What Is TOPPS NOW? Real-Time Print-on-Demand Cards

Debut Year: 2016

TOPPS NOW began their online exclusive existence on Opening Day 2016.

Licensors:

MLB; MLS; NHL; Star Wars; NBA; F1; Bundesliga; UEFA Champions League; Europa League; Bowman U Now.

Value Level: Accessible

TOPPS NOW is priced at market value for a single card, including shipping costs. This product also includes pricing incentives for buying in bulk.

Debuting in 2016, Topps NOW® represents one of the more recent innovations Topps has introduced into The Hobby. For the most part, Topps products feature events and players of the past season. With the timely intervention of Topps NOW, collectors can purchase cards of significant moments almost immediately. Was there a historic home run, a perfect game, or a famous or unexpected world figure throwing out the first pitch? Don’t worry; Topps NOW will have the card available now. Since its beginning, the brand has expanded to include a variety of sports and popular culture properties, all offering that in-the-moment thrill directly to collectors.

Topps NOW turns live sports and pop-culture highlights into official trading cards within hours. Cards sell in a short window, with some releases offering parallels or serial-numbered chases. Final print runs depend on orders, so scarcity varies—making timely buying decisions crucial.

Topps NOW® History

Topps NOW debuted in 2016 following several successful print-on-demand, online-exclusive test products created for the 2015 World Series. Building on that momentum, Topps NOW was developed around a central idea: releasing daily, print-on-demand cards to chronicle an entire baseball season in real time. Beginning with Opening Day 2016, Topps NOW began offering collectors immediate access to cards capturing the season’s most exciting and culturally relevant moments — from web gems and historic milestones to perfect games and even unexpected moments like a cat running loose on the field.

Over time, Topps NOW has expanded beyond Major League Baseball to commemorate a wide variety of sports and cultural highlights. The brand now includes moments from the NHL, college football, WWE, NBA (added in 2025), UFC, Hockey, and Athletes Unlimited. In addition to sports, Topps NOW has also featured cards celebrating major cultural events, including visits from the Pope, presidential inaugurations, and other historic global moments. If it’s memorable, there’s a good chance it’s been immortalized on a Topps NOW card.

Who is Topps NOW® For?

Topps NOW is a product that is designed for everyone. It’s an easy entry point for new or returning collectors and resonates with more seasoned collectors. This product offers everything great about the modern Hobby: you get beautifully produced cards featuring dramatic photos of players that resonate on emotional, aesthetic, and temporal registers. Topps NOW allows collectors to engage with their favorite sports and athletes in real time during the season. Topps NOW is the perfect complement and springboard into The Hobby.

What Am I Chasing in Topps NOW®?

Each Topps NOW base card includes parallels. This fact allows the collector to get a hit immediately when buying a Topps NOW card. Topps NOW also offers autos direct to collectors – they’re low-numbered and available to purchase when the cards are available. So the chase is similar to a sneaker or Supreme drop – will you be able to buy the card before it sells out? In addition to parallels and low-numbered cards, the excitement of Topps NOW has to do with the print run. These cards are snapshots of the season. When they’re available, they’re only available for a short amount of time. So a Topps NOW card could have a print run of one hundred or 50,000.

Topps NOW® Collector FAQs

How long are Topps NOW® cards available?
- Most releases are sold for a short window after the moment occurs. After the window closes, sales end and cards are printed to match demand.
Do Topps NOW® cards have parallels?
- Many do. When parallels or serial-numbered options are offered, they’re available at purchase—often in limited quantities—so check the product page.
What is the Topps NOW® NBA Edition?
- The TOPPS NOW NBA Edition brings the same real-time concept to basketball—turning standout plays, record-breaking performances, and buzzer-beaters into official trading cards within hours. Each release follows the same limited-time, print-on-demand format as the original TOPPS NOW.
Is Topps NOW® good for new collectors?
- Yes—single-card pricing, clear subjects, and no need to buy boxes make it an easy on-ramp to the hobby.
Can I buy past Topps NOW® cards?
- Only on the secondary market once the original window ends; prices reflect print run and collector demand.