Latest news with #ToppsNOW
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pope Leo XIV card sets Topps NOW record with 133k sales
Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected Thursday as the first pope from the United States. (Credit: Topps) The Topps NOW card celebrating Pope Leo XIV's election as the first American pontiff sold 133,535 copies, a record for any non-sports card from the instant-release program. First released Thursday, the card had an open print run during a limited-release window that lasted until Sunday. Advertisement In addition to the base card parallels included with the release — Gold Foil /50, Orange Foil /25, Black Foil /10, Red Foil /5 and the 1/1 FoilFractor — the card's historic print run unlocked a number of parallels new for the 2025 Topps NOW season. By reaching a print run of 100,000 or more, the card will receive additional chrome parallels numbered to 99, 50, 25, 10, 5 and the 1/1 Superfractor. New Opal Chrome parallels would have been unlocked had the card reached print run thresholds of 250,000 and 500,000. Topps NOW's print-to-demand program, which first launched in 2016, has experienced significant interest in recent months behind a number of high-end chases included with select releases. A then-record 588,035 base cards were purchased by collectors chasing the Olympic triple autograph card of LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant in 2024. That card has yet to surface publicly months later. Advertisement The Topps NOW print run record was broken soon after by the card celebrating Shohei Ohtani's 50-50 season, which sold a record 653,737 copies. Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture. He was previously the Collectibles Editor at Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on X and Instagram @benmburrows.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pope Leo XIV Has Made Trading Card History
White smoke billowed from the top of the Vatican last week, signaling the election and imminent arrival of a new pope. The announcement proved to be historic, as Pope Leo XIV emerged as the first American pope in history. The Chicago-born pope is still less than a week into his papacy, but he also made history in another unexpected space: the trading card market. The Topps NOW card commemorating Pope Leo XIV's election is now the highest-selling non-sports card in the program's history. 133,535 copies of the card sold during its limited release window from Thursday through Sunday. The recipients of the cards will now wait to see if they've received special numbered refractor versions - Gold Foil to 50, Orange Foil to 25, Red Foil to five and the 1 of 1 FoilFractor. After selling more than 100,000 copies, the card will receive even more exclusive variants with rarities of 99, 50, 25, 10, five and a 1 of 1 Superfractor. Another special 'White Smoke' variant of the card will be limited to just 267 copies, in tribute to Leo XIV being elected as the 267th pontiff. The Topps NOW program began in 2016, and offers collectors the opportunity to hunt cards associated with special events. Cards are only available for a limited time - usually a few days - giving fans the chance to select cards during historic or significant moments. 588,035 copies of an Olympic basketball card featuring LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant were sold last year, as collectors sought an ultra-exclusive 1 of 1 card featuring signatures from all three players. More fans purchased 653,737 copies of a card commemorating Shohei Ohtani's historic 50/50 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers last October. The chase was once again fueled by an extremely valuable 1 of 1 card featuring a personal autograph from Ohtani. The new pope may be featured on a baseball card, but he was also a part of baseball history. After his election, historians combed through footage to find that Leo XIV - born Robert Prevost - attended at least one game during the 2005 World Series. To date, it's the last time the Chicago White Sox have won the most prestigious prize in baseball. We'll see if his election brings the team good fortune.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WWE, Topps unveil WrestleMania Patch and Main Roster Debut Patch programs
John Cena and Cody Rhodes in ring ahead of WrestleMania 41. (Eric Johnson/WWE via Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images) The next step in the WWE and Topps licensing agreement was announced on Tuesday, with the sports entertainment and trading card brands partnering on two separate match-used patch programs. Beginning with WrestleMania 41 later this week at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, every wrestler performing on the two-night show will wear a commemorative WrestleMania Patch that will be inserted into trading cards later this year. In addition, beginning with the April 21 episode of "WWE Raw," any debuting superstar will sport the Main Roster Debut Patch, which will similarly be featured in a future set of Topps WWE trading cards. Advertisement 'When we came up with the concept for the debut patch and then the WWE license came to us, it's the first thing you start thinking about,' Fanatics senior vice president of product, Clay Luraschi, told Uncrowned. 