After slipping on the hockey gloves of tradition and disappearing from the ice for a good two decades, Topps is making a somewhat unexpected encore. Picture if you will, not the sleek slap of trading cards but rather an oversized, glamorous version that beckons with the allure of the genuine. If you anticipated the crisp, fresh smell of cardboard packs, you might be in for a curious twist.
Since that fateful 2003-04 season, Topps had strayed far from the icy domains of NHL-licensed trading cards, thanks to Upper Deck swooping in like the talented gold medalist and skating away with exclusive rights. Fans waited, perhaps mourned, and envisaged a world where their beloved Topps frolicked on the wintry floors of hockey once more. Well, they’re back—or sort of.
Mark your calendars for April 3, a day that introduces us to Topps Under Wraps: Emanate 2024-25. Fanatics, the benevolent overlord owning Topps, is behind this creative new venture. What might one expect from a product with a name so grand and enigmatic? Alas, it’s not a deck of cards you’re ushering into your collection with this release. Think bigger, shinier—a spectacle for the eyes, as these are 8×10 autographed photos crafted to mimic the beloved trading card style. The front and back of these photos are glistening homages to artistry, collecting, and nostalgia.
Long-time hobbyist supremo Sal Barry was quick to nod approvingly through his PuckJunk.com newsletter when remarking, “These even have photos and information on the back.” It’s authenticity meets artistry as each photo is hand-signed, devoid of those insipid stickers, and given a serial number and hologram stamp that stands for integrity.
Even the packaging aims for a grand entrance. Expect magnetic-ready-to-display folio cases that let the photos stride into home displays with the kind of confidence usually reserved for a Stanley Cup winner’s parade.
These aren’t just your run-of-the-mill goodies. Collectors will delight, and perhaps faint from chase-induced excitement over six color variants: Gold (#/50), Orange (#/25), Blue (#/10), Red (#/5), and the singularly hypnotic Iridescent (1/1). Yes, there’s something for every palette and taste reminiscent of a holiday feast.
With over 70 players gracing the checklist—drawing from all realms of NHL magic—both past and present stars dazzle the field like Connor Bedard, Austin Matthews, and Alexander Ovechkin. They’re alongside the legends; find Nathan MacKinnon, Igor Shesterkin, and the likes of Macklin Celebrini and Mark Messier setting the stage for card-sized (or, rather, massive photo-sized) drama.
It’s a celebration not only of individuals but also camaraderie, as Topps spices things up with multi-signature editions that elevate the excitement to a fever pitch. But prepare to marvel at a 1/1 triple-signed piece involving Ovechkin, Bedard, and Matthews—a trifecta worthy of poetic admiration.
And for this princely new rendezvous into Topps’ blue-hued recollection, each box, holding these photographic treasures, will embrace you at the $130 mark—equivalent to dressing a priceless vase in an ordinary price tag. Anyone would click heels to the tune.
So, with all candor and penguin-like humility, is Topps marching back to hockey with triumphant applause? Perhaps not if you’re expecting the crisp sound of package ripping with a rookie card falling elegantly into your hands, but this dainty yet bold venture of Emanate signals a hum of potential. With Fanatics holding the scepter of many licensing realms, imagining a deepening come-back isn’t exactly the work of fantasy.
The ice has begun melting, and beneath lies hints of great treasures—a new era that whispers promises of Topps, tradition, and cards reborn, but for now, a gentle and grand photograph marks its return to hockey fandom’s heart.
