So how is everybody feeling about the Topps era? - Page 5

cms11 · 03-19-2026, 12:28 AM

I have mixed feelings. I'll probably never break any product, but I do like the Topps brands better than Panini's. The biggest problem is that there's no much trash to sift through to get to something that won't lose most of its value next year.

Stockalone242 · 03-19-2026, 01:57 AM

Since I am a single-card-guy I don‘t really care that much. Only quality matters. And I only enjoyed the simple design and some great parallels of Flagship with a nice and rarely used old school picture of Stockton. Beyond that I keep out of „the industry“ with all the screeming, celebrities and loaded vultures at Walmart. Keep the hobby simple!

mfw13 · 03-19-2026, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weatherwarrior

These are all coming topps will have to release something like 15-20 sets as per the licensing agreement. Its a cash cow for them.

So basically you're hypothesizing and have no actual concrete info, just like the rest of us.

CardboardCracka · 03-26-2026, 11:00 AM

I was hoping they would tap into their legacy more and draw inspiration from old Topps basketball brands more. I was hoping they would be more innovative. But, so far it seems like they are just copying and pasting from their baseball products. I thought the Topps base set and parallels were nice, same with Chrome, but the inserts have been weak.

phdbeckett · 03-28-2026, 01:47 PM

Acetate! If Topps NBA could pull off a 1998 Topps Tek baseball concept with just tons of patterns and then a single parallel of each pattern it would be awesome. For those who don't know 1998 Topps Tech baseball had 90 different variations of each card, with a 90 card checklist that mean s a full set of all variations was 8,100 cards. They made a diffractor parallel of each variation with a very low print run that was never disclosed but they are difficult.
That's one Avenue I'm surprised they never took past baseball.

weatherwarrior · 03-28-2026, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfw13

So basically you're hypothesizing and have no actual concrete info, just like the rest of us.

No not hypothesizing at all. The license used to have a certain number of sets that are required to be released. For football it was like 30 or something. Basketball had something similar ill just have to dig and find it.

At this point we will be at 8 sets released once Bowman and Cosmic drop. We will very likely see dynasty, diamond icons, update, and update chrome( debut patches will be in that) thst is 4 more sets right there. I can see gilded being added potentially chrome black and whatever else they decide.

The biggest thing will be what they port over to retail as average collectors wont be able to touch the hobby stuff due to pricing.

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Asian62150 · 03-28-2026, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weatherwarrior

No not hypothesizing at all. The license used to have a certain number of sets that are required to be released. For football it was like 30 or something. Basketball had something similar ill just have to dig and find it.

At this point we will be at 8 sets released once Bowman and Cosmic drop. We will very likely see dynasty, diamond icons, update, and update chrome( debut patches will be in that) thst is 4 more sets right there. I can see gilded being added potentially chrome black and whatever else they decide.

The biggest thing will be what they port over to retail as average collectors wont be able to touch the hobby stuff due to pricing.

Sent from my SM-S928U using Tapatalk

Yes, pricing is high, but Topps also does not want to put product directly into the hands of collectors. They want to sell to breakers who are on their platform so they can double dip.

Would be very curious to know what % of each product Topps even makes available through their website or via EQL.

byronscott4ever · 03-28-2026, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phdbeckett

Acetate! If Topps NBA could pull off a 1998 Topps Tek baseball concept with just tons of patterns and then a single parallel of each pattern it would be awesome. For those who don't know 1998 Topps Tech baseball had 90 different variations of each card, with a 90 card checklist that mean s a full set of all variations was 8,100 cards. They made a diffractor parallel of each variation with a very low print run that was never disclosed but they are difficult.
That's one Avenue I'm surprised they never took past baseball.

Do they still do clear parallels /10 in flagship?

weatherwarrior · 03-28-2026, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asian62150

Yes, pricing is high, but Topps also does not want to put product directly into the hands of collectors. They want to sell to breakers who are on their platform so they can double dip.

Would be very curious to know what % of each product Topps even makes available through their website or via EQL.

I would bet(in my head anyways) 70% to breakers on the fanatics 25% to shops across the lands, and 5% to the public.

We also have to remember there are no international type variations at the moment.

A lot of product goes overseas to the Asian market. All you have to do is look as the Asian consignment sellers to see how much new product hits they are listing.

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90skid · 03-28-2026, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by byronscott4ever

Do they still do clear parallels /10 in flagship?

