The world of baseball cards has reached a fascinating crossroads. While collectors chase million-dollar Paul Skenes patches and five-figure Larry David autographs, one programmer’s deep dive into Topps’ 2024 releases revealed something startling: there are more than 40,000 different baseball cards in a single modern set.
Jeff Blankenburg, an Ohio-based programmer who’s been tracking card variations, recently shared his findings about the overwhelming scope of today’s releases with Dan McQuade of Defector.com. His count for the 2024 Topps set reached 43,568 different cards.
This explosion in card varieties leads to an interesting question: have we reached the point where the hobby is drowning in its own success? The numbers suggest we might be experiencing something unprecedented in the collectibles world.
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The Mind-Boggling Math Behind Modern Baseball Card Sets
Let’s break down what Blankenburg discovered when he analyzed the 2025 Topps Series 1 release. The basic 350-card set features more than 50 different versions of each card, ranging from simple foil parallels to numbered editions that sell for hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Topps sent a checklist showing 2,613 different cards just for Series 1 alone. The parallels run from basic foil treatments to ultra-rare 1/1 editions. Some have specific print runs like Independence Day (/76) or Watering Can (/5), while others like Purple Holo Foil are numbered to 250.
The complexity has reached a point where even seasoned collectors could struggle to identify what they’re holding. When a collector showed friends two sparkly cards from the set, even the “sports card sicko community” couldn’t definitively identify which specific parallels they were.
But it’s not just parallels driving these numbers skyward. The set includes 17 different autograph card categories, from basic signatures to complex multi-player combinations and relic baseball cards. Add in retailer exclusives, insert sets, and special variations, and you’ve got a collecting landscape that’s become difficult to navigate.
Why Companies Keep Adding More Baseball Cards
The driving force behind this explosion of baseball cards isn’t accidental. It’s a direct response to how the modern market operates. Breaking has become enormously popular, with individuals buying 300 cases of cards, each containing six to 12 boxes. That’s an incredible volume companies need to fill with products that keep buyers engaged.
Mike Mahan, CEO of Fanatics Collectibles, explained the strategy. According to McQuade, Mahan said they want products that are “accessible at a certain price point” while maintaining high-end options where demand shows up in price rather than increased volume. It’s a delicate balance between mass market appeal and premium collectibility.
The streaming economy has fundamentally changed how cards are consumed. WeTheHobby and similar platforms feature breakers opening cases live on camera, sometimes as raffles where viewers buy slots hoping to win valuable cards. This creates demand for thousands of cards per session, far beyond what traditional collectors would purchase.
The Value Paradox in Today’s Market
Here’s where things get interesting from an investment perspective. While a Larry David 1/1 autograph sold for over $10,000, and limited parallels can fetch hundreds of dollars, Shohei Ohtani’s base card sells for just 99 cents on eBay. The vast majority of cards pulled from packs have essentially no secondary market value.
Blankenburg predicts that in 30 years, people will look back and say, “None of these are worth anything,” in the same way collectors now view 1980s overproduction during the Junk Wax era. Only the true rarities – 1/1 rookie cards, autographs, and game-used memorabilia – are likely to maintain long-term value.
This creates a strange dynamic where the hobby is simultaneously more accessible and more expensive than ever. A $50 box can yield 244 cards, making base card collecting cheaper than it’s been in decades. Yet the chase for high-end hits drives case prices much higher.
Finding Balance in an Overwhelming Hobby
Looking at these numbers, I can’t help but feel sympathy for new collectors trying to enter the hobby. The Trading Card Database lists 41 different variations just for the 1990-styled throwback cards within the 2025 set. That level of complexity would overwhelm anyone trying to build a complete collection.
Yet there’s something admirable about Topps’ transparency. Unlike old tactics like Goudey’s 1933 practice of never printing card #106 to keep kids buying packs for a set they could never complete, today’s parallels and variations are clearly documented. Collectors know exactly what they’re chasing, even if the odds are astronomical.
The reality is this market serves multiple audiences with different goals. Breakers need volume for their streams. Investors want limited editions with potential upside. Traditional collectors can still build affordable base sets. Kids can get plenty of cards featuring their favorite players without breaking the bank.
Maybe the question isn’t whether there are too many baseball cards, but whether the hobby can sustain this level of complexity long-term. As Mahan noted, “You can’t just continue to add parallels forever.” There has to be a balance where people can still get hits without watering down the product.
For now, the market seems to be absorbing everything Topps can produce. Whether that continues remains the million-dollar question.
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