When it comes to chasing cardboard, few releases carry the weight of Topps Series 1 Baseball. It’s when collectors get a new checklist and fresh targets to chase. And buried inside that checklist are some of the most coveted Topps Series 1 baseball autograph cards the hobby has ever produced.
Topps Ripped recently detailed 25 of these cards since the format was established in 1993, and their callouts range from on-card rookie autos to cut autos of legends who changed the game. Below are 10 that caught my eye the most. All images are via Topps Ripped, unless otherwise noted.
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10 Awesome Topps Series 1 Baseball Autograph Cards
2025 Topps Series 1 Baseball 1990 Topps Baseball Autographs #90A-BBO Barry Bonds Orange Auto /25
2023 Topps Series 1 Baseball Cut Signature #CS-JR Jackie Robinson 1/1
2024 Topps Series 1 Baseball Cut Signatures #CSR-BR Babe Ruth Auto 1/1
2025 Topps Series 1 Baseball Heavy Lumber Auto Relics #HLAR-SH Shohei Ohtani
2017 Topps Series 1 Baseball 1987 Topps Autographs #AJU Aaron Judge Auto RC
2022 Topps Series 1 Baseball Stars Dual Autographs #BSDA-JJ Derek Jeter/Aaron Judge Auto /5
1997 Topps Series 1 Baseball Willie Mays Commemorative Reprints #10 1958 Willie Mays Auto
2019 Topps Series 1 Baseball ’84 Topps Design Autographed #84A-JS Red Juan Soto Red Auto /25
2024 Topps Series 1 Baseball Celebration of the Kid #KIDA-KG3 Ken Griffey Jr. Auto /10
2024 Topps Series 1 Baseball Superstar Blueprint Autographs #SBA-ED Elly De La Cruz RC Auto /25
Why the Barry Bonds 1990 Topps Insert Auto Is a Must-Have
Isn’t the design of that Barry Bonds auto gorgeous? The 1990 Topps Baseball tribute insert gives Bonds an orange parallel numbered to just 25 copies, and it couldn’t be a more perfect match for the San Francisco Giants’ color scheme.
It’s not like the slugger featured here needs an introduction, either. Despite the controversy and debate surrounding his career, Bonds put together one of the most statistically dominant big-league tenures in baseball history. It includes 762 home runs (the most all-time), 73 homers in 2001 (the most all-time), and seven MVP Awards (the most all-time), among other achievements.
Opposing teams made a point to limit the number of hittable pitches he saw every night, and he still found a way to inflict maximum damage. This card is special since he’d been largely absent from on-card autos since 2017 before his return to 2025 Topps Series 1. The low print run of /25 on the Orange version makes that chase all the more compelling.
This Elly De La Cruz RC Auto Is Also Awesome
The Superstar Blueprint Auto from 2024 Topps Series 1 is one of the more creative insert designs in recent memory. The blueprint aesthetic that breaks down the player’s skills like a mechanical diagram is perfect for De La Cruz. He’s got the power, the speed, and the arm strength, and when he’s in a groove, his presence on the field is legit electric. Limiting it to just 25 copies makes an already sharp card hard to get your hands on.
De La Cruz arrived in Cincinnati and immediately made everyone pay attention because he checks every box. Sure, he may strike out a little too much (although he made a noticeable improvement in that area last year), but he’s a switch-hitter with massive raw power, the ability to consistently steal 30-plus bases in a season, and he has a cannon at shortstop. Oh, and he’s only 24 years old. It wouldn’t at all be shocking to me if he made his way into the 40-40 club at some point in the near future.
Topps Series 1 and the Legacy of Autograph Cards in Flagship Baseball
Topps Series 1 Baseball became an official, standalone release in 1993, creating a more defined collecting calendar for the hobby. It’s since evolved from a pure base-card release into something more detailed, with autographs playing an increasingly important role in generating excitement around the product.
The addition of cut signatures brought historical significance to what had traditionally been a modern-focused release. Cut autos like ones featuring Robinson and Ruth are pieces of history embedded in this product that millions buy every year.
Between the on-card rookie autos, retro-design inserts, and dual signatures pairing legends with active stars, Topps Series 1 has become one of the hobby’s most diverse auto checklists. The combination of accessibility (just about anyone can rip a hobby box) and premium hits (true 1/1s, low-numbered parallels, legends) is why collectors keep coming back.
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