Yes, but they are nowhere near being "flashy" - just an acetate see thru very very hard to pull parallel. It'd be nice if they gave it a refractor finish on both sides.

ninjacookies · 03-28-2026, 09:41 PM

AI slop not nearly as bad as anticipated. Have only suffered 2 epileptic seizures. And both instances could probably be pinned on me since I stared directly at the inserts instead of viewing them thru a pair of polarized bass fisherman shades like a sensible person.

And Mr. Wonderful's gentrified rapper pendant could be seen as a net negative due to his Rubin allegiance, but it's an Upper Deck kard.

Overall? A- . No notes.

fabiani12333 · 04-13-2026, 10:55 PM

I think Panini got very lucky with the time period in which they controlled the NBA licenses. They got both Lebron's and Curry's prime. They got Doncic's hyped-up early years. They even got Wemby's rookie season. And of course, they benefitted from the pandemic boom and the renaissance of basketball cards.

Topps is taking over at a low point in the league, with Lebron and Curry aging out, the popularity of the league continuing to decline, and the quality and entertainment-value of regular season play at perhaps an all-time low. SGA and Wemby are star players, but not on the level of past superstars.

03-26-2026, 11:00 AM	#104
CardboardCracka Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 1,115 BookwormCollege	I was hoping they would tap into their legacy more and draw inspiration from old Topps basketball brands more. I was hoping they would be more innovative. But, so far it seems like they are just copying and pasting from their baseball products. I thought the Topps base set and parallels were nice, same with Chrome, but the inserts have been weak. __________________ Collecting Steelers, Penguins, Pitt Panthers, HOF on-card autos, FB 90s/early 2000s refractors, Heritage refractors and whatever else catches my eye. IG: @symbolic_cards https://www.flickr.com/photos/150759555@N08/albums

03-28-2026, 01:47 PM	#105
phdbeckett Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,855 phdbeckett	Acetate! If Topps NBA could pull off a 1998 Topps Tek baseball concept with just tons of patterns and then a single parallel of each pattern it would be awesome. For those who don't know 1998 Topps Tech baseball had 90 different variations of each card, with a 90 card checklist that mean s a full set of all variations was 8,100 cards. They made a diffractor parallel of each variation with a very low print run that was never disclosed but they are difficult. That's one Avenue I'm surprised they never took past baseball. __________________ Collecting: Kobe Bryant LeBron James Michael Jordan-Shaquille O'Neal-Ken Griffey J.R. 1990s-Peyton Manning < 2004

03-28-2026, 09:41 PM	#111
ninjacookies Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: All the girls see the (boi)/ Look at his flips / Look at his kards / All they say is (oh boi). Posts: 57,619	AI slop not nearly as bad as anticipated. Have only suffered 2 epileptic seizures. And both instances could probably be pinned on me since I stared directly at the inserts instead of viewing them thru a pair of polarized bass fisherman shades like a sensible person. And Mr. Wonderful's gentrified rapper pendant could be seen as a net negative due to his Rubin allegiance, but it's an Upper Deck kard. Overall? A- . No notes. __________________ #5 world ranked Ledell Eackles superclection as recognized by Tuff Stuff junior managing editor, Barry McCaulkinner. Somethin' like a cross between Teddy Aguhob and Kaboom Mystery Packs. I got that Givenchy denim flow.

03-19-2026, 12:28 AM	#101
cms11 Member Join Date: Apr 2022 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,641	I have mixed feelings. I'll probably never break any product, but I do like the Topps brands better than Panini's. The biggest problem is that there's no much trash to sift through to get to something that won't lose most of its value next year.

03-19-2026, 01:57 AM	#102
Stockalone242 Member Join Date: Oct 2022 Location: Germany Posts: 81	Since I am a single-card-guy I don‘t really care that much. Only quality matters. And I only enjoyed the simple design and some great parallels of Flagship with a nice and rarely used old school picture of Stockton. Beyond that I keep out of „the industry“ with all the screeming, celebrities and loaded vultures at Walmart. Keep the hobby simple!

04-13-2026, 10:55 PM	#112
fabiani12333 Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 13,784	I think Panini got very lucky with the time period in which they controlled the NBA licenses. They got both Lebron's and Curry's prime. They got Doncic's hyped-up early years. They even got Wemby's rookie season. And of course, they benefitted from the pandemic boom and the renaissance of basketball cards. Topps is taking over at a low point in the league, with Lebron and Curry aging out, the popularity of the league continuing to decline, and the quality and entertainment-value of regular season play at perhaps an all-time low. SGA and Wemby are star players, but not on the level of past superstars.