'At the end of the day, the patches are an incredible mechanism for storytelling. Obviously, a 'Raw' and 'SmackDown' debut patch is a no-brainer, but you wonder how you can take it to another level — let's do patches for WrestleMania. WrestleMania is the pinnacle for most wrestlers. It should be celebrated, commemorated, archived in time. If we can be a part of that storytelling, it just feeds the passion of the fan and the consumer.' Similar to the MLB and MLS Debut Patch program Topps already utilizes with its baseball and soccer products, each WWE patch card will be a unique one-of-one and will feature an autograph as well as a custom authentication from Fanatics. While debuting MLB and MLS stars' patches can be found on their jerseys, for WrestleMania and Main Roster Debut Patches, most wrestlers will wear the commemorative patches on their boots. WWE stars will wear one of three patches for the newly announced Topps program. Every star on the WrestleMania 41 card will wear that commemorative patch, likely on their boots, while debuting stars will have their respective brand patch attached to their gear. (Photo courtesy of Topps) Although the actual product in which these cards will appear has yet to be announced, the elevation of the WWE and Topps partnership adds to what has already been a red-hot 2025 for the two companies. After a three-year hiatus, Topps resumed producing licensed WWE trading cards in January. Initially beginning with its Topps NOW program, Fanatics experienced immediate and impactful returns from the WWE agreement. Topps then launched its first full set — Topps WWE Chrome — on Jan. 31, with the product selling out within five minutes of going live. A little more than a month later, the Rock, John Cena and Travis Scott Topps NOW card from Cena's shocking heel turn at Elimination Chamber had a print run of more than 55,000 cards, making it one of the most successful in that program's history. Advertisement The release of Topps WWE Chrome, in particular, is something Luraschi described as an 'a-ha' moment for many involved. 'I always felt good before it came out because I knew what was in it and I knew the work that was going into it,' Luraschi said. 'Any time a product sells out that fast, it raises eyebrows. It's a great thing and WWE has been a great partner. They're all-in on this trading card thing, which is great to see. Last time we spoke, I said this was one of those untapped trading card segments in the hobby. The fans are passionate, rabid, and the storytelling is at the top. It makes a perfect combination for the way we want to present trading cards as storytelling mechanisms and true commemorative pieces that lock a fan to a moment.' WrestleMania signage on display at the 2025 WWE Royal Rumble. (Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images) (USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect / Reuters) Part of the 'all-in' nature of the licensing agreement has been WWE's overwhelming commitment to promotion of the Topps line. The release of Topps WWE Chrome coincided with the Royal Rumble event in Indianapolis, where throughout the weekend and on Peacock, WWE personalities were opening packs and sharing their 'hits' live with fans. Images of the Topps trading cards have since been used to promote matches on "Raw" and "SmackDown," and in February WWE mobilized, sending stars to card shops across the country to promote Topps' Rip Night event. Advertisement 'Everyone, all the way up to the top, is super involved in wanting to support,' Luraschi said. 'The entire business, executive staff are in on trading cards and it's not like us presenting something and they say yes, we sit there and have full-on discussions. They're all-in. It's a case study in how a licensing partnership should work. Knowing that you have that support makes you feel great about making products. Knowing that no ask is too large.' Expansion of the patch program represents an ascension of sorts for the WWE product. The 2024 MLB Rookie Debut Patch Auto (RDPA) of Paul Skenes is obviously the headline stealer when it comes to this particular offering. The Skenes RDPA sold earlier this year at auction for a whopping $1.1 million, with Dick's Sporting Goods purchasing the coveted card. Per cllct, the Skenes RDPA is the highest-selling card since the debut patch program began and is the most-expensive modern baseball card to sell in the past three years. Including Skenes, three of the MLB RDPA cards from the 2024 MLB Topps Chrome Update Series have sold for more than $100,000. Cllct also reported that the top 50 RDPA sales have all fetched at least $3,000 and more than 90% are public records for the players featured. With Topps and WWE partnering on two separate programs, it's somewhat unclear which will provide more of a 'chase' for fans. Currently, there are nearly three dozen wrestlers slated to appear at WrestleMania 41, including major names such as Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, John Cena and Charlotte Flair. For the Main Roster Debut Patches, it's a bit harder to speculate because of the nature of professional wrestling. In sports like MLB, fans sometimes have years of familiarity with prospects and players can often have immediate impacts — a la Skenes — when they eventually make their debut. WWE tends to lean into the element of surprise, particularly when it comes to its famous 'Raw after 'Mania' debuts, and it is rare for newly signed or elevated talent to have an immense and immediate impact. Advertisement 'There will probably be more WrestleMania patches than debut patches, but we'll see where that shakes out,' Luraschi said. 'Most of the WrestleMania subjects are your top stars, so there's that added level of collectability there. At the same time, with the debut patch, if that superstar turns out to be the next Rock or Cena, then that card can be one of the most high-profile in all of WWE trading cards. They both tell different stories, but it will be interesting to see where the energy goes.' While the patch programs are certainly a major move for wrestling trading cards, there are constant conversations being had as to how to continue on this momentum for the rest of 2025 and beyond. As WWE prepares to induct a match into its Hall of Fame this weekend, there are seemingly endless opportunities for expansion and really homing in on capturing the storytelling aspect of both professional wrestling and collectibles. 'There are a lot of different concepts, but the patches are our focus right now as our first foot into true WrestleMania memorabilia. We'll read it from there and react. I think whatever we plan to do with WWE as a team, we're going to do it right, with intention and it will be all-in from both sides.'
