Topps Bunt Top 5 of 25

This post finishes up the series of Top 5s of three Topps Digital platforms. The Topps Bunt sets are massive compared to Marvel Collect and Star Wars Card Trader. I found that it is much more challenging to pick a top 5 in Bunt than on the other platforms. Generally, I flip through my sets and add to the favorites that I already marked throughout the year. With Marvel and Star Wars, I usually end up with 8-9 favorites that I need to weed down to the top 5. With Topps Bunt, I had over 20 cards in the favorites that needed to whittle down to a top 5. I left a lot on the cutting room floor, but I hope you agree this is good top 5 list and as a bonus I always include my lowest card count card of the year. So, here we go with my top 5 Topps Bunt of 25.

5. Rickey Henderson, Topps Chrome 25, Series 1 - Ultraviolet All-Stars, Super Rare, Card Count 2515

This groovy card stands out! There isn’t a single player style that I don’t like, but Rickey Henderson is a classic. When a baseball card looks like the next baseball card, this one brings it. I love the classic action shot of Henderson with the circle cut-out with a face image, and his name shooting out of the top of the wavey checkerboard is his name Rickey Henderson.

4. Pete Crow Armstrong, Creature Feature 25, Series 1 - Moonlight, Rare, Card Count 11,355

Holiday cards are a ton of fun, and this creepy motion shot with the broken screen, static view, vampire castle in the background of this PCA card is great. What more is needed for some Halloween spooks?

4. Riley Greene, 12 Days of Topps 25, Special Event - Relic, Super Rare, Card Count 1,419

Seems like I made a mistake and have a tie. I mean, I did say it was hard to narrow down to the top 5. It is fitting however, because they are both special event, holiday cards. Like the Halloween card, this card is a motion with snow falling and every now and then Santa flies by on his sleigh pulled by reindeer. It even comes with a little present uniform patch in the card.

3. Tarik Skubal, Postseason Match-ups 25, Wild Card Round - Gold, Super Rare, Card Count 909

There is so much cool stuff happening on this card. First the text, making it feel like the playoffs with “The Matchups,” “Tigers Vs. Guardians,” and the Wildcard Logo. Yes! This is a playoff card! The feature player, Tarik Skubal, prominently displayed on the front and in the back a Guardians opponent waiting for the pitch. This design does exactly what it is supposed to do, build anticipation in the playoffs.

2. Greg Maddux, Icons of the MLB 25, Series 2 - Bronze, Uncommon, Card Count 25,780

Yes, clearly this top 5 is heavily dominated by Tigers and Cubs (don’t worry, #1 isn’t either). But, it really is more about the design of the card than the subject…until this card. This is all about the subject. I love this entire set that celebrates some of the best from the past like Carlos Delgado, Trevor Hoffman, Larry Walker, and Frank Thomas. I chose the Greg Maddux card because he is one of my top 3 pitchers of all time. I really like the late 1980s uniform and his high kick delivery. This card is also a motion card where the boarders slide in to frame the Icon of the past.

1. Squirrel, Topps Now 25, August - August 22, Uncommon, Card Count 24,041

I promised that the number one card of 2025 would not be a Tiger or Cub, so here you go, it is the cute squirrel that snuck into Yankee Stadium on August 22. I don’t recall if they caught him or he got away, but this Topps photographer caught the whole thing. This has to be one of the most unique cards celebrating the human or natural side of the game. It is my #1 Topps Bunt card of 2025.

Bonus Entry: Lowest Card Count of 2025

Jason Varitek, 1990 Topps Baseball 25, Series One - Gold Signature, Legendary (Super Premium Pack Exclusive), Limited Edition Count 50

Top 5 2025 Bunt Base Cards

The Major League Baseball season has come to a close which means we are in the final quarter of 2025.  It is time for my annual series of Top Base Cards from Bunt, Marvel Collect, and Star Wars Card Trader.  This week I will cover 5 of my favorite Bunt base cards. 

In December and January, we will take a look at the insert cards of Common, Uncommon, Rare, Super Rare and Epic rarities.  I do not get Legendary cards in my collection.  But today, we focus on what makes a card set special...it is the base cards.  

