Here is how to cash in on the Topps MVP Buyback Program, a great opportunity for collectors is back for its second year!
UPDATE: The MVP’s have been announced! Gather your 2023 Topps Chrome Ohtani and Acuna cards, as they were announced the NL and AL MVP’s for the 2023 season. Topps officially launched the buyback via their social media platforms immediately following the announcement!
The following will give you a basic overview on the 2023 Topps MVP Buyback Program. We’ll walk through an explanation of the program, where to cash in, and of course current odds on who will win MVP for the American and National league. You want to make sure you are playing the game, as this one is well worth it!
What is the Topps MVP Buyback Program?
In 2022, Topps introduced the MVP Buyback Program. It gives the collector a chance to trade in cards of the years MVP’s for store credit towards product at local participating card shops. In 2022, the cards came from that years Topps Chrome set and the value for trade started at $20 and went upwards from there based on which parallel the collector was trading in. It’s not terribly complicated and the process was easier than expected in my personal experience. What follows are some details regarding the rules and expectations. These are taken directly from Topps website…
So which cards can I trade in and when?
In regards to the players, that remains to be seen. The winners of the MVP vote won’t be unveiled until Thursday, November 16th. In the inaugural year, 2022, winners were announced on a Thursday, but the first eligible day of trade in was 10 days later. If we go by last years timeline, that means we won’t be able to trade in until Saturday, November 25th. Topps has not officially announced the first day of trade in yet, and won’t until winners are announced by MLB.
The following are the eligible cards for trade in and their trade in value (taken from Topps website):
As you can see, it appears Topps Chrome with the addition of the Logofractor set, are redeemable for this year. Topps Chrome Cosmic and other Topps sets are not valid for trade in.
The above list is similar to last years breakdown. For example, last year if you pulled a 2022 Topps Chrome Aaron Judge base card from a pack, you could then trade that in for $20 value towards a purchase in your local participating card shop. Aaron was voted 2022 AL MVP and thus any variation of his Topps Chrome card was eligible for trade in based on the above list. The same went for Paul Goldschmidt, the 2022 NL MVP.
Is there a maximum trade in amount?
There is no official limit stated by Topps. The limits are based on what each shop sets. My Local Card Shop had a $200 per day limit. I am not sure if this is standard, if others had experience with this I would love to know?
How long does the trade-in run?
In 2022, the trade-in period lasted through the end of March. There has been no announcement on how long the period will last for the 2023 year.
What do they do with the cards after they are traded in?
Topps states that some of the cards were stamped and inserted into 2023 Topps Chrome packs. Some of them were also autographed. Here is an example of an Aaron Judge Autograph that was pulled from 2023 Topps Chrome. They seem quite rare as this one is numbered to /22!
Do the cards have to be in mint condition to be returned?
No. Topps states, as long as your card is in one piece, they will be accepted. Ripped and altered cards will not be accepted. This felt odd when I turned in my first batch. I just handed them over naked as the day they were born with no sleeve or anything. At first, I top-loaded them thinking the store wouldn’t take them back if they had scratches or other dings. No such worry needed!
So who will be this years MVP?
The AL finalists are:
- Shohei Ohtani
- Marcus Semien
- Corey Seager
You will be hard pressed to find people who think this will go to anyone but Ohtani. There is an argument to be made, but he may win it unanimously.
The NL Finalists are:
- Ronald Acuna Jr.
- Mookie Betts
- Freddie Freeman
The NL isn’t quite as cut and dry. That said, Acuna is expected to run away with this one. Mookie has been making a late push, but it seems many think he will fall short.
So how do I find participating stores?
At the bottom of this page there is an interactive map which you can use to find local participating card shops. You can also use this page to get many other questions answered regarding the trade in process. If you don’t live near a store, there is an option to trade in to larger online sellers like Dave & Adams or Blowout. I believe you need to mail them in and fill out a form if you choose that route. Further information can be found on their respective websites.
Is it easy to trade the cards in?
Yes! For me the process was simple. I walked in to my LCS and handed over the cards. They applied the trade-in value to my purchase. No forms to fill out, no issues or hassles. Simple as can be! So start grabbing those 2023 Topps Chrome cards of the potential MVPs!
How is the market responding to the potential MVP’s?
Yes, the current market value definitely reflects the effects of the program. It appears Ohtani and Acuna can both be had for about 75% of trade-in value before tax. That said, after tax it is probably only a difference of a few bucks at most. I am seeing Ohtani base cards going for about $15-$16 on eBay. Considering you will get $20 trade-in and this is pre tax, that doesn’t leave a lot of savings, but I guess it’s something?
One thing to remember, when the trade-in ends, the values will plummet. Make sure you aren’t buying these at elevated values after the end date! Be sure to keep an eye on those dates.
Conclusion
I think the trade-in program is great for collectors. If you hit one base card of an MVP in a blaster of Topps Chrome, that’s $20 back in trade-in. Better than a stick in the eye! I truly don’t know how Topps compensates stores for the revenue on the product, but I am sure they get money back dollar for dollar. If not, I can’t see how stores would choose to participate? At any rate, have fun with this unique twist to the hobby and good luck snagging some of these MVP’s!