2023-24 Topps Royalty Basketball Release Preview
This week is filled with major releases in the hobby, and Topps has one of those releases. Prior to officially getting the Basketball license, Topps is releasing one more product, and it focuses on the 2023-24 rookie class. The product is called Topps Royalty, and it is considered a high-end product. Boxes contain 8 total cards, with 4 being autographs, 2 memorabilia, 1 parallel, and 1 base. It is the debut release for the product. Given the rookie class, the top chase will be Victor Wembanyama. The product is slated to release on Thursday, September 25th, and collectors will surely be interested to get one last chance on some Wembanyama high-end rookie cards. Here is what collectors should know.
Base Design/Parallels
The base checklist contains 125 cards, and it would be a difficult set to put together, given that only one base card can be found per pack. The base cards feature the player in the center of the card, with a gold square surrounding the player. The remainder of the card is a white background, with a design being right behind the player. Given the high end nature, one would expect the design to look intricate. Parallels will fall one per box, and there are a few varieties that collectors can find, including: Purple, Blue, Pink, Gold, Green, and Platinum. The purple parallels will be the most common, falling at a rate of 1 in 3 boxes. The platinum will be the hardest to obtain, falling 1 in 99 boxes.
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Autographs
Autographs will be the main chase for collectors, and a variety of them can be found in the product. Singular autographed cards come in a few forms, notably the "Coronation" and "Court Circular" subsets. Dual and Triple autographs can also be found, bringing some of the NBA's best players onto one card. This can be essential for fans of certain players, but also teams, depending on the card involved. Notable signers include: Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Stephen Curry, Shaquille O'Neal, Ray Allen, Tracy McGrady, and more. The Dual and Triple autographs include combinations that include Tony Parker/Manu Ginoblii/George Gervin and Kevin Garnett/Ray Allen/Paul Pierce.
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Rookie Patch Autographs will take center stage as well. Aside from the main chase of Wembanyama, 24 other rookies can be found in the set. These cards feature a jumbo patch from the player, with an autograph at the top of the card. In all, these cards have some great eye appeal, and will certainly appeal to collectors looking to get cards of a certain player or team.
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Memorabilia
2 Memorabilia cards will be located in a hobby box, and a variety of memorabilia subsets exist. They include Jersey Tags, Regalia Relics, Star Relics, Round Ball Relics, and more. While no preview images have been released, there are some major names that appear on the checklist, such as: Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Tyrese Haliburton, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Brunson, and more.
Live Online Breaks
The online selling platform of eBay Live is starting to see scheduled box and case breaks be scheduled ahead of Wednesday's release. BreaksNTakes will be opening an entire case of the product, which amounts to 4 boxes. The break is being run as a team break, and at the time of writing, spots can still be purchased. The event will take place on Friday, September 26th at 9:30 PM, and can be found here.
2023-24 Topps Royalty Basketball looks to be a fun release, and adds another offering into the high end market of Basketball products. While it is unlicensed, it still features numerous key names to chase after in both the autograph and memorabilia realms. Collectors will also have a chance to enter online breaks that are or will be scheduled, giving a chance to collect who they are interested in. Topps Royalty Basketball will be available on Thursday, September 25th.
Dylan is a collector based in Central Pennsylvania, and sports fan rooting for the Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Pirates, and LA Lakers. He is currently attempting to collect a complete run of Topps flagship sets across football, baseball, and basketball. He is passionate about the history of the hobby including its continual growth and evolution.