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Roki Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto spark baseball card craze before Tokyo Series
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) throws during the sixth inning of a spring training baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Tuesday, March. 4, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) The LA Dodgers' signing of Japanese stars Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki has set off a collecting frenzy, just in time for MLB's return to Tokyo for the 2025 season. Fans are scrambling to get their hands on cards featuring these players as the baseball world turns its attention to Japan. Yamamoto cards flying off shelves Last year, Yoshinobu Yamamoto made a huge splash in the collecting world right away. His MLB Inaugural Mark Gems rookie card on Candy Digital's platform sold out in just seven minutes! Originally priced at $50, these digital cards quickly resold for over $333, showing just how crazy fans are about Yamamoto memorabilia. Advertisement Topps has added fuel to the fire by releasing a special dual signature card featuring Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani together — the first time these Japanese superstars have appeared on the same card. The missing Sasaki rookie card While Roki Sasaki doesn't have an official MLB rookie card in licensed products yet, his spring training debut with the Dodgers has collectors buzzing. Topps has released a few Sasaki cards through their Topps NOW program, but he was much more prominent in Japanese sets like BBM and Topps Chrome NPB before coming to America–pointed out by @BluToothTiger from Mantel . This limited availability has only made collectors hunger for the card more fierce. Topps and Fanatics go big for Tokyo Series Topps is releasing two special baseball card collections for the MLB's Tokyo Series in March 2025, featuring artwork by famous Japanese artist Takashi Murakami: Advertisement 2025 Topps Baseball Series 1 - Tokyo Game : Available since March 1 in Tokyo and through Topps Japan online, this set includes rare Murakami-designed base card variations numbered to just five copies. 2025 Topps X Murakami MLB Tokyo Series Matchup Box: Launching March 7 through and select stores in LA and Tokyo, each box contains a complete 25-card set, one numbered parallel, and highlights Cubs and Dodgers stars including Japanese players Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Seiya Suzuki, and Shota Imanaga. Yu Darvish's autographs are also making their return to Topps products after nine years. The biggest prize is a dual autograph redemption card featuring both Murakami and Ohtani — a true collector's dream. Fanatics is also releasing Murakami-designed MLB clothing starting March 7, bridging sports and art. Could a triple autograph be coming? With Yamamoto and Sasaki now both under the Topps umbrella, collectors and industry insiders are wondering if a triple autograph card featuring Sasaki, Yamamoto and Ohtani is in the works for the future. Such a card would instantly become a holy grail for collectors worldwide, representing the ultimate showcase of Japanese baseball talent hubbed in Los Angeles. Fan experience in Tokyo Topps is also hosting an interactive exhibit in Tokyo's Shibuya district from March 13-16, displaying important Ohtani memorabilia, including a base from his historic 50/50 game and a bat he used during the 2024 World Series. The Tokyo Series includes exhibition games between the Dodgers, Cubs and two top Japanese teams, culminating in two regular-season MLB games between these National League rivals in Tokyo — a perfect setting for this celebration of baseball's global appeal.
