Topps Holiday has never been built like a traditional high-end baseball release, but the product has carved out a loyal collecting lane since its 2016 debut. The formula is familiar by now: festive borders, hidden holiday details, image variations, short prints, and the kind of affordable rip that keeps casual collectors and player chasers engaged every winter.
What makes the line interesting in the secondary market is the contrast between its low-box-cost identity and the occasional premium card that breaks well above expectations. Autos, relic autos, one-of-ones, metallic holiday parallels, and more recently Chrome inclusions have given the set real chase appeal. A review of the top recorded sale from each Topps Holiday baseball release shows just how much star power can elevate a product that was never designed to sit alongside flagship premium brands.
From Bryce Harper in the inaugural set to a surprising Mrs. Claus card in 2026, here is the biggest known sale tied to each year of Topps Holiday baseball.
Top Topps Holiday Baseball Sale by Year
- 2016: Bryce Harper Metallic Snowflake Relic Autograph, sold for $870
- 2017: Ronald Acuna Jr. 1-of-1 Autograph, sold for $3,901
- 2018: Shohei Ohtani Rookie Autograph /5, sold for $10,980
- 2019: Shohei Ohtani Santa Hat Relic Autograph, sold for $4,391
- 2020: Shohei Ohtani Autograph /20, sold for $3,900
- 2021: Fernando Tatis Jr. 1-of-1 Relic Autograph, sold for $915
- 2022: Shohei Ohtani Autograph /25, sold for $5,388
- 2023: Shohei Ohtani Gold Metallic 1-of-1 Relic, sold for $3,999
- 2024: Paul Skenes Gold Glitter 1-of-1 Rookie Autograph Relic, sold for $5,843.80
- 2025: Roki Sasaki Rookie Superfractor, sold for $7,500
- 2026: Mrs. Claus Faux Relic Autograph, sold for $750
2016 Topps Holiday: Bryce Harper Opens the History Book
The inaugural Topps Holiday release produced its top sale with a Bryce Harper Metallic Snowflake Relic Autograph. The card was certified authentic by CGC and featured a tri-color relic along with Harper’s abbreviated signature. Even for an early Holiday issue, it had the right combination of star power and low-pop appeal.
For more collector background, read Top 3 Topps Fire Baseball Card Sales Ever: Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge Lead the List.
The card sold on April 19, 2026 for $870 in a Fanatics Collect auction that drew 19 bids. A current Card Ladder value has sat below that hammer at $789, which makes the sale stand out as a strong realized result for a first-year Holiday hit.
2017 Topps Holiday: Ronald Acuna Jr. Delivers a True One-of-One
The top card from 2017 is one of the more interesting entries on the list because it predates Ronald Acuna Jr.’s MLB rookie-card peak. The card uses imagery familiar to early Acuna collectors and carries a gold ugly-sweater themed sticker autograph, with the one-of-one designation stamped on the reverse.
That card, graded PSA Mint 9 with a 10 autograph grade, recorded its only known sale on July 9, 2020 for $3,901. Despite that strong sale, it has later carried a far more ambitious asking price in the marketplace, while Card Ladder’s valuation has remained much lower at $2,223.16. That gap underscores a recurring Holiday theme: rare star cards can be difficult to comp cleanly because they do not surface often.
For another perspective on this story, read Top Topps Holiday Baseball Card Sales by Year Since 2016.
2018 Topps Holiday: Shohei Ohtani Sets the High-Water Mark
No year on this list tops the 2018 Shohei Ohtani rookie autograph numbered to five. It looks deceptively simple at a glance, but the serial number transforms it from a festive novelty into one of the most important Holiday cards ever produced. The example that set the record was labeled authentic with a 10 autograph grade and carried the coveted 5/5 numbering.
It sold at auction on October 8, 2026 for $10,980, the highest sale among all yearly Holiday leaders from 2016 through 2026. Card Ladder’s value has tracked just under the sale at $10,370, suggesting the result was strong but still supported by the broader Ohtani market.
That price point says a lot about Holiday as a brand. Even though the product is positioned as accessible and fun, collectors will still pay premium money when an elite modern star appears on an extremely limited autograph.
2019 and 2020: Ohtani Keeps the Momentum Going
Shohei Ohtani appears again in 2019 and 2020, giving him a commanding presence in the set’s sales history.
The 2019 topper was a Santa Hat Relic Autograph graded BGS 8.5. It is one of the stranger premium cards in the run, with a faux holiday-themed relic protruding through the card design. The card sold on March 8, 2026 for $4,391. Interestingly, its Card Ladder value later climbed to $7,350, which points to strengthening demand after the transaction.
The 2020 leading sale was another Ohtani autograph, this time a sticker auto numbered 17/20 and graded PSA Mint 9. It sold via best offer on May 30, 2026 for $3,900. Card Ladder later placed the value at $4,916. Even without the visual novelty of the 2019 Santa hat design, Ohtani’s steady hobby strength kept the 2020 release in serious territory.
2021 Topps Holiday: Fernando Tatis Jr. Lands the Top Spot
Fernando Tatis Jr. broke Ohtani’s run with the top 2021 Holiday sale, though the price was lower than many collectors might expect for a one-of-one relic autograph. The card was sold raw and featured a horizontal layout, sticker autograph, and a tri-color game-used relic displayed through a snowman-themed cutout.
The sale closed on December 26, 2021 at $915 via auction. As a pure card design, it checks a lot of Holiday boxes: festive presentation, premium memorabilia, and true one-of-one scarcity. The number shows how much player market timing can matter, even when the card itself is rare.
