A beginners guide to Topps F1 trading cards (Part 6/6) – Topps Now
For the final instalment of this beginners guide, we look at Topps’ online on demand cards, Topps Now. Topps Now is not exclusive for F1 but is part of Topps’ in-season weekly cards produced for its licensed sports including MLB, MLS and Bundesliga.
Each week 3 Topps Now cards to produced to capture the 3 key news stories which are usually a driver win, driver podium, driver debut or a record breaking event (in recent times, these are always Red Bull or Max).
Recent Oscar Piastri Topps Now #38
Topps Now cards come packed in a large cardboard envelope with a plastic card holder inside.
Topps Now cards are not cheap – individual cards are $US9.99 (£7.99 via Topps UK) and cheaper pricing needs bulk card buys of 5, 10 or 20 card bundles. Topps do offer a 3 card bundle for the 3 different cards that week for $US24.99. Unless you are based in US or UK, international delivery charges can be quite hefty often more expensive than the cards!
Topps Now card are on-demand, so Topps makes them available for direct online purchasing and once the window closes, the total orders will determine the card population.
Topps holo watermark on the rear face of Topps Now card
When you order Topps Now cards, it arrives in a large cardboard box. The cards are packed in a Topps Now envelope and are contained in a clear plastic card holder.
Topps Now cards themselves feel similar in thickness to Topps Chrome cards with gloss front and rear. If you look carefully at certain angles, the Topps Now card rear has a Topps holo watermark.
The main appeal of Topps Now is the hope of nabbing a parallel card capturing a signficant event. Topps Now parallels are gold (1/1), blue (10/10) and red (99/99).
It’s no surprise that the most popular Topps Now resale cards have been card #78 which was the epic lead up to the titanic 2021 final Abu Dhabi GP where Lewis and Max were tied on 369.5 points. The single gold parallel #78 card sold for $US36,600 at goldin auction.
Probably the highest valued Topps Now F1 card to date is the gold parallel #78 which fetched $US36,600 at goldin auction back in June 2022.
Topps Now cards snapshot:
Card size: standard 3.5″ x 2.5″
Thickness: Similar feel to Chrome paper stock
Texture: Slippery gloss front and rear
Finishing/Detail: Parallel cards are serial numbered and have alternate coloured backgrounds. Topps hologram watermark on rear card face
Cost: Single card $US9.99/£7.99; Bulk buys of 5, 10, 20 cards offer cheaper cost per card.
Comments & Tips for Collecting:
If you glance through PSA’s auction price database, most plain Topps Now base cards that have PSA grading don’t fetch a significant price premium to the original Topps individual card price of $9.99.
If you are a collector that’s content with single base cards, its probably better to wait to hunt for the single card on online marketplaces. The chances are in most cases the total card + delivery cost will be likely cheaper than if you had bought the same card from Topps.
If you want to chance your hand at scoring a parallel card which usually requires bulk card quantity purchases then it makes sense to order from Topps as you can spread the delivery cost across more cards.
To view previous instalments in this guide, click below:
