Topps Chrome baseball cards are one of the most popular and valuable insert sets released each year by Topps. The 2022 edition of these sought-after refractors continued the tradition of featuring top rookies and stars on shiny, eye-catching cardboard.
Topps Chrome originated in the late 1990s as a parallel insert set inserted randomly in packs alongside the standard Topps issue. The “chrome” cards featured the same front design as the base set but with an embossed silver foil treatment on the front that causes the image to shimmer and shine in the light. This gives the cards a highly collectible look and feel that separates them from the standard cardboard.
Over the years, Topps Chrome has evolved from a true “insert” set to being the flagship high-end product alongside the base Topps issue. In 2022, Topps Chrome was released as its own standalone set containing the same images and checklist as the base Topps cards but exclusively in the shiny chrome refractor format across 3 series released throughout the season.
The 2022 edition continued offering hits of some of the biggest rookie stars and franchise players on the polished chrome refractors. Some of the most sought-after rookie cards included Julio Rodriguez, Bobby Witt Jr, Adley Rutschman, and CJ Abrams. Veterans stars like Ronald Acuna Jr, Juan Soto, and Shohei Ohtani also featured prominently as fan favorites.
Parallels and short prints added to the excitement and increased rarity and value of some of the top cards. Among the most desirable were the coveted Rainbow Foil parallels, which featured additional color-shifting foil treatment on the front. Numbered parallels like Gold /2022 also popped for major stars. Short prints tended to carry some of the highest prices, such as the popular SP variants depicting players in alternate photo poses or uniforms.
The release of Topps Chrome coincided with some of the biggest storylines and breakout performances in baseball during the 2022 season. Julio Rodriguez smashed records as a Seattle Mariner and was named AL Rookie of the Year, turbocharging interest in his Topps Chrome rookies. Bobby Witt Jr emerged as one of baseball’s top young shortstops with the Kansas City Royals. Shohei Ohtani continued to cement his status as the game’s most unique superstar with another two-way MVP season for the Angels.
Demand and prices for high-end rookie cards of these emerging stars skyrocketed on the secondary market. Popular PSA/BGS graded rookie cards of Julio Rodriguez, Bobby Witt Jr and others cracked the $1000 price level and continued climbing as the seasons wore on. Key short prints and parallels of players like Ronald Acuna Jr, Juan Soto and Ohtani routinely posted strong 4-figure sales prices as well.
Part of what drives obsession over Topps Chrome each year is the anticipation around which rookie and star players could potentially break out. While stars are known commodities, rookies like Rodríguez, Witt and others became surprise huge names in baseball seemingly overnight. Their ascension pumped even more collectible juice into their Topps Chrome cards as collector mania took hold.
Going forward, Topps Chrome 2023 is already one of the most anticipated releases in the run-up to next season. Will Jordan Lawlar or Druw Jones emerge as the next biggest MLB rookie star? There is continued excitement around tracking the progression of favorites like Julio Rodriguez in 2023 and the emergence of any new phenoms.
Topps Chrome has endured as a perennial highlight and benchmark set for high-end baseball card collectors for over 20 years running. Whether one collects for love of the refractors, chasing historical star cards, or speculative investment in top talents, Topps Chrome continues delivering memorable cards from each new baseball season that captivate collectors for years to come. The 2022 edition was no exception in cementing its legacy as one of the crown jewels in the world of baseball card collecting.
