time, Topps issued mini card ‘Topps NOW’ moments commemorating daily events throughout the 2020 season. These insert cards proved very popular with fans and added to the real-time collecting experience.
In addition to the many standard inserts, Topps released several parallels and short print variations that made the 2020 Topps release especially fun and challenging for collectors. Rainbow Foil parallels featured iridescent ink effects on key cards. Gold and Silver Foil parallels added value. Refractors and Florescent refractors incorporated eye-catching prismatic effects on base cards and notable inserts adding premium appeal. Topps also included 1/1 printing plates and sketch cards amongst the short prints adding immense chase value for collectors.
Topps delivered additional layers of collecting complexity and variety with specialty subsets adding tremendous long-term interest for the product line. Rookie Flashback cards reimagined top young stars as players from the past. Innovation captured with the ‘Topps NOW Moments’ carried over into ‘Signature Series’ cards with on-card autographs from stars. Iconic ‘Topps Finest’ refractors were released in standard, black, and orange parallel versions meeting fan demand. For the first time ever, Topps offered ‘HEROES AND LEGENDS’ cards featuring all-time greats like Ted Williams paired with active superstars in a dual biography portrait design. This was one of the most talked about new concepts in years.
Perhaps the most rewarding and engaging aspect of the 2020 Topps release for collectors was the inclusion of over 50 unique team subsets highlighting all 30 franchises. Topps designers expertly curated creative variations capturing each club’s identity and rich history through compelling photographic concepts. The Angels subset honored their championship teams alongside current stars. The Dodgers paid tribute to icon Sandy Koufax alongside Mookie Betts and Clayton Kershaw in theirs. Cubs fans loved the recreation of Wrigley Field through their team subset photography. Other standouts highlighted memorable franchise milestones, past eras, and celebrated ballparks wonderfully. These team subsets represented a high point for Topps’ design creativity and made completing a team’s set beyond rewarding.
While COVID-19 caused the cancellation of the traditional baseball season, Topps managed to produce and distribute an enormously compelling 2020 baseball card release. From flagship base cards to the array of inserts and parallels, the 2020 Topps Complete Set offered an incredible depth of content and robust collecting experience. Unique innovations like short prints, 1/1s, and specialty subsets incorporated layers of complexity that engaged collectors for months. The team subsets in particular demonstrated meticulously crafted design work celebrating baseball’s history at the franchise level. Despite the circumstances, Topps delivered one of its most impressive and finely tuned complete sets to date for the collector community. This robust and diverse 2020 release set the bar high and undoubtedly brought much joy to fans stuck at home during the offseason. It served as a true celebration of America’s pastime through the universal language of baseball cards during a turbulent year.
