Aaron Judge has rapidly become one of the most popular and collectible players in baseball since his breakout rookie season with the New York Yankees in 2017. Not surprisingly, cards featuring Judge have been some of the hottest selling and most sought after on the sports card market in recent years. Topps baseball cards have capitalized on Judge’s surging popularity by featuring him prominently on flagship and insert sets. Here’s an in-depth look at some of the most coveted and valuable Topps Aaron Judge cards that collectors scramble to find.
2017 Topps Baseball – Aaron Judge Rookie Card (#165)
Judge’s official rookie card came in the 2017 Topps series 1 checklist. As one of the standout rookies of that year, Topps gave Judge an attractive artwork photo and design. While Judge rookies were plentiful in packs initially, demand has skyrocketed. PSA 10 gem mint examples now sell for thousands on the secondary market. Even lower graded copies in PSA 8-9 condition fetch hundreds. The 2017 Topps Judge rookie is clearly the crown jewel card for any collector looking to build a Yankees/Judge PC. With his continued statistical success and cache as one of the faces of MLB, it’s doubtful values will fall much in future years.
2017 Topps Chrome Aaron Judge Refractor (#C-165)
Parallel to the base paper rookie, Topps also included a refractor version of Judge’s debut card in their 2017 Chrome update series. Utilizing Topps’ signature “refractor” technology that causes the image to shimmer and pop when tilted, these Judge Chrome rookies took the collectibles factor to another level. They command substantial premiums over the base card, with PSA 10s now commonly $1000+ depending on recent sales. It’s one of the flashier cards to own for an elite Judge collector, and Chrome parallels tend hold value extremely well through booms and slumps alike.
2017 Topps Five Star Aaron Judge Base (#170)
Reserved for the true high-roller of the hobby, Topps Five Star is an ultra-high end insert set inserted at an extremely low rate in hobby boxes. Judge received a sharp looking base card in the 2017 checklist, with a silvery foil treatment enhancing his photo. These are the rarest and most exclusive Judge rookie variations, with a PSA 10 recently hitting over $10k. Even for avid collectors, Five Star cards are aspirational trophies more than realistic PC building goals. But they capture the extreme excitement and potential around Judge in his electrifying first steps in pinstripes.
2018 Topps Holiday Variations Aaron Judge Signature Patch (#SV-AJ)
Always trying to deliver new hits for collectors, Topps created a Christmas themed insert for their 2018 release called Holiday Variations. These short printed parallels featured festive photo variations and memorabilia inserts. Judge received a highly sought version with a signed jersey swatch. Low population PSA 10s with a sharp looking multi-color patch have commanded over $1000 in sales. It’s a unique take highlighting Judge around the holiday season that blends on-card signatures with a fun specialty design.
2019 Topps Allen & Ginter Aaron Judge Autograph (#170)
A mainstay of premium baseball card sets, Allen & Ginter is known for player autographs and ornate artwork styles. Judge’s 2019 A&G autograph features a lovely watercolor painting style paired with his John Hancock. These can be difficult to grade flawlessly with the textured signature autograph, but mint examples are certainly among the best looking Judge signed cards available. Pricing has been all over depending on condition, but a gem BGS/PSA pop would be a true centerpiece for any collection.
2020 Topps Series 2 Aaron Judge Rainbow Foil Variation (#37)
Last year Topps introduced “rainbow foil” parallels across several of their 2020 baseball sets. Judge received one of the more visually striking versions, with his portrait appearing to almost glow thanks to the iridescent treatment. Naturally short printed as all parallel cards are, these have achieved strong aftermarket values. A PSA 10 recently brought over $400, showing collectors’ continued demand for shiny new insert cards even in the COVID depressed economy of 2020. It’s an aesthetically pleasing modern parallel design that highlights the allure of “parallel” chasing.
As long as Aaron Judge stays healthy and continues racking up big offensive numbers for the Yankees, demand for his Topps rookie cards and serial numbered inserts will remain sky high. He’s established himself as one of the marquee young stars whose cards are required holdings for any completionist collector. With Topps constantly trying to one-up themselves with new hits and parallels each year, there’s no telling what other unique Aaron Judge cards may emerge. But the above options represent some of the most iconic and investment worthy so far as Judge mania shows no signs of slowing down. Whether you’re just starting your collection or considering adding a new trophy piece, Topps Aaron Judge cards should definitely be on your shopping list.
