2018 Topps - Just the Facts
The 2018 Topps set released on January 31, 2018. This will mark the 67th consecutive year of a Topps baseball product which has commemorated America’s pastime like no other.
Consistent will the past several years, the base set consists of 350 cards, and also similar to past years, themed parallel versions of the base cards will be produced. In 2018, twelve different parallels of the base cards will be randomly inserted into packs with varying levels of scarcity.
Rainbow foil parallels will continue to the the most common, and the quantity available will progressively decrease to the point of Platinum and Printing Plates being 1 of 1’s as outlined below. It should be noted, that based on the odds listed on packaging, production of Series 1 increased compared to the last several years.
- Rainbow Foil Parallel
- Gold /2018
- Vintage Stock Parallel /99
- Independence Day Parallel /76
- Black Parallel /67
- Mother’s Day Pink Parallel /50
- Father’s Day Blue Parallel /50
- Memorial Day Camo Parallel /25
- Clear Parallel (100 subjects) – Sequentially numbered to 10
- Negative Parallel (limited)
- Platinum Parallel – Numbered 1/1
- Printing Plates – Numbered 1/1.
Several hobby insert sets will complement the base sets including:
- Topps Salute
- Superstar Sensations
- MLB Awards
- 1983 Topps Baseball
- Topps Now Top 10
Each insert set also comes in five parallel formats.
Several “Retail Only” insert sets were also available including:
- Derek Jeter Highlights
- Kris Bryant Highlights
- Legends in the Making
- MLB Opening Day
A variety of autograph, relic, and sketch cards are randomly inserted as well to add to the chase.
- Topps Reverance Autograph Patch Cards
- Major League Material Autograph
- World Series Champion Autograph Relic
- PostSeason Performance Autograph Relic
- Topps Salute Autograph
- World Series Champion Autograph
- 1983 Topps Autograph
- World Series Champion Relic
- Post Season Performance Relic
- In the Name Relic
- Major League Materials Relic
- MLB Spring Training Logo Patch
- MLB All-Star Game Medallion
- Cut Signature Autographs
Even some retail exclusive relic and autograph cards were available:
- Players Weekend Patch and Patch Autographs
- MLB Opening Day Autographs
- Legends in the Making Autographs
- Kris Bryant Highlights Autographs
- Derek Jeter Highlights Autographs
Upon the initial release, “Silver Packs” were awarded to collectors who purchased Hobby or Hobby Jumbo boxes. Each silver pack contained special chrome 1983 Parallel cards with a variety of colored parallels available.
Absent from the 2018 Series 1 release were buyback cards which had become common place over the previous few seasons.
2018 Topps Series 1 was the first product in my plan to profit in 2018. Read more about that plan here!