There are very few things we agree on in our hobby. Aside from the fact that selling cards for a high price is a good thing and getting ripped off is bad.
But perhaps the most important one is that on-card autos are way better than sticker autos. They last longer and look much better.
Therefore, they tend to get far better values on the market. When we hear that a release is on-card, we are far more likely to buy it. Or to pre-order it.
But what happens when that promise turns to ashes in our mouth. Ok, that is a bit dramatic. But you get the picture. That is what happened with the much-awaited 2024 Topps Chrome Football release.
Or at least that is what some people are saying. What is the full story? We have it all in our overview of the 2024 Topps Chrome Football sticker or on-card auto controversy.
Football card fans have been waiting impatiently for the return of Topps Chrome Football. Indeed, The return of Topps Chrome Football feels like a homecoming for collectors who’ve been waiting a decade for this nostalgic comeback.
For years, football card enthusiasts have mourned the absence of this iconic series, which represents more than just cardboard and ink — it’s a slice of sports memorabilia history.
Topps Chrome isn’t just another trading card set; it’s a cultural touchstone that connects generations of football fans, capturing rookie moments and career-defining performances in strong chromium detail.
Some collectors are frustrated that a big name like Topps Chrome is returning before Fanatics has the licensing rights. As one Blowout Forums user explained, “Now, the [Fanatics] Topps NFL cards with license logos/teams for NFL starting soon will be BIG, but this stuff this year is . I don’t get why Topps is screwing up their big guns (Chrome) doing this junk. It cheapens the name. It’s not like Fanatics can’t wait a year and make REAL money with licensed name/logo Topps cards.”
Regardless of this good 2024 draft class (Caleb, Daniels, Maye, Nix, Penix, McC, etc.), this 2024 Topps stuff is junk as junk can be. These will not be their rookie cards any more than Leaf or Bowman are for Herbie or Trevor Lawrence or CJ Stroud.”
The design for a comeback product like this is crucial. This one works, despite being unlicensed. It has a sharp silver-and-black chrome finish. We described it as having “the classic Topps Chrome look, with a clean, full-bleed format and shiny refractor finishes.”
What makes this 2024 release truly electric is the promise of on-card autographs and those legendary refractor variations that collectors hunt like treasure. Each hobby box is a potential goldmine, with two guaranteed autograph cards that could feature emerging NFL stars or established legends.
The scarcity and potential value of these cards transform the collecting experience from a casual hobby into an almost archaeological pursuit. Young collectors dream of pulling a rookie autograph that might become worth thousands, while veteran collectors relish the nostalgia of a series they’ve loved since childhood.
But there were drawbacks too. For one, the date was too late. We are talking about a 2024 product that is coming out well after the Super Bowl. That is never fun. Then there is the high price for an unlicensed product. Something we will discuss more fully later.
Topps posted a teaser for the new release on January 17, 2025. In it they wrote, “𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊: The new Topps Chrome Football features rookie patch autographs with on-card signatures.”
People were excited about the prospect of getting on-card autos in Chrome. Prizm had managed to get high prices despite being on-card. Topps was promising to change that and collectors were psyched.
One Reddit user wrote, “My biggest takeaway is that all of these autos appear to be on-card (Panini got away with sticker autos in Prizm for too long). Thought Topps might take the easy way out for flagship after using sticker autos for the 2023 Topps Chrome flagship in Composite and the flagship Bowman U autos. Topps put up a Drake Maye on-card auto and it’s not on this post but I was mainly looking to see what they did with those cards.”
One Blowout Forums user posted the autos he hit on the product, and noted that, “The sticker vs. non-sticker options seem random but happy that the Stroud is on-card. I consider this box not a failure and I’m quitting while I’m not behind.”
But as more early pictures of cards came out, it was clear that not all the autos were on-card, especially the lower numbered. Those are exactly the autos that are most important to have on-card.
That is when we heard the first mutterings of disappointment. “I’m excited for on card autos, we see some awesome cards but its crazy most of the low-numbers autos are stickers,” wrote another Reddit user.
I took a look at some of the RPAs available online for sale. Here is what I found:
The anecdotal evidence here is very clear. The majority, close to all, the RPAs I looked at were sticker. There are a few on-card autos here and there.
But nowhere near enough to warrant their promotion as an on-card release. That was a dishonest promotion and adds to a general sense of distaste surrounding this release.
We all prefer on-card autos and notice that anecdotally they are worth more. However, it can be difficult to compare the values of the two. That is because the playing field is hardly ever truly level.
The truly valuable and high-end releases are more likely to be on-card. Meanwhile, the less exclusive releases are usually sticker autos. That means that we have more than one factor determining why the prices for on-card autos tend to be higher.
But there is no question that collectors prefer the on-card stuff. As one Blowout Forums user explained, “Personally, I hate sticker autos and won’t have any in my collection. On card is generally seen as the preferred auto.”
And of course, these cards are not licensed. So it means the RPAs come without a logo. Therefore, the prospect of buying boxes at this high price point for cards that do not have logos or on-card autos is not very enticing.
Of course, they are banking on the fact that Panini isn’t offering a better alternative. The beloved Prizm release this time does not include autographs of many of the top rookies, who have signed an exclusive contract with Fanatics. The players included in this category include:
Due to exclusive autograph deals with Fanatics, many of the biggest names in the 2024 class aren’t signing for Panini, but they are signing for Topps Chrome. This includes:
In other words, most of the big names in the rookie class. Therefore, these are the main chances people have to get their RPAs. And if they are sticker, it is a significant drawback.
Obviously, the big issue here is that many people feel like they have been lied to. But another is the question of value. These boxes are selling for $464.95 right now.
Which is fairly high for what is, at the end of the day, an unlicensed product. One Blowout Forums user captured what many of us are thinking, and wrote “I was in for around $200 for a fun rip but no way at $330.” Another expanded, “The price for wax these days is asinine. For unlicensed no logos, this should not be a dollar over $200. That said. I fully expect my LCS will have this with a shelf price of $450-$500.”
The other formats are also not cheap. Mega Boxes sell for $64.95, and a blaster sells for a much higher-than-normal $39.95. (Not to sound like that old due, but remember when we thought that $20 for a blaster was outrageous?)
The promise of on-card autos seemed like a nice way to make up for that. However, that has only been delivered haphazardly. Therefore, some people feel like this is a true rip off.
Once it became clear that people were pulling sticker autos, the predictable responses came. One Reddit user understandably stated, “I won’t pay the crazy money they want for this to pull sticker autographs.” Meanwhile, another more generally complained, “The amount of trash autos in this product is astounding.”
Not everyone is that upset with the sticker auto situation.
One Reddit user wrote, “I don’t know why you’re saying avoid the boxes. I would just avoid buying a case. I’ve seen people do worse with a case of panini Prizm Megas. I think these are getting way to much hate. But that may just be me. I don’t like the sticker autos or the fact they are unlicensed but I always thought topps has done a better job over all than panini. I’ve seen 1 of 1 RPA’s with an upside down nfl shield patch. They can’t even get quality control on 1 of 1 cards right.”
There was so much excitement around the return of Topps Chrome to Football. But it has not turned out as one would like it to. Between the lack of licenses, dishonesty about on-card autos, the late date of release and the high price, collectors are left with a bad taste in their mouth.
Did Fanatics really need to rush out this release before they were ready for it to be a quality one with on-card autos and licenses?
I doubt they need the money that badly. But on the positive side, hopefully they can learn from their mistakes.
BIG win for Panini in the legal battle against Topps!
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