The 2024 baseball card season started in mid-February with the release of 2024 Topps Series 1. In the weeks since, several additional products have dropped, but early April brings us the first premium offering of the year, in the form of 2024 Topps Sterling Baseball.
But what will collectors find in 2024 Topps Sterling? What are the hits? How much will a box set you back? And are these worth breaking?
Shop for 2024 Topps Sterling Baseball boxes on eBay
The release date for 2024 Topps Sterling Baseball was April 3, 2024.
Hobby boxes of 2024 Topps Sterling Baseball contain two packs per box, in the form of two single-card mini-boxes. So yes, each pack contains a single card per pack. There are four hobby boxes per hobby case.
Each hobby box contains one Autographed Relics and either a second Autographed Relic or a One-of-One Relic Cards per box.
Hobby Boxes are pre-selling for $1,225 to $1,250 per box.
All autographs and autographed relics in the 2024 Topps Sterling offering are numbered out of 25 or fewer.
Sterling Seasons celebrate iconic seasons. Numbered out of 25 copies, these contain an autograph plus two relics. Blue parallels include 3 relic pieces and are numbered out of 10. Red Parallels include 4 relic pieces and are numbered out of 5. 1/1 Silver parallels are also available, and feature 5 relic pieces.
Sterling Strikes highlight pitching greats. Numbered out of 25 copies, these contain an autograph plus two relics. Blue parallels include 3 relic pieces and are numbered out of 10. Red Parallels include 4 relic pieces and are numbered out of 5. 1/1 Silver parallels are also available, and feature 5 relic pieces.
Sterling Connection is new for 2024 and features City Connect uniforms. Numbered out of 25 copies, these contain an autograph plus two relics. Blue parallels include 3 relic pieces and are numbered out of 10.
Red Parallels include 4 relic pieces and are numbered out of 5. 1/1 Silver parallels are also available, and feature 5 relic pieces.
Sterling Swings feature some of the most popular hitters out there. Numbered out of 25 copies, these contain an autograph plus two relics. Blue parallels include 3 relic pieces and are numbered out of 10.
Red Parallels include 4 relic pieces and are numbered out of 5. 1/1 Silver parallels are also available, and feature 5 relic pieces.
Sterling Debuts features top 2024 rookies. Numbered out of 25 copies, these contain an autograph plus two relics. Blue parallels include 3 relic pieces and are numbered out of 10. Red Parallels include 4 relic pieces and are numbered out of 5. 1/1 Silver parallels are also available, and feature 5 relic pieces.
Sterling Sets Dual Autograph Relics pair two players with a common bond, and include an autograph and a relic for each. These cards are numbered out of 15. Red parallels are numbered out of 5. 1/1 Silver parallels are also available.
Sterling Sets Triple Autograph Relics feature a trio of players with a common bond, again with an autograph and a relic from each player. Numbered out of 10 with Red (/5) and 1/1 Silver parallels.
Sterling Splendor Jumbo Patch Autographs feature big names with an autograph and a jumbo patch. Numbered out of 10 with Red parallels (/3) and 1/1 Silver parallels.
Sterling Sets Autographed Book Cards feature six of the biggest names of MLB past, present, and future. Red parallels are numbered out of 3. 1/1 Silver parallels are also available.
Shop for 2024 Topps Sterling Baseball boxes on eBay
Averaging roughly one per case, the one-of-one relics and autographs are a tough pull that could excite collectors.
Topps Sterling Jersey Letter Patch Cards feature oversized letter patches from players’ jerseys.
Topps Sterling Bat Knob Cards include game-used bat knobs from players past and present.
Topps Sterling Autographed Bat Knob Cards feature bat knobs and on-card autographs.
Topps Sterling Bat Nameplate Cards contain the player nameplate from a game-used bat.
Topps Sterling Dual Bat Label Book Cards are new for 2024 and feature the bat manufacturer logo from game-used bats.
Topps Sterling Autographed Bat Nameplate Cards feature both bat name plates and on-card autographs.
Topps Sterling Cut Signatures offers up cut signatures from baseball, politics, and entertainment.
Legendary Relics feature retired legends and Hall of Famers and containing three pieces of game-used relics
Cut Signatures Relics add two game-used relics to the cut signature.
2024 Topps Sterling is a high-end, high-priced product with only two cards per hobby box. But are these cards a good candidate to buy and hold unopened?
Shop for 2024 Topps Sterling Baseball boxes on eBay
Let’s see what a look at recent comp prices for hobby boxes from the last several years can tell us.
Year | Recent Hobby Box Comp Price |
2024 | $1,225-1,250 |
2023 | $1,000-1,050 |
2022 | $950-1,000 |
2021 | $735 |
These boxes, at least the more recent ones, appear to hold their value fairly solidly. However, they don’t have a lot of upside if recent comps are to be believed.
What about singles? What can recent sales of 2023 Topps Sterling singles (raw or graded) tell us about the potential high watermark for prices?
Overall, 10 cards on eBay have recently sold for north of $2,000. The absolute top of the pile is a bit hard to pin down as they were all bought with “best offer accepted”. The high watermark appears to be the 2023 Topps Sterling Splendor Patch 1/1 in a PSA 8 slab, which sold for somewhere south of $10,000.
An 2023 Topps Sterling Auto Book “All Rookie All-Stars” sold for a little less than $6,000. A 2023 Topps Sterling Albert Pujols Bat Barrell Auto 1/1 and a 2023 Topps Sterling Sets Autographed Book 3000Ks Club Nolan Clemens Pedro /5 both sold for south of $5,000.
So, while the possibility exists, it’s far from guaranteed. Some sales of 2023 Topps Sterling singles are as low as $10 a card. That’s for a card someone paid $600 for unopened!
All products have pros and cons that need to be considered before spending your hard-earned hobby budget on them. 2024 Topps Sterling is no different, but what are some of the items to keep in mind when making a decision.
Pros
Cons
2024 Topps Sterling is the first high-end product drop for the 2024 collecting season. At $1,200 or more for just two cards, they come with a steep price tag. While there’s a chance for a big hit, there’s also the chance for a big loss.
Know the odds, and if like the rush of a quick break with high stakes, and your collecting budget allows, you can do worse. These are nice looking cards and there are some nice potential hits.
What’s your take on 2024 Topps Sterling? Are you ready to jump on the first premium product of 2024? Or are you passing on these high-priced gambles? Tell us about it at card_lines on Twitter.
Shop for 2024 Topps Sterling Baseball boxes on eBay
Is this Caitlin Clark's best rookie card? (Plus Topps Update SSPs!)
Sealed blaster box of 2022 MLB Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary.
Sealed Blaster Box of 2022 Topps MLB Baseball Update Series.
Sealed blaster box of 2023 Topps Stadium Club.
Sealed box of 2019 Topps MLB Baseball Series 2 Hobby Box. 1 autograph or relic card guaranteed. Great rookie class.
Sealed Box of 2021 Panini Prizm Baseball Cello. 12 packs per box, 18 cards per pack.
© Copyright 2024 - All rights reserved Cardlines.com / Media Techs LLC - Sports Card News, Reviews, Releases and BREAKS - #thehobby.
Important: When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.