2018 Topps Series 1 baseball packs come with a contest. Inside random packs are game cards for the company’s Home Run Challenge promotion, one that offers exclusive cards as prizes along with a chance to go to the 2019 Home Run Derby during All-Star week.
The scratch-off player cards are found inside random packs. You can log into your account at Topps.com and enter the code you revealed, then select a date you think the featured player on the front of the card will hit a home run. If he does, you’ll win a parallel card of that player (if he happens to go deep twice, you’ll still only win one card). Topps says there are different parallels being created for each month of the contest.
Each entry (regardless if it’s a winner) will be placed into a monthly prize drawing where prizes will be awarded including autographed baseb
alls and other memorabilia. One grand prize winner will win a trip for two to Cleveland for next year’s Home Run Derby.
Topps says you can wait until the day before the game to pick the player you think will hit one, so there is the opportunity to strategize a bit based on lineups and batter vs. pitcher matchups.
The cards have been fairly strong sellers on eBay over the first two days since the release of Series 1, but prices might be indicative that collectors are buying them as cards for their master sets or player/team collections rather than for the contest entry. As of Thursday morning, there were nearly 400 cards being offered for sale or auction.
The Home Run Challenge cards will also be found inside Series 2 and in 2018 Allen & Ginter.
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