2025 Topps Baseball Series 1 Watch: The Barry Bonds Market
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One of the biggest stories to emerge from the release of 2025 Topps Baseball Series 1 was the news that legendary and controversial 7-time MVP Barry Bonds was returning to The Hobby. Appearing in hobby products for the first time since 2017, Bonds cards include certified autograph cards in the 1990 Topps Baseball 35th Anniversary commemorative insert, an entry in the Heavy Lumber insert, as well as a triple auto card featuring Bonds alongside Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez. Let's take a look at how The Hobby has welcomed Bonds back into the fold.
Barry Bonds is Back in the Hobby
Early movement in the market on Bonds' 2025 Series 1 autos has been solid. Indeed, at the time of wrting, per Card Ladder, 9 of the top 20 Series 1 sales on the secondary market have been of Barry Bonds autographed cards. At the top of the list is the biggest sale so far, a 1990 Topps Baseball Barry Bonds Auto /5, from his time with the San Francisco Giants, that went for $3,100 on February 16.
Bonds has two autographed entries in the 1990 insert, the aforementioned Giants offering, as well as a card featuring Bonds from his earlier days with the Pittsburgh Pirates. A version of that card, numbered to 25, sold for $2,697 last Sunday. There's little to separate the two cards at this point. Versions numbered to 50 of each have brought in $1500 - $,2000. A /50 Pirates card is currently listed on Ebay has had 16 bids at writing, currently sitting at $1,250 with four days to go (the card is listed with a Buy It Now option at $4,000). A /5 version of said card has already received 49 bids and sits at $2,000 with five days left in bidding. It's certainly an intriguing auction to follow. Bonds SSP Heavy Lumber cards have sold for between $175 - $230 so far, per Card Ladder. DJ's Sports Cards in Renton, Washington took to IG to post a pull of a /5 version of the Bonds/Pujols/A-Rod triple auto.
Topps Series 1: Dylan Crews and James Wood Headline Early Rookie Card Sales
It's early days, and it's unlikely the ceiling has been reached for these new Bonds releases, but it's clear that the combination of novelty and name have made these cards some of the most sought-after 2025 Topps Baseball Series 1 cards so far.
Michael Terry is a writer based in Brooklyn. He specializes in sports, culture, and collecting. His work has appeared at Topps RIPPED, ESPN, Grantland, Vice Sports, and more.
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