A Preview Of Topps Chrome Update 2023 And The Highly Anticipated Rookie Debut Patches [Checklist Added]

Even though it’s nearly a month out, 2023 Topps Chrome Update is shaping up to be a big release, in fact one of the biggest of November.

It will not only mark the completion of the Topps Chrome trilogy but will feature the much-hyped Rookie Debut patches.

Looking for 2024 Topps Chrome Update?

Thankfully, the Topps Chrome issues of 2022 seem to be squarely behind the company, allowing us to focus on what’s in the release rather than what is not in the release.

So what can you expect from 2023 Topps Chrome Update and will the Rookie Debut cards live up to the hype?

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2023 Topps Chrome Update release date and format

The Topps Chrome trilogy concludes with the release of 2023 Topps Chrome on November 15th, 2023 after the MLB season and a full month ahead of last year’s release.

Previous Topps Chrome Update releases in 2021 and 2020 had been retail-only offerings in blaster or mega box format, and exclusive to Target.

The 2022 Topps Chrome Update was available at Target in Mega Box format but was also available in Hobby box. For this year, the 2023 Topps Update Series adds the Hobby Jumbo box format.

Hobby Boxes will feature 24 packs per box of 4 cards while Jumbo will contain 12 packs per box of 13 cards. Cases of Hobby will contain six boxes while Hobby Jumbo boxes will contain eight boxes.

Every pack of Jumbo will include a base Refractor parallel, whereas Hobby boxes will contain six base refractors and three Prism Refractors.

Topps Chrome hobby boxes are preselling for $145 while collectors can find Jumbo for around $340.

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2023 Topps Chome Update rookie debut patch

Perhaps the biggest buzz surrounding the release is that 2023 Topps Chrome Update will be the first release to feature full “rookie debut” patches.

The patches were worn for the first time ever this year by MLB players during their first Major League Baseball game. They are a one-of-kind (literally 1/1s) and are set to be instant classics when they are hit. Each card will include the full “Rookie Debut” patch as well as an autograph of the player.

It’s also not difficult to envision that these cards could be the “holy grail” rookie cards of a given player. Not only extremely rare but a card that carries a meaningful part of the history of the player as a game-worn relic from their first game. These cards will definitely be ones to watch.

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Topps Chrome Update 2023 base set and design

The 2023 Topps Chrome Update Baseball series will include 220 base cards and will focus on recently traded players, new rookies, and rookie debut cards in the Chrome format. This is up from the 200 cards that were in 2022 Topps Chrome.

The 2023 Topps Update continued the tradition of elegant designs in the third year of every other decade (1963, 1983, 2003, 2023). Like those previous releases, the cards feature an action shot with a headshot superimposed in the lower left. Some cards will have image variation variations, available as Super Short Prints.

Collectors can find rookie cards from all major rookies of the year, with rookie debut cards of recent rookie cards as well.

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2023 Topps Chrome Update parallels

2023 Topps Chrome takes parallels to a new level with the latest release. Parallels double this year, going from eight to sixteen with this year’s release. Among the new parallels to the site are a handful of “Lamp Parallels” as well as a Prism Refractor, Negive Refractor, Orange and Magenta Refractor.

• Refractor 1:3
• Prism Refractor 1:6
• Negative Refractor Limited
• Magenta Refractor /399
• Magenta/Purple Lava Lamp /275
• Purple Refractor /250
• Aqua /199
• Aqua/Blue Lava Lamp /175
• Blue /150
• Blue/Green Lava Lamp /125
• Gold Refractor /50
• Orange /25
• Red/Orange Lava Lamp /10
• Red Refractor /5
• Superfractor 1/1
• Printing Plates 1/1

In addition, collectors purchasing Hobby Jumbo packs can also chase Frozenfractor variations numbered to 5.

Base card short prints will also receive their own limited edition parallels:

• Green Speckle /99
• Gold Speckle /50
• Orange Speckle /25
• Red Specle /5
• Superfractor 1/1

2023 Topps Chrome Update inserts

2023 Topps Chrome Update adds a mostly fresh new lineup of insert cards in the set with just one (Future Stars) returning from last year.

Featuring the top 50 players who participated in the 2023 All Star Week, 2023 All Star Game Chrome, available 1 in 6 packs will feature some of the best players in the MLB. Action Stars Chrome (1 in 6 packs) will include chrome versions of the Action Stars set from he regular 2023 Topps Chrome release. Meanwhile, Future Stars (1 in 16 packs) will feature some of the game’s greatest young players.

In the 1988 Topps Baseball insert, Topps provides chrome versions of the 1988 Topps design. While not one of Topps’s most popular designs from the junk wax era, there is a lot of nostalgia from the design.

