2022 Topps Tier One Baseball Preview
It’s a product aimed at those who’d just as soon stick to the hits. 2022 Topps Tier One marks the return of the brand that offers only autographed and memorabilia cards.
Due for release on May 4, the configuration of the new product will be the same as last year. Each box contains one pack of three cards: two autographs and one relic card.
Autographs
The autograph subsets start with Tier One, which are focused on current stars with each card numbered to 199 or less.
Break Out Autographs will be focused on young stars and rookies. All will be numbered to 299 or less.
The checklist for Prime Performers Autographs will include both current stars and past greats, again all numbered to 299 or less.
Tier One Talent Autograph cards are made up of players who have “elite skills,” according to Topps. Those, too, will carry serial numbers no higher than 299.
All four autograph subsets above will include Bronze (# to 25); Silver (# to 10) and 1/1 Gold Ink parallels.
Next Level Autographs will be multi-layered cards of top players, with all numbered to 50 or less and the Bronze, Silver and Gold parallels also possible.
Tier One Dual (# to 25 or less) and Triple Autographs (# to 10 or less) put multiple players and their signatures on the same card.
Clear One and Clear One Dual Autographs are printed on an acetate-like technology with all cards numbered to just 10 or less.
The checklist for Tier One Cut Signatures will consist of 25 legends, with each a 1/1.
Autographed Relics
New in 2022, Gripping Autographed Relics combine the handle tape from game-used bats and on-card autographs. They’ll be numbered to 10 or less with 1/1 Platinum parallels in the mix.
Autographed Prodigious Patches pair autographs and jumbo uniform patches. Most will be numbered to 10 with 1/1 Platinum parallels also possible.
Perfect Contact Autographed Bat Relics focus on MLB’s top hitters, with cards carrying game-used bat pieces with the autograph signed directly on the relic piece. They’ll be numbered to 5 or 1.
Tier One Autographed Bat Knobs are back, with the 1/1 cards featuring an autograph and a section of a the knob of a game-used bat from that player. All are 1/1.
The 1/1 Cut Signature Relics are back, offering a piece of game-used memorabilia with a signature from a past great–and yes, Babe Ruth is in there.
Tier One Autographed Limited Lumber cards offer game-used bat pieces and are also 1/1 while Signature Tools Autograph Relics will marry an autographed card with a piece of the pen used to sign it.
More common are Autographed Tier One Relics, which will be numbered to 99 or less with Dual Patch (# to 25) and Triple Patch parallels (1/1) possible.
Dual Autograph Tier One Relic Book Cards are numbered to 10 with 1/1 Dual parallels also slated for production.
Relic Cards
The most common relic cards are Tier One Relics, all numbered to 399 or less. They’ll come in two different designs and have Dual (# to 25) and Triple versions (1/1.
Tier One Bat Knobs, Limited Lumber and All-Star Patches are all 1/1 with the latter also coming in autographed form.
Prodigious Patches feature large pieces of uniforms and will be numbered to 10 or 1. Uniform Button Relics will be numbered to 5 or 1.
There will be non-autographed Gripping Relics featuring that bat grip tape. The standard relic versions will be numbered to 10 or less with 1/1s possible.
Tier One Legends Relics will be focused on past greats and numbered to 199 or less with Dual (# to 25) and 1/1 Triple versions.
You can see Topps Tier One cards from all years on eBay here.
About Rich Mueller
Rich is the editor and founder of Sports Collectors Daily. A broadcaster and writer for over 35 years and a collector for even longer than that, he’s usually typing something somewhere. Type him back at [email protected]
