Topps baseball cards are considered the gold standard in sports card collecting and Walmart continues to be a major retailer for the iconic brand in 2021. Since its founding in 1938, Topps has produced baseball cards annually and remains the official on-card provider for Major League Baseball.
At Walmart, collectors can find a wide selection of 2021 Topps baseball card products on shelves and online. The main flagship release is 2021 Topps Series 1 baseball cards. Featuring designs on the wrapper and box reminiscent of rookie cards from the late 1980s and early 1990s, Series 1 packs and boxes offer a retro vibe. Inside are 399 base cards highlighting players from all 30 MLB teams along with inserts, parallels, and rookie cards of prospects. Notable rookies include Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year Spencer Torkelson and top pitching prospect Jarred Kelenic.
Series 1 is typically the debut set for many of the top rookies in baseball that season. The design and photography aims to capture the excitement of the upcoming season and is a favorite among collectors young and old. Other Topps flagship products include Series 2 and Update later in the season featuring new players and storylines as teams and rosters change throughout the year. Walmart remains fully stocked with 2021 Series 1 from Topps since its release in late February 2021.
In addition to Series 1, Walmart shoppers will find a variety of special promotional and collector-oriented Topps products as well. Tribute is a high-end set focusing on current stars with autographs and memorabilia cards inserted. Heritage honors the vintage baseball card designs of the past with modern players. Stadium Club features artistic photography in a style similar to Bowman Chrome. Opening Day and Home Run Kings celebrate iconic MLB moments. Allen & Ginter weaves in non-sports characters as well.
One of the most popular specialty sets at Walmart is 2021 Topps Chrome. Released in late May 2021, Chrome contains the same base cards as Series 1 but with a modern “chrome” coating on the front that adds pops of color and refractor-like shine to each image. Inserts and parallels in the set take on an even higher-end appeal with the unique refractive technology. Chrome cards tend to grade and preserve better long-term for serious collectors. As a result, Chrome is highly sought after at the retail level.
Walmart receives sizable shipments of Topps Chrome and usually fully stocks shelves the day of release. Avid collectors line up at opening or camp out overnight hoping to score coveted rookie cards like Torkelson or Kelenic from the coveted shiny technology. Even base Stars Like Yordan Alvarez, Fernando Tatis Jr. or Ronald Acuña Jr. have an allure and hold premium value in the Chrome format over the standard paper issue. For many passionate collectors, Walmart remains the best option locally to try and find Chrome treasures on release day without paying inflated secondary market prices later.
In addition to physical retail products, Topps and Walmart also release digital baseball card apps and platforms each year. Topps BUNT, Topps NOW and Topps Archives are free mobile companion experiences to the physical collecting hobby. Fans can build digital teams, collect unique commemorative cards of historic MLB moments daily in Topps NOW, and more. Occasionally Walmart will run exclusive digital card promotions and giveaways through these apps as well when purchasing physical boxes and packs in-store or online.
Overall Walmart provides a fantastic retail experience for collectors of all ages to find the latest and greatest Topps baseball card releases in 2021. Serious collectors seek out Walmart for the coveted Chrome release each year while casual fans enjoy picking up discounted blasters and packs of Series 1 to join in the excitement of the upcoming season. With Topps as the industry standard bearer and Walmart as a major retail partner, the retailer ensures collectors nationwide have access locally to the official MLB cardboard year after year. After over 80 years, Topps and Walmart continue propelling the baseball collecting hobby forward.