Diamond Dominance is a super limited insert set selective chosen with one of each card.

Three other inserts (Topps Chrome Radiating Rookies, Let’s Go and Topps Chrome Expose are also super limited. Each of these inserts will have a Superfractor Parallel with Red Refractor parallels for Let’s Go and Topps Chrome Expose.

Insert parallels

Topps Chrome Titans, 2023 All Star Game Chrome, Action Stars Chrome, Future Stars, 1988 Topps baseball cards will receive their own parallel cards:

• Green Refractor /99
• Gold Refractor /50
• Orange Refractor /25
• Red Refractor /5
• Superfractor 1/1

2023 Topps Chrome Update autographs

Unlike in the 2022 release, 2023 Topps Chrome offers a large variety of different types of autographs with 1 autograph guaranteed per box of Hobby and 3 autographs in Hobby Jumbo boxes.

There are no fewer than six different autograph releases in the 2023 Topps Chrome Update set, not including the base autographs.

Base Autographs

A sizable number of cards from the 2023 Topps Chrome Update set will receive the autographed treatment.

Each one will also have an impressive number of parallels to go with the base version of the autos. Many of these parallels are new for the 2023 Topps Update series.

• Refractor /499
• Purple Speckle /299
• Purple Refractor /250
• Aqua Wave /199
• Blue Refractor /150
• Blue RayWave /150
• B&W Mini Diamond “Limited” – Hobby Jumbo only
• Gold Refractor /50
• Gold Wave /50 – Hobby boxes only
• Orange Wave /25 – Hobby boxes only
• Red Refractor /5
• Red Wave /5 – Hobby boxes only
• SuperFractor 1/1
• Printing Plates #4

2023 All-Star Game Autographs

As the name implies, this set will feature autographs of cards from the 2023 All Star Game, which was held in T-Mobile Park in July. There will be five different parallels of these cards:

• X Fractor /125
• Gold Refractor /50
• Orange Refractor /25
• Red Refractor /5
• Superfractor 1/1

1988 Topps Chrome Autographs

Featuring the timeless but basic design of 1988 Topps, this set will also feature autos with three different parallels:

• Base /50
• Orange Refractor /25
• Red /5
• Superfractor /1

Future Stars Autographs

Future Stars will have four different parallels:

• Base /99
• Orange Refractor /25
• Red Refractor /5
• Superfractor 1/1

Action Stars Autographs

Featuring non-rookie stars, Action Stars will feature autographs numbered to 25.

Dual and Triple Autograph cards

Featuring two autos or three autos per card, these will be numbered to 10 or less with a Red Refractor parallel (numbered to 5) and a SuperFractor. Both autographs are new to the release with 2023 Topps Update Chrome.

2023 Topps Chrome Update value

In looking at Topps Chrome Update value and how they have held up over time, we need to take a look at Mega Boxes, which have been available for at least the last four years (this year’s release adds Hobby and Hobby Jumbo so while not a direct comparison can given us an idea of how the product holds value.

The 2022 Mega boxes sold for $49 and as you can see, have not fully held their value. Going forward and now that there is a hobby focus, this is probably a release that will not see a great loss in value, but may not be a big winner either.

The obvious caveat is that the “Rookie Debut” patches in 2023 Topps Chrome Update could be a real game changer. Sure, they will be rare to hit but if the cards are as sought after as they are likely to be, this could propel the release to greater value.

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Here is a look at recent sales of the product:

As you can see, quite a bit of consistency, although it should be noted that 2019 has seen a bump in value since its release although it has declined a bit since last year.

Given its relatively flat growth, this is probably a release you want to rip unless you believe that the Rookie Debut patches will be huge, it might make more sense to hold the boxes rather than chase a very unlikely hit.

Final thoughts on Topps Chrome Update 2023

2023 Topps Chrome Update will conclude the popular Topps chromium flagship release. Whether the release lives up to the hype of Rookie Debut patches or if the release follows in the light of previous Topps Chrome Update releases, it will likely remain a collectible and an important release.

With an impressive collection of autographs, inserts and rookies and the chance of opening a pack with a holy grail rookie card, we think this release might end up being one of the most noteworthy of the year, especially for an “Update” set.

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Other recent Topps baseball releases

• 2023 Topps Tier 1
• 2023 Topps Chrome Update
• 2023 Topps Bob Ross Joy of Baseball
• 2023 Topps Chrome Lids Mitchell and Ness
• 2023 Topps Gilded Collection
• 2023 Topps Allen and Ginter

2023 Topps Chrome Update checklist

Check out this complete and searchable checklist of 2023 Topps Chrome Update

2023 Topps Chrome Update

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