In the world of sports memorabilia, where every name is synonymous with nostalgia and every brand carries a legacy, few expected the ice-cold resurgence of a familiar face—Topps. After two decades out of the hockey card limelight, Topps is plotting a comeback, albeit with a twist that’s more worthy of a knowing smile than a startled gasp. Let’s take a leisurely skate through the milieu.
Rewind to 2003-04, the last sighting of a Topps NHL-licensed hockey trading card. The world was a simpler place, where you might find yourself huddled in a dimly lit corner with a squat box of wax packs, holding your breath as you peeled back layers of foil to potentially unearth a treasured rookie card. Of course, this pre-social media era had its pitfalls and its perks, not least of which was the thrill of collecting physical, tangible memories.
But the ice hasn’t seen a Topps imprint since Upper Deck swooped in to clasp exclusive rights, leaving Topps sidelined for nearly a generation of bladed sport aficionados. Fast forward to now, and it seems the iconic brand isn’t just shaking off the dust; it’s opting for a decidedly different approach. It’s a comeback, sort of, if you believe in the unerring penchant for reinvention in business narratives.
It all centers around the grand reveal scheduled for April 3rd, when Fanatics, guardian of the Topps legacy, rolls out Topps Under Wraps: Emanate 2024-25. Don’t expect the shrine of foil packs and cardboard cards. Instead, this iteration manifests as a medley of 8×10 autographed photos, styled with the loving attention to detail of an oversized trading card. It’s like if your cherished card decided to splurge on a canvas—from minutiae to mighty!
“These even have photos and information on the back,” quips Sal Barry, the keen-eyed collector whose newsletter PuckJunk.com keeps aficionados apprised with the latest. Indeed, the homage to the quintessential trading card is sincere and unmistakable.
Emanate isn’t just about slapping signatures on oversized prints. No, this is memorabilia with substance; each piece is hand-signed, evoking that personal touch—the anti-sticker route, if you will. And in a flourish worthy of its grander ambitions, each photo is serial-numbered and garnished with a hologram, preserving the authenticity that collectors crave like a warm cup of cocoa on a wintry evening.
But there’s more to unwrap—literally. For those passionate about the subtle gradients of collecting, six tantalizing color variants await: Gold (#/50), Orange (#/25), Blue (#/10), Red (#/5), and the singularly radiant Iridescent (1/1). If rarity is the collector’s carrot, consider it dangled.
The player checklist tickles more fancies than a star-studded all-star game. With stars both blazing (Connor Bedard, Auston Matthews, Igor Shesterkin) and part of our fond memories (Mark Messier, Alexander Ovechkin), there’s a nostalgia and spectrum-spanning appeal to the roster. This isn’t just collecting the who’s who of hockey present—it’s about embracing the whole genealogical line of the sport’s camaraderie.
Adding a flicker of true rarity, Topps spices the mix with multi-signed editions. Picture the ultimate collector’s brag: a 1/1 triptych of Ovechkin, Bedard, and Matthews, the holy triumvirate inscribed and sealed. It’s the kind of pièce de résistance that stories are told about and passed down through generations.
But what price for such cherished pieces of memorabilia? Each box, packaged with one autographed photo, takes the collector’s wallet for a leisurely glide at $130—a relatively modest stake in the realm of serious collectibles, unfurling a path for those wishing to test the waters of this refreshing new Topps offering.
So what are we left with? Are Topps and the ice kingdom reacquainted fully? A full-blown renaissance this is not—not yet, at least. The Topps we encounter today isn’t about the frantic chase of rookie cards or base parallel sets. Instead, it’s a thoughtful nod to the roots of collection and an artful step forward.
With founder Fanatics holding sway over some of the hobby’s most significant licenses, the current iteration conceivably hints at larger dreams on the horizon. Today, Topps dips just a skate blade onto the icy rink but who knows what tomorrow holds? For now, we greet their offering with open palms and, as ever, the open hearts of collectors everywhere ready to bolt into a new chapter, pencil fingers slightly poised for the next collectible craze.
