2018 Hatchimals | The Best Set Nobody’s Collecting

Returning to an Overlooked Non-Sports Gem

Everyone has their own reasons for collecting. For some, it’s the thrill of the chase. Others are largely in it for prospecting and flips. I think a lot of us, though, do it for the pure joy of it all. 

And I’m here to tell you about the most fun, innovative set nobody has paid a lick of attention to: 2018 Topps Hatchimals. 

Laugh if you must. But read on. 

The Hatchimal itself isn’t hugely important to appreciating this set. They’re colorful little Canadian fantasy animal toys released in 2016 that “hatch” from an egg. There have been several iterations over the years of varying shapes, sizes, egg shells, and plushiness. They’re great (they won “Innovative Toy of the Year” at the 2017 Toy Awards), they’re fun, and they’ve certainly been a hit.

In 2018, Topps put out a set of cards based on this wildly popular line. But it was no normal set. This particular release was full of unique decisions and “out there” ideas, which is what makes it so fun to collect.

2018 Topps Hatchimals is Full of Special Inserts

The 2018 Hatchimals set is packed with unique inserts that carry the strong personality of the toys. For example, there are 10 Thermo Egg Reveal cards that feature what looks like a dark egg. When you press your hands firmly together on it (or just expose it to some form of heat), the dark exterior fades away to reveal a bright, hidden Hatchimal.

There are 10 “Coloring Cards” that are exactly what they sound like: mini coloring book pages that kids (er…anyone?) can color in. 

There are 10 Temporary Tattoos, which feature trading card-sized temporary tattoos of popular Hatchimals like Draggle, Unikeet, and more. 

The value boxes come with two dog tag-style necklaces, with, once again, 10 variations available to chase (you can probably see the pattern here).

Hangers also came with a mini-album for you to store your cards in. 

And for the base set? You won’t find a more colorful offering out there. The borders, the Hatchimals, even the eggs — these are stylish non-sports cards at their most flamboyant.

There are tons of parallels as well: glitter foil cards, rainbow foil cards, and stickers. All this set is missing is scratch-and-sniff and glow-in-the-dark cards — which Allen & Ginter covered in later sets, thankfully.

Still, almost a decade after the Hatchimals release, it gets so little recognition that PSA doesn’t have a record of any of its cards being graded. Ever.

Why it hasn’t caught on over the years, even as a cult classic, or a surprisingly affordable introduction to collecting cards for kids, remains a mystery. Hatchimals — the actual toys — are still very popular, so it’s not like an uncool vestige of times past. Maybe not enough people know about the cards? Maybe they’re dismissed as “just another set” to someone scrolling through auction sites, unaware of the Thermo insert hits (one in every three packs)? 

Stumbling upon a blaster box of 2018 Hatchimal cards, though, is a revelation. And, at the risk of getting too dramatic, opening packs is a fantastic journey, and a reminder of why we do this: because it’s fun. 

It’s high time this set gets the recognition it deserves for (yes, this is a little hyperbolic, but so what) blazing several trails in card innovation — it’s not impossible to think we could see a Thermo card in a future Update or Ginter set as a SSP, or even a coloring card at some point. We’ve seen Paw Patrol already, right? 

Enjoy the cards, warm up your hands in anticipation of the Thermo Experience, and buy yourself a box before the rest of the world catches on.

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