Overview
2025 Topps Series 1 Baseball flagship design.
Final DESIGN
PROCESS
The goal of the Series 1 card each year is to improve upon and continue the legacy of Topps baseball cards. Most sports fans who have ever collected a baseball card have a memory in their mind of a Series 1 card from some point in their lifetime. The challenge here is “make it look like Series 1.” A simple sentence but a tall task.
My initial “a-ha” moment came from a metal badge that I saw on the subway one day commuting to work. As a designer, I like to use the world around me for inspiration and ideas. When I see something that catches my eye I will snap a photo on my phone for later use. That was the case here with this project. After seeing the metal badge, I made a few rough thumbnail sketches and off to the computer I went.
Early Concepts
My design began with the swoosh element breaking up through the left and top parts of the card. That element stayed with me through each phase of refinement. At first, along with that swoosh element, I thought to use wood texture in some manner to call back to the classic Topps wood designs of 1962 and 1987. However, ultimately I found that it was not working due to the heaviness I felt it gave to the design. I dropped the wood and went for a more sleek, clean approach. This is what eventually lead me to the end result. The third option with Rafael Devers is the closest version to its final form.
Cover athlete reveal and box design
For 2025, Aaron Judge was selected to grace the cover of Topps Series 1 (his first Series 1 appearance).
Social Promotion + OUTCOME
2025 Topps Series 1 Baseball was released on February 12, 2025 with a positive reception from fans and collectors.