Trading cards, once the cherished currency of playground negotiations and dusty attic collections, are once again swooping in to capture our imaginations. In a perhaps not-so-surprising twist of comic brilliance, Topps has decided to court the internet’s most influential stars by creating a collection that dances on the thin line between clever and cash-grab. Enter the 2025 Sidemen Charity Match trading card spectacular, featuring the likes of Jim, I mean, MrBeast and eyebrow-raising favorite, KSI.
Let’s not beat around the bush: playing on the charms of philanthropy, Topps has managed to blend charity with the delightful art of consumerism. While nothing says “giving back” like selling rectangles emblazoned with influencer faces, a portion of these profits will indeed whisk their way to Brightside and M7 Education. So, rest assured, even as we scratch our collective heads at the concept, somewhere, a good deed is being done.
In a stroke that can be interpreted as both marketing brilliance and sheer desperation, the ever-captivating MrBeast finds himself heralded as the newest inductee into the world of officially collectible trading cards. Yes, the very MrBeast who can provoke millions of YouTube views while handing the keys of a gold-plated Lamborghini to someone who blinked. His legend is crystallized now—not on the vastness of the digital stage—but in a 3.5×2.5 inch cardboard format.
Of course, savvy collectors or those with a penchant for specific shiny things know what awaits beyond the standard base card experience. Each order placed before the arbitrary deadline of April 4th, 2025, comes with the illustrious opportunity to discover the elusive “chase” cards. These are items so rare, they could just as well inhabit an alternate universe:
– Gold Foil /50
– Orange Foil /25
– Black Foil /10
– Red Foil /5
– The bewilderingly named FoilFractor /1, because the world truly needed more lexicon in the form of shiny nonsense.
But wait, for those who live by the adage “more is more,” the innovation never ceases. Enter Chrome and Opal Chrome cards, because who wouldn’t want their collectibles enrobed in an extra layer of fictive scarcity?
– A neat 50k+ print run for Chrome /99 and downward
– A heart-stopping 100k+ print run for Chrome /25 with aspirations to SuperFractor 1/1 glory
– When 250k+ is reached, behold the Opal Chrome, because Tennesse Williams was right—sparkle does indeed equate to value
– The final flourish: A 500k+ White OpalFractor 1/1. Think of it as the capstone on your collector’s meditative pyramids.
Of course, there’s a catch presented with signature flair: these spectacular surprises unlock only when print runs reach their high-flying targets. Resultantly, it’s a call to arms, or rather wallets, fueling this venture akin to an influencer-themed Pokémon card rally.
And if you manage to pry a 1/1 MrBeast or KSI card from its stylish wraps, you don’t just hold a small paper rectangle—you hold “drip.” In contemporary parlance, this vaguely implies unmatched cool but translates to a candid timeout for those keeping to the lexicographical beaten path. Yes, owning a cardboard manifestation of a person famous for declamatory antics is to possess an artifact emblematic of our present age.
The Topps NOW collection will, naturally, vanish faster than festival tickets when the sale ends on April 4th. Once the print run is secured, you’ll ascertain whether you’ve snagged a collector’s gem or unwittingly funded yet another shoebox-bound common.
And oh, in case you’ve sidelined the reason for this entire venture—yes, the Sidemen are still championing their annual soccer spectacle. Since 2016, they’ve coaxed content-creating peers into a sporting arena, raising funds for various UK charities through guile and ball-handling. As the stadium echoes with the crescendo of both cheers and influencer antics, millions have been amassed, artifacts have been created, and now—sparkly, shiny cards beckon to those seduced by their allure.
So, whether you find yourself saluting at the shrine of YouTube gods or flipping foil for a quick profit, this trading carnival has laid its wares. Step right up, collectors and audience members, to what might just be the most entertaining cardboard quest of the digital era.
