Topps MVP Buyback Program: Everything You Need to Know

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The Topps MVP Buyback Program is an offer for collectors to exchange their 2023 Topps Chrome cards of the 2023 MLB season’s MVPs from each league. This will be the second season of the MVP program, with 2022 Aaron Judge and Paul Goldschmidt cards being redeemed for store credit at participating local card shops at the end of last season.

Similar to 2022’s program, these redeemable cards include base Chrome, refractors, and others of the two MVPs, with credit amounts ranging from $20 to $200. That’s right, just when you think you’ve seen it all in this hobby and business, Topps comes out with a heck of a curveball to shake things up more than any type of Black Friday or Cyber Monday deal could.

The only difference with the 2023 program (so far) is that it is being announced now, before the 2023 Topps Chrome release and before we know who the season’s MVPs will be.

It looks like the 2023 page is being updated, but Topps had an FAQ for 2022 that addressed pretty much all of the swirling questions, and I answered a few of the bigger questions below. I’ll be sure to update this once we learn more about the 2023 program!

How Does the Program Work?

It’s a simple program, and almost seems too good to be true:

1. Gather either of the league’s MVPs – Judge and/or Goldschmidt (for 2022)
2. Bring the cards with you to a participating card store
3. Redeem your cards for store credit

In terms of figuring out just how easy and smooth this process is, we will have to wait a few days as the offer begins 11/26. RIght now, the program is slated to run until 3/31/23, which is a ton of time for you to cash in your MVPs.

Why is Topps Doing This?

In terms of why, here is a big takeaway from Topps’ card shop sign-in form:

“…is a part of Fanatics Collectibles’ commitment to invest in growing the hobby and support entrepreneurs and our small business partners.” 

I also posted a TikTok video asking community members for their thoughts—you can check out the video and their comments via the link below. Many are mentioning the fact that 2022 Topps Chrome was a tough product this year, so this is one way for Topps to make up for it.

Which Cards are Accepted?

Pretty much all Aaron Judge cards and Paul Goldschmidt 2022 Topps Chrome cards. I’ve added the full list below, and as you can see this includes refractors and numbered parallels (which even have a premium attached to them). You’ll also see that superfractors and cards numbered /5 are not part of the program.

Where Can You Redeem?

So as mentioned above, a big stated reason why Topps is doing this is to drive foot traffic to local card shops. Thus, these shops are the main redemption points for you if you have cards to trade it. Do note, though, that not all shops are participating, so be sure to check the map tool Topps has also provided:

You might find that you don’t have a local card shop that is participating in the program. In that case, major online card stores Dave & Adam’s and Blowout Cards are both participating, which means you can mail your cards in and receive credit. You’ll just want to read up on how to go about it here, which is your submission form.

Let’s also not forget that with this redeemable credit attached to these cards, their values have shot up tremendously on eBay. Thus, if you don’t feel like going through the redemption process, you can sell the cards on the secondary market for a lot more than what they are typically worth.

How Will This Play Out?

I have no idea, but I can tell you that as soon as information hit the airwaves, the still-cheap cards were flying off of eBay, COMC, and other platforms. Even a few hours after the news broke, I was still able to find a handful of cards at their normal prices (check out these many places to buy cards in case you want to do some treasure hunting yourselves).

I also bought a few blasters of 2022 Topps Chrome, my first of the year. That’s right, even as a product that has missed on a few different levels (checklist, SP debacle, etc.) I bought a few just to see if I could hit either of these MVPs and then some.

In all honesty, I’m just itching to participate, and looking forward to reading more about how this is playing out for collectors across the country. So, stay tuned for my own personal experiences and report back with anything you’re finding on your own!