2025 Topps T205 Baseball Release Preview
Topps is paying homage to old school baseball cards with an upcoming release: T205 Baseball. The release features Tobacco-style era cards, similar to the minis that are located in Allen and Ginter releases of years past. The cards feature a photograph of the player's face, that is surrounded by a colored background and a facsimile signature. The top of the cards feature the team logo and the name of the team.
While the cards themselves may not pop like a Topps Chrome refractor, the cards are meant to take collectors back to a time when Baseball cards were simplistic, and collectors would read the stats on the back of the card. Boxes contain 10 packs, with four cards per pack. There is also a carton form of the release that contains 16 packs, and one autograph per box. Ahead of it's release, here is what collectors should know about the set.
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Parallels make up a good portion of the chase, and for collectors who are trying to get all parallels of one player, it could be difficult. One could also argue that the main draw or appeal of the set is the parallel chase. The parallels in the set include: Piedmont Backs, Sweet Corporal, Polar Bear, Cycle, Wood Stock, and Christy Matthewson, among others. There are also variations of the base set that have players in their All Star Game hats, City Connect uniforms, and no hat. Therefore, the parallels do throw it back to the early 1900s with different backs, but also add in some modern flair. The base set is made up of 300 cards, that showcase a variety of current players and legends. For fans of vintage cards, this is a set that could be up one's alley.
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Inserts will also feature in the set, but they are arguably not the main draw. The inserts that collectors can find in boxes include: T80 Rookies, Vintage Ballparks, and Presidential First Pitches. The vintage ballpark inserts include memories of Baseball past by chronicling ballparks such as Shibe Park, Forbes Field, Cominsky Park, and Polo Grounds. The Presidential First Pitches set will feature images of Presidents who have thrown out first pitches before the start of a Baseball game. It is not a terribly large insert set, with only five cards making up the insert set.
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Autographs around out the set, providing collectors with a chance to land an autograph from one of their favorite players. Autographs themselves fall only one in every four boxes, so they can be tough to obtain. Notable signers in this year's product include: Roger Clemens, Ken Griffey Jr, Albert Pujols, Nolan Ryan, Joey Votto, Paul Skenes, Elly De La Cruz, Jacob Wilson, and Juan Soto among others. It is truly an excellent autograph list, and with the rarity of autographs in the set, they could provide some value for collectors if they were to find one.
Topps T205 Baseball looks to be a fun release for collectors, especially as the Baseball season winds down. It blends both the old and the new together, while also keeping with certain traditions. Stars and legends can be found in the product, adding additional appeal. It releases at 12 PM on Sept 18th, and should be a cool rip for those who decide to purchase any of the product.
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.