One of the most popular additions to Topps cards is coming to NBA and NFL products, Fanatics founder and CEO Michael Rubin said Friday at Fanatics Fest NYC.
In an interview with CollX, a trading card scanning app, Rubin said collectors can expect the popular Rookie Debut Patches to eventually be added to NBA and NFL cards.
Breaking news from @fanaticsfest! ????@michaelrubin tells CollX ambassador Eli Sports Cards that the Debut Patch cards are coming to the NBA & NFL! pic.twitter.com/HYfSJWXdXN
— CollX: Sports Card Scanner (@CollX_App) August 16, 2024
“We’ve always got innovative things up our sleeve,” Rubin said in response to a question about more innovative additions. “For sure, we’re going to have lots more innovations coming. Wait until the debut patch comes in the NFL and NBA as well.”
Additional details on timeline or potential products weren’t discussed.
The Rookie Debut Patch first arrived in 2023 Topps Chrome Update Baseball and features a game-worn patch from the player’s first major-league game. All Rookie Debut Patches are autographed 1/1s and have quickly become some of the most sought-after cards for each player.
Once a player finishes his debut — something cllct chronicled with Washington Nationals prospect James Wood in July — the patches are removed from the jersey, authenticated and shipped back to Topps to be placed into the card and signed.
In addition to Major League Baseball, Fanatics added MLS Debut Patches earlier this year. Players who debuted by April 1 will have their patches included in a number of Topps products, including Topps MLS Renaissance, Topps Finest MLS and Topps Chrome MLS.
Considered one of the top chases from 2023 Topps Chrome Update Baseball, the Rookie Debut Patch for New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe had a $150,000 bounty placed on it by online trading card retailer Dave and Adam’s Card World. Collector Jeff Adissi pulled the Volpe and accepted the bounty in July.
On the secondary market, a number of Rookie Debut Patches have sold for five figures. A Kodai Senga Rookie Debut Patch Autograph 1/1 SGC 10/10 sold for $17,080 at Goldin in March, and a Bobby Miller Rookie Debut Patch Autograph 1/1 PSA 10/10 sold for $11,169 at Goldin in May.
Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct.