Baseball aficionados, card collectors, and statisticians unite as Topps, the grand lodge of the trading card world, is back with another release. This time, they’re not just dealing cards but bestowing crowns with the All Kings insert in their upcoming 2025 Series 2 set.
Fresh off the overwhelming popularity of Series 1’s insert, All Aces—an homage to the league’s premier pitchers—Topps has now turned its sights to the indomitable hitters. Aptly christened “All Kings,” this new set isn’t just any deck; it’s a royal flush packed with diamond-clad thumpers from the past and present. Sliding into the spotlight, the series parades the paragon of modern heavy hitters: Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, the duel tandems who have turned countless baseballs into shooting stars.
Collectors, both seasoned and greenhorn, will find a treasure trove of 25 monikers on this roster of renowned sluggers. Alongside the towering figures of Judge and Ohtani, the set flaunts other luminaries such as Juan Soto, Elly De La Cruz, Bryce Harper, and Bobby Witt Jr. Each of these stars have their immense talent illuminating the 2025 season, captivating fans and hobbyists alike with their electrifying performances.
And let’s not overlook the youthful X-factor: James Wood, the lone rookie knighted into the All Kings lineup. Wood has jettisoned into the baseball discourse with a thunderous first season for the Washington Nationals, already ranking impressively within the league’s top scorers. His current tally of 11 home runs and 25 RBIs places him in hallowed rookie ground, potentially the holy grail for rookie chasers should Topps introduce numbered or autographed versions later this year.
But what is royalty without history? All Kings doesn’t skimp on the past. Boldly acknowledging the titans of yesteryears, the roster includes immortals such as Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Jackie Robinson, Derek Jeter, and Ken Griffey Jr. This felicitous blend of eras serves not only as a conduit for nostalgia but also a welcoming bridge for new aficionados eager to appreciate the history of America’s pastime. The presence of these legends on the checklist promises a tantalizing chase for seasoned collectors and freshly minted fans alike.
Let’s cut to the economics of our nostalgia—ahem, hobby. All Kings is poised to withstand comparison with the highly successful All Aces insert if the market is any indication. Shohei Ohtani’s All Aces auto /10 fetched a princely sum of over $6,500, with his Series 1 PSA 10 base insert hitting a gracious $1,775 bid. Even the greenhorn pitcher Paul Skenes witnessed his All Aces PSA 10 touching $1,800 in April. Caveat: these were pitchers; here we have batters—those who traditionally garner far more fanfare and financial interest.
So, as the hobby market traditionally courts position players with far more adoration, All Kings could very well become Series 2’s crown jewel. Whether you’re hunting for rookies, honoring the legends, or eyeing more Judge and Ohtani additions, there’s abundant treasure to anticipate with this offering.
Topps, to its credit, has mastered the art of merging sleek, avant-garde designs with crowd-pleasing themes. If All Aces cemented Topps as a collector’s darling, then All Kings, with its vibrant cavalcade of contemporary and classic hitters, looks primed to take the celebration of trading cards to a narrative of epic proportions. As it hovers on the brink of release, All Kings stirs the mingled excitement akin to a ninth-inning grand slam—a harmonious blend of suspense, nostalgia, and pure euphoria. Collectors of all walks, take heed, for if you crave the thrill of an emphatic home run, the All Kings insert may just hold the moment waiting to etch itself in your collection’s lore.
