2023 topps series 1 wander franco rookie card

Will Wander Franco's 2022 Topps Series 1 rookie card fuel the return on investment Fanatics was ... [+] looking for when it purchased the Topps brand earlier this year?

Now that the MLB lockout has ended and spring training is in full swing, fans can once again immerse themselves in baseball for the 2022 campaign. One of the numerous traditions signaling the season’s start is the annual Topps Series 1 baseball card set release. This year’s issue was of heightened importance, as Fanatics purchased Topps in January for $500 million; however, a delayed opening was not what the memorabilia company envisioned for its iconic addition.

With the MLB and MLBPA seemingly miles apart on an agreement, there were questions surrounding whether the sports card industry would support a new release while negotiations were stalled. They rapidly discovered their savior in the form of the Tampa Bay Rays 21-year-old shortstop, Wander Franco.

Franco, who finished third in the 2021 American League Rookie of the Year voting, caused quite a stir in the trading card community when Topps included his card in the main 2021 Bowman’s Best Baseball set. While this would seem innocuous to your casual collector, hardcore collectors feverishly debated whether this was Franco’s true rookie card (despite the lack of an official RC logo) or would his 2022 Topps rookie card be the ones collectors chased.

Once 2022 Topps Series 1 Baseball hit the shelves, it was obvious Franco’s 2021 Bowman’s Best appearance had little effect on collector’s sentiments. With a relative pedestrian rookie crop and baseball at a standstill, photos of Franco’s 2022 Topps card emblazoned with the rookie card logo dominated the hobby’s social media accounts. “Wandermania” spurred demand for Series 1 boxes, keeping prices consistently in the $125 range. Even dealers rushed to get his rookie card graded, as PSA 10 copies of his 2022 Topps rookie are well over $200 at the time of this writing.

Franco’s 2022 Topps spotlight sustained a much-needed buzz for baseball and the product, as fans had little else to turn to while they waited for a resolution. The added attention from the “Wandermania” surrounding Franco’s 2022 Topps rookie undoubtedly placed many eyeballs on his 2021 Bowman’s Best 1/1 Superfractor card, which sold for $45,000 at auction in March.

As Topps moves forward with its release schedule for the 2022 baseball season, Fanatics must be pleased with how Franco’s hype has accelerated interest in its product in the wake of a work stoppage. If Franco can live up to his towering expectations once his sophomore season gets underway, “Wandermania” could fuel the return on investment Fanatics was hoping for when it acquired Topps’ legendary brand.

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Reviewing the upcoming 2022 Topps Series 1 release with a focus on the rookie cards in the product including Wander Franco.

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