Topps Company, Inc., the American collectibles giant known for Bazooka gum and baseball cards, has announced the launch of its second series of 2021 Topps Baseball NFT collection. Following the successful MLB Inception NFT release in August, the new collection is built on the Avalanche blockchain. Standard packs are priced at $15 and contain eight cards each, with a total of 25,000 packs available. Rarity odds include 16.64% for a rare card, 14.23% for a super rare, and just 0.04% for a legendary. However, every standard pack guarantees at least one rare card.
Premium Packs and Enhanced Odds
Premium packs cost $150 and offer significantly higher legendary odds at 0.88%, along with a 30.50% chance for an epic card. Each premium pack guarantees three epic cards. Exclusive to premium buyers are the All-Star and 70th Anniversary Platinum Facsimile Signatures NFT cards. Tobin Lent, VP and global general manager of Topps Digital Sports & Entertainment, stated that the MLB NFT series is designed to create a fun and accessible collecting experience for both NFT veterans and newcomers.
First Series Milestone
The inaugural 2021 Topps MLB Inception NFT collection sold out in just 96 minutes, attracting over 22,000 unique buyers. Notable secondary market sales include the 1-of-3 Legendary Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Letter Booklet and the 1-of-23 Epic Juan Soto Red Rookie Facsimile Signature card.
Competitive Landscape and Future Shifts
Topps currently dominates the MLB NFT market, but its partnership with Major League Baseball will end in 2026, as the league has signed a deal with sports apparel giant Fanatics. Fanatics, through its venture Candy Digital (founded by Michael Novogratz, Gary Vaynerchuk, and Michael Rubin), has already released MLB-branded NFTs, including a 1-of-1 token of Lou Gehrig. The Los Angeles Dodgers also minted an NFT version of their 2020 World Series ring. As NFT collectibles continue to gain mainstream traction, the competition for digital baseball memorabilia is intensifying.