Topps has teamed with the World Baseball Classic to bring its print-on-demand NOW cards to collectors, with some targeted to nations where the predominant language is Spanish.
The first Topps Now cards of the 2017 tournament include three cards from Israel’s 2-1. 10-inning victory against South Korea. One card features Scott Burcham, whose RBI single in the top of the 10th inning provided the margin of victory for Israel. The second card depicts winning pitcher Josh Zeld, while the third card is a shot of the Israeli squad celebrating its victory.
The cards will be available for 24 hours on Topps.com and will cost $9.99 per card.
Topps Now cards also will be offered in Spanish for the first time, highlighting players from Spanish-speaking teams. Topps has offered cards in Spanish before, as vintage collectors will recall the Topps Venezuelan set that debuted in 1959 and was issued sporadically through 1968.
David Leiner, Topps’ general manager and vice president of the North American Sports and Entertainment Division, said issuing Topps Now cards during the World Baseball Classic was “a natural fit.”
“We’re excited for the progression of the Topps Now program and bringing these cards to a wider audience of baseball fans,” Leiner said in a news release. “This program has been a lot of fun since its inception to see what great moments and milestones we can capture on cards.
“The World Baseball Classic is a natural fit because it offers great plays from international stars, and there are also players whose cards you might not be able to get anywhere else.”
As with the regular Topps Now program, daily cards will be offered in a 24-hour window. Once the window closes, the cards will no longer be available on Topps.com. Team sets will be created once the quarterfinal round begins; there will be a bonus card issued for each team that progresses through the WBC bracket, similar to what Topps created for its MLB postseason team sets.
Topps said it also will be capturing game-used items to be used in cards such as game bases, baseballs, jerseys and other items.
You can see the daily offerings via the NOW page on the company’s website.