2022 and 2023: More Ohtani, Including Another One-of-One
Ohtani returned to the top again in 2022 with an autograph numbered 16/25, graded PSA Gem Mint 10. Unlike some of his batting-pose Holiday cards, this one showed him as a pitcher in mid-delivery, giving it a different look for collectors who chase both sides of his two-way legacy. The card sold on August 9, 2026 for $5,388 after attracting 48 bids on eBay, and Card Ladder later valued it at $5,631.
In 2023, Ohtani’s top Holiday sale came from a different category: a Gold Metallic 1-of-1 relic card without an autograph. In most sets, a non-auto would struggle to lead the year, but Ohtani’s market has often overruled normal rules. The card featured a tri-color patch and sold on April 27, 2026 for $3,999. Card Ladder later estimated the value at $5,219.
That result is one of the clearest examples of how player demand can matter as much as card format. A one-of-one patch card of the right player can outpace many signed cards from lesser names.
2024 Topps Holiday: Paul Skenes Arrives With a Major Rookie Sale
The 2024 release brought one of the most notable rookie entries in the product’s history. Paul Skenes took the top spot with a Gold Glitter 1-of-1 rookie autograph relic graded BGS 8.5, paired with a 10 autograph grade. The horizontal card featured a substantial Pirates patch and was identified as player-worn rather than game-worn.
That card sold on November 7, 2025 through Goldin for $5,843.80 after 58 bids. Card Ladder later placed its value at $7,155. The result is a reminder that Holiday can benefit sharply when a product lines up with a major rookie cycle. Skenes had the kind of hobby momentum that could lift a niche premium parallel well beyond what older Holiday cards from solid veterans have managed.
2025 Topps Holiday: Chrome Changes the Mix and Roki Sasaki Benefits
One of the biggest product developments in the Holiday run came in 2025, when Chrome cards entered the release. That gave collectors access to a familiar premium finish inside a line better known for snowflake borders and whimsical seasonal touches.
The top recorded 2025 sale was a Roki Sasaki rookie superfractor graded PSA Gem Mint 10. The card was not autographed, but as a true superfractor rookie of a major international star entering the MLB card ecosystem, it had obvious upside. It sold on August 1, 2026 for $7,500 via best offer, and Card Ladder later placed the value at $8,457.
That makes Sasaki’s card the second-highest yearly leader in the entire Topps Holiday baseball timeline behind only Ohtani’s 2018 rookie auto /5. It also suggests that Chrome-based Holiday chase cards could become a larger part of the product’s future market identity.
2026 Topps Holiday: The Surprise Leader Is Mrs. Claus
The newest release on the list produced the most unexpected result. Less than a week after 2026 Topps Holiday launched, the highest-selling card was not a player at all. It was a Mrs. Claus Faux Relic Autograph, featuring a holiday character holding a tray of cookies and a faux memorabilia window labeled Holiday Memorabilia.
The card sold for $750 on October 24, 2026 as a fixed-price eBay sale. That figure may look modest next to the top hits from earlier years, but it speaks to one of the product’s most enduring strengths: Topps Holiday succeeds when it leans fully into the novelty of the line. Character cards, seasonal gimmicks, and unusual inserts can generate real attention because collectors understand the product is supposed to be playful.
What the Sales History Says About the Topps Holiday Market
Looking across the full run from 2016 through 2026, a few trends stand out.
First, Shohei Ohtani dominates the history of the set. He holds the top yearly sale in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023. No other player is close. That reflects both his card market strength and how often premium Ohtani content made its way into Holiday products.
Second, true scarcity matters more than product reputation. Topps Holiday is not a flagship premium brand, but collectors still respond to one-of-ones, low-numbered autos, rookie superfractors, and visually distinct relic pieces. When the right player is attached, the product label becomes secondary.
Third, rookie timing remains critical. Ohtani’s 2018 rookie autograph, Paul Skenes’ 2024 rookie patch auto, and Roki Sasaki’s 2025 rookie superfractor all show that a hot debut or early-career card can push Holiday into a different pricing tier.
Fourth, novelty has real value in this set. The faux Santa hat relic, the Mrs. Claus autograph, and the broader Holiday visual theme are not side notes. They are part of what gives the line its personality and makes certain cards memorable enough to stand out on the secondary market.
Highest Sales Ranked Across All Years
- 2018 Shohei Ohtani Rookie Autograph /5 - $10,980
- 2025 Roki Sasaki Rookie Superfractor - $7,500
- 2024 Paul Skenes Gold Glitter 1-of-1 Rookie Autograph Relic - $5,843.80
- 2022 Shohei Ohtani Autograph /25 - $5,388
- 2019 Shohei Ohtani Santa Hat Relic Autograph - $4,391
- 2023 Shohei Ohtani Gold Metallic 1-of-1 Relic - $3,999
- 2017 Ronald Acuna Jr. 1-of-1 Autograph - $3,901
- 2020 Shohei Ohtani Autograph /20 - $3,900
- 2021 Fernando Tatis Jr. 1-of-1 Relic Autograph - $915
- 2016 Bryce Harper Metallic Snowflake Relic Autograph - $870
- 2026 Mrs. Claus Faux Relic Autograph - $750
Collector Takeaway
Topps Holiday remains one of the hobby’s most approachable baseball products, but its sales history shows there is still room for serious cards inside the seasonal packaging. Ohtani’s run at the top, Acuna’s rare pre-rookie era piece, Skenes’ early-star rookie patch auto, and Sasaki’s Chrome-era superfractor all reinforce the same point: if the checklist delivers the right player with enough scarcity, Holiday can produce legitimate headline sales.
For collectors tracking future releases, the biggest clues tend to be simple: low serial numbering, rookie status, autograph placement, and whether the card brings a distinct Holiday-specific twist that separates it from standard-year cardboard. That mix has defined the product’s biggest winners so far, and it will likely keep shaping the next round of standout sales.
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