Mint Musings: Topps Now Gives Collectors Instant GratificationMint Musings: Topps Now Gives Collectors Instant Gratification –  Topps recently introduced a new line of on-demand trading cards called Topps Now. This new offering provides collectors the opportunity to collect daily highlights of the 2016 MLB season. Topps’ Director of New Product Development & eCommerce Marketplace Jeff Heckman was kind enough to take some time out to discuss Topps Now a little more in depth. The following interview was conducted via email.

KS: For those who may not know yet, what exactly is Topps Now?

JH: Topps Now is a trading card that celebrates the greatest moments in the baseball season as they happen. The cards will be available the day after the game for 24 hours only exclusively on Topps.com. We will print the number of cards that are ordered and publish the print run when the 24 hour period closes.

KS: This is a bit of a departure from Topps’ traditional cards, what inspired the company to give these a try?

JH: It is a bit of departure from our traditional trading card box sets, but it is similar to our wall art business. For the last 2 years, we have created timely wall art prints to take advantage of baseball milestones and baseball’s biggest events like the All-Star Game and the playoffs. We are now doing it whenever a moment occurs in the size of a standard trading card.

KS: There have been a lot of notable moments so far in this young baseball season, including Rockies rookie Mint Musings: Topps Now Gives Collectors Instant GratificationTrevor Story’s torrid start. How do you go about selecting the players who receive a Topps Now card each day?

JH: The Topps team follows the games as they are played and determines which moments are worthy of getting a Topps Now card. The goal is to select the biggest and best moments from each day so fans can look back at the set as the most memorable moments that occurred throughout the 2016 season.

KS: Card products are usually planned out months or sometimes even years in advance. This is often due to the time it takes to gather product assets such as photographs or autographs. What is the actual physical process Topps Now undergoes from player selection to packing them out to collectors?

JH: Once we determine the moment, we choose a photo from Getty from that game that best captures the action. Our editorial team writes the content for the card and we send to MLB to approve. Once approved, they are offered on Topps.com. At the end of the 24 hour period, our production team gathers the orders and begins the printing process. Once the cards are ready, they are packed and shipped to customers.

KS: We’re around a week into the program now. What kind of response have you seen from collectors so far?

JH: Overwhelming positive response. There are a number of collectors that are trying to complete the entire set.

Mint Musings: Topps Now Gives Collectors Instant GratificationKS: If you could put a figure on it, how many cards have you issued already?

JH: The print runs are available on Topps.com in the “Topps Now Archive” section for each card offered this season. We are over 7,500 cards in the first week.

KS: I have to imagine that a number of collectors will try and put together complete sets of Topps Now cards. Is there a limit of how many cards you’ll produce of each player each day?

JH: No, these are print on demand. We print the number of cards ordered by the customers in the 24 hour period.

KS: Would Topps ever consider doing even more exclusive versions of the Topps Now cards, such as numbered parallels or maybe even adding autographed versions?

JH: No, it hasn’t been discussed.

KS: I remember that some of the previous Bowman sets offered an incentive for completing them, typically a monetary prize. Could you see Topps offering some type of “prize” for anyone who can collect the entire Now set?

JH: It’s possible, but not something we have discussed yet. We are just focused on the daily launches.

KS: Do you plan on continuing Topps Now for every day of the 2016 MLB regular season and postseason?

JH: Yes

KS: Before I let you go, just between you, me and the readers, does Topps have any curveballs or other features that we haven’t seen yet for Now?

JH: No, the details of Topps Now are straight forward and we don’t anticipate changing them this season.

Mint Musings: Topps Now Gives Collectors Instant Gratification

Mint Musings: Topps Now Gives Collectors Instant Gratification

Kelsey’s ability to bring hobby coverage to the mainstream sports fan as the producer of ESPN’s Mint Condition has been a true asset. GTS is happy to feature his thoughts on the hobby in Mint Musings. The opinions expressed are his and do not necessarily reflect those of GTS Distribution.
Kelsey Schroyer

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