2022 Topps Definitive Offers All Low Numbered Hits
Four weeks into the new baseball season, Topps will release its first high-end product with the arrival of 2022 Definitive Baseball.
Set to arrive April 27, each box offers a single eight card pack made up of all hits. Topps is promising six autograph or autograph-relic cards, and two relic cards. Every card will be numbered to 50 or less.
Autographs
On-card autographs will be the norm. Definitive Autographs will be numbered to 50 or less and will feature established veterans, rookies and retired stars. Red parallels (1/1) are also available.
Definitive Rookie Autographs will also be numbered to 50 or fewer and will showcase the best first-year players. Parallels will be found in Green (numbered to 25), Purple (10) and Red (1/1).
Legendary Autographs will be scarcer, paying tribute to the game’s greatest players with cards numbered to 25 or fewer. Parallels will be in Purple (numbered to 5 or less) and Red (1/1).
Defining Images Autograph Collection cards combines famous photos with low-numbered cards. Base cards are numbered to 25 or less, with parallels in Green (numbered to 10), Purple (5) and Red (1/1).
Other signature cards include Framed Autographs, which are numbered to 30 or less and are framed in metal. Parallels include Purple (numbered to 10) and Red (1/1).
Dual Autograph Collection cards features two players and their signatures on base cards numbered to 35 or less. The cards will feature veterans stars, rookies and retired greats.
Making its debut this year are Definitive Trios Autographs, which are numbered to 25 or fewer. Collectors can chase parallels in Green (numbered to 10), Purple (5) and Red (1/1).
Definitive Cut Signatures are 1/1 cards and feature autographs of the game’s greats.
Autograph Relics
Definitive will also spotlight cards that include on-card autographs with a jumbo swatch.
Every card in the base Autographs Relics set will be numbered to 50 or less. Parallels will be numbered the same way they have for the past three years, starting with Green (numbered to 25), Purple (10) and five different Red 1/1 offerings: Jersey Button, Laundry Tag, Manufacturer Logo, MLB Silhouetted Patch Logo and Team Logo.
Definitive Autograph Relics will have a print run of 40 or fewer, along with parallels in Green (numbered to 10), Purple (5) and Red (1/1).
As the name implies, Dual Autographed Relic Collection combines a pair of notable stars with signatures and relics. The base cards are numbered to 35 or less, with a Purple parallel (numbered to 10 or less) and a 1/1 Red parallel.
A larger auto-relic offering is the Autograph Patch Book Collection, which is a case hit. These book cards feature on-card signatures and jumbo patch pieces of current and retired greats. These are numbered to 5 or less, with a 1/1 Red parallel.
Framed Autograph Patch Collection, another case hit, is numbered to 30 or less. There is a Purple parallel numbered to 10, along with a Red parallel (1/1).
Definitive Autographed Ultra Patch Collection cards feature nameplates, team patches and large jersey numbers. The cards, which are sequentially numbered, allow collectors to assemble an entire patch across multiple cards.
Protectors at the Plate Autographed Relics sport on-card signatures and game-used protective equipment used by catchers and batters. That includes shin guards, elbow pads and more. These cards are sequentially numbered to 5 or fewer and have a 1/1 Red parallel.
Relics
Definitive offers several different relics for collectors to chase.
The Jumbo Relic Collection features the top stars in the game and sports large game-used pieces of memorabilia. The cards are sequentially numbered to 50 and have parallels in Blue (40), Green (15), Purple (5) and Red (1/1).
Protectors at the Plate Relics feature jumbo pieces of catcher’s gear and batters’ protective gear. The base set is sequentially numbered to 25 and features parallels in Green (10), Purple (5) and Red (1/1).
Batting helmets are the focus in the Definitive Helmet Collection which is numbered to 50 or fewer. There is a Purple parallel numbered to 5. Red 1/1 parallels can be found in MLB Silhouetted Batter Logo, Rawlings Authentic Tag, Rawlings Logo and MPH.
Other 1/1 cards include Definitive Nameplate Collection, featuring more than 50 player jersey nameplate letters; Definitive Patch Collection, a 75-card set that has jersey patches; and Definitive Cut Signatures, which will feature signatures of some of baseball’s elite players. All three subsets are case hits.
About Bob D’Angelo
Bob has been a sportswriter and copy editor for more than 35 years and a blogger for a decade. He is celebrating his 50th year of card collecting, and still counts his 1965 Topps Mickey Mantle as his favorite. You can reach him at [email protected].
