A Guide To 2024 Home Run Derby Cards

The Home Run Derby has become increasingly popular over the last few years, earning a status similar to that of the NBA dunk competition. Since Fanatics took over Topps, they have been far more involved in the latest developments in baseball.

Therefore, it is no surprise that they have taken a greater interest in the Home Run Derby than before. So we saw some prizes and Topps Now releases for the event. Topps will likely have more developments on this front over the years.

Here is an overview of what the company has done in our look at 2024 Home Run Derby cards.

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What is the Home Run Derby?

The event was first held in 1985 at the All-Star Game. It was also loosely based on a highly excellent 1960 TV show called Home Run Derby, which saw players like Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle compete for a grand prize of $2,000.

At first, it was slow and uninteresting. For example, Ryne Sandberg won the 1990 version of this with a measly 3 home runs. Compare that to Giancarlo Stanton, who won with 61 dingers in 2016.  

However, MLB accelerated the process and increased the prize money to one million dollars in 2019. That was when players and fans started taking things more seriously. Until then, many of the biggest sluggers passed up on the event.

But no one is turning down a chance to win a million bucks. With the best hitters involved, the fans also got super into it. It is now arguably the highlight of the entire All-Star weekend. I certainly enjoy it more than the game, and I suspect that most baseball fans feel the same way.

The massive popularity of the event and the iconic moments it produces make it perfect for baseball cards. Topps has skillfully identified that gap and begun to fill it.

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Home Run Derby Topps Now

Topps Now cards are only available 24 hours after an event. That means the cards Topps has issued under this format have already been snapped up but are still available on the secondary market.

There are foil packs for each of the Home Run Derby participants. Each comes with one game-used ball relic card, sequentially numbered to 10 or lower. You can pick up one of these on eBay right now.

The two giant cards in the series are undoubtedly the two finalists. Teoscar Hernández, the longshot winner from the Dodgers, and Bobby Witt Jr., the first player to feature in the High School & MLB Home Run Derby.

Some of these recent autographed Home Run Derby cards sell for decent prices. Here are the highest sales I could find with confirmed prices:

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The cards generally seem undervalued when you consider their rarity and significance. But there is no reason to believe it will remain that way. The general trend for Topps NOW cards and anything involving the Home Run Derby seems to be up.

The Candy Vision Home Run Challenge

Candy is the Topps MLB NFT series. It was developed back when NBA Top Shot was huge, and they hoped to see similar success with the baseball version. Of course, that has not worked out as expected. But it continues to soldier on.

Candy offered two very fun challenges for the Home Run Derby: the Rookie Challenge and the Senior Home Run Derby.

Rookie Challenge Competition

Collectors were asked to submit their predictions for the top 4 finishers in the competition. They were also to predict the total number of home runs hit by all contestants in the first round. The final prediction was for the distance of the furthest-hit homer in the first round.

The winner was determined by whoever got the most predictions right. The winners received a 2024 All-Star Gems pack, a 2024 Hall of Fame Premium pack, and a signed baseball from one of the following MLB players: José Ramírez, Walker Buehler, Ozzie Albies, Gleyber Torres, Nestor Cortes.

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Pro Challenge

You must get a Home Run Derby Gem for $5 (open edition) to enter this competition. Or you could also join if you were among the top 25 in the Candy League leaderboard.

You had to submit the top 4 finishers in the derby to win. But also the predictions for the total home run hit and the distance of the last home run hit.

The scoring was done the same way as in the Rookie Challenge Competition.

 But the prizes were a bit different. The top 5 players receive rewards in your Candy Balanced and receive not only a 2024 All-Star Gems pack but also a jersey from one of the following MLB players: Walker Buehler, Ozzie Albies, Gleyber Torres, Sandy Alcantara, Gavin Lux.

The Home Run Derby Duel

However, the most significant project Topps launched for the Home Run Derby was quickly the Home Run Derby Duel. You had to pull a Topps Derby Duel Challenge Insert Card to enter. They are randomly placed in packs of 2024 Topps Baseball Series I.

What happens if you win?: “If the selected Major League Baseball player wins the 2024 Home Run Derby as officially determined and announced by Major League Baseball after the 2024 Home Run Derby, you will win a parallel card of that Major League Baseball player. IN ALL OTHER CASES, NO PARALLEL CARD PRIZE WILL BE AWARDED.”

An unnamed grand prize will also be awarded to one of the winners in a raffle. They will also have to answer some mathematical questions. But only if they live in Canada. No, I am not making that up: “If such Promotion participant is a resident of Canada, to qualify to receive a prize, he/she must first correctly answer a time-based mathematical skill-testing question without assistance.” So, work on your math skills if you are a collector from the Great White North.

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The odds for these cards are:

* [1:2,148] for Hobby Box, [] for Hobby HTA Jumbo Box

* [1:2,456] for Retail Display, [1:576] for Retail Hangar

* [1:3,893] for Retail Bulk

* [1:1,468] for Retail Fat Pack

* [1:2,830] for Retail Value Box

* [1:2,498] for Retail Giant/Mega Box

* [1:944] for Retail Grocery

* [1:2,428] for Retail Super Box

* [1:2831] for Fanatics Box

* [1:2429] for Little League

Tips on winning the Home Run Derby Duel

The cards contain a code. You then input the code and guess which contestants would win the Home Run Derby. The deadline was July 15, 2024, the day of the Home Run Derby.

If you did, I hope you picked Teoscar Hernandez because otherwise, you may have lost. I hate to be the carrier of bad news. I liked Pete Alonso because, as a Mets fan, I am contractually obligated to do so.

It is worth pointing out that this competition is entirely separate from the regular Topps Home Run Challenge, which runs annually. Winning one has nothing to do with the other; you can enter both.

But of course, due to US law, you don’t have to get these cards to enter. It is illegal to force people to buy something to enter a prize without a license to run a lottery. Therefore, you could also enter an application to join by mailing it.

Topps is legally obligated to give you the same odds of winning. That is a good thing to remember for all these prizes and sweepstakes. You don’t need to buy products or pull relevant cards. That is a free life hack from Cardlines.

Final word on 2024 Home Run Derby Cards

Topps is building a solid lineup of special prizes and cards for the Home Run Derby. The event is so beloved and closely watched now that this is a great way to drum up business.

Hopefully, next year, the lineup will be even more impressive. And maybe less of a longshot than Hernandez could win, so more of us could get a shot at a prize!

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