J-Rod Shares His Collecting and Curating Passions
As everyone knows, the Topps x J-Rod: The Show Collection was a massive, massive hit with new and established collectors. This shouldn’t surprise anyone who’s a fan of baseball, the Hobby, or preternaturally talented and charismatic sports stars. Whether Julio Rodriguez is on the field, on a dating show, or his card gets pulled while ripping packs, it’s always a big deal to see J-Rod.
We recently connected with the Mariners superstar to discuss his Topps collaboration. In this unique installment of Collector Stories, we learn how someone whose image on cards generates so much personal and financial interest in the Hobby thinks about when it comes time to create a meaningful set. This is J-Rod’s collector story.
What was your experience building out the Topps x J-Rod: The Show Collection?
It was really cool being able to build out this collection. I wanted to make sure and include a bunch of Dominican legends, young stars, rookies, and my favorite Japanese players. It was really cool, and I was able to throw in some anime, too. Anime is part of my day-to-day life; I love watching anime. Overall, it was really cool to be able to add so many different things that are a part of me, that have made me who I am, and the things that matter most to me.
What are you trying to tell your fans and fellow collectors with the Topps x J-Rod: The Show Out Collection?
What I’m trying to tell people with this product is showing them what I like. I’m trying to show them the type of emotions I have, show them the players I like to follow, and give everyone my point of view on things that are important to me.
How did you pick the player to be included in the set?
I picked a lot of Dominican players to remind me of when I was a kid. When I was growing up, these players were many of the guys I looked up to or that I’ve had experiences with and gotten advice from. I wanted to make sure to include these guys who have impacted my life and helped me become who I am today.
How is this set uniquely you?
This whole set is coming from my perspective. It’s all about my experience as a player and becoming a professional player. If you think about it, everyone and everything about this set tells my story and reflects the people who helped me get here. The people who pushed me to get here are in there, in the collection. So fans and collectors will be able to get to know me and my story better and more intimately through this set.
If someone was only going to chase or collect one card or subset of the Topps x J-Rod: The Show Out Collection, what should it be?
Just go for the anime cards; get the anime set.