With no further delay, here are my Top 5 Bunt Base Cards in no particular order: 

5.  Gunner Henderson 2025 Bunt Base - Series 1

Anyone who has read my past assessments of digital baseball cards knows I love cards that show action.  Action makes this card of Gunner Henderson a top card of the 2025 Base Set. 

4.  Josh Winckowski  2025 Bunt Base - Series 1

This card really catches the moment.  In this case, an intense moment of Josh Winckowski looking in for the sign for his catcher.  This is a great card to play "What Happens Next."  

3.  Julio Rodriguez  2025 Bunt Base - Series 1

A good base card catches the personality of a player as in this card of Julio Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners.  Cards like this really make the game and players likeable.  

2. Alexis Diaz  2025 Bunt Base - Series 1

That wind-up!  What a leg kick from Alexis Diaz!  This is what a baseball card is all about that action moment that shows us the moment something great is about to happen.  That moment when the baseball is about to be up in play.  Magnificent! 

1.  Lawrence Butler  2025 Bunt Base - Series 1

The cool factor.  Lawrence Butler looks super cool in his wrap-around mirror glasses.  By the way, there is no sarcasm in that statement.  He does look really cool in this card (even with his neon green and pink mittens).  Look at the full seats in the background.  This is a great card.  It caught my eye from the release of the set.  

Top Digital Cards Base Cards so far 2025

Half-way through the year isn't a bad time to take a look at some of my favorite Topps Digital Cards from Star Wars Card Trader, Marvel Collect and Topps Bunt. 

There have been some great sets this year, but the base sets have been enjoyable as well. Here are my Top 6 (two from each platform) base cards for 2025: 

6. Jacob Wilson, 2025 Bunt Base - Series 1, Base Tier 1

It is hard to pick a top baseball base card, because what often makes a baseball card stand out is the boarder and special series.  Sometimes what makes a great baseball card great is what player is featured or what team is featured.  So, for picking my top two Bunt base cards I went strictly photo otherwise any card would be Shohei Ohtani, or Pete Crow-Armstrong or Tarik Skubal.  

I chose the Jacob Wilson card as my 6th top digital card in 2025 so far, because of the action of the follow through of the swing.  I love this image for a card because it includes the action and Jacob's eyes following the ball.  It also highlights his number and name which is important for a baseball card.  I do like the base tier boarder and design as well.  

5. David Peterson, 2025 Bunt Base - Series 1, Base Tier 1

I really like the this card and what it shows.  As mentioned above, the action shot in a baseball card is the best.  I like that the image they chose for Peterson is not only mid-pitch, but we can see his pitching hand.  We can see his position on the ball and see that the grip has the ball back in his hand setting up some kind of off speed pitch.  This card does a nice job of telling the story of the pitch.  

4.  Shin Hati, 2025 Base - Series 2 Tier 1 - White

Like the Bunt cards, I like the design of the base cards this year.  For the 10th anniversary of the SWCT app, they modeled this year's base card on the original 2015 card set.  The double lined boarder around the image matches the original card.  I chose Shin Hati because I feel the card captures her character.  She was a mysterious character in the Ahsoka series and this pose fits that mysteriousness of her character.  I want to know more!! 

 

3. Darth Vader, 2025 Base - Series 2 - Tier 1 - White

I like the unique image of Vader from the Obi-Wan Kenobi series.  This straight on view with the light reflecting off of his helmet and chest armor is quite intimidating.  This has quickly become one of my favorite Darth Vader images.  Would you agree?

2.  Spider-Naut, '25 Base - Series 1 - White  Tier 1

Okay, I will confess this card did nothing for me when the set came out.  Yes, this is what Spider-Man would look like if her were Juggernaut.  Fun.  But, then I read the Amazing Spider-Man conclusion to "8 Deaths of Spider-Man" run, and I totally get it.  So, go read that run of Amazing Spider-Man and this card will make much more sense.  

1.  X-23, '25 Base - Series 1 - White Tier 1

It took a while for this character to grow on me, but she is pretty cool.  So, why do I like this base card so much that I make it my #1?  POV!!!  Also, the action in her hair, facial expression, fists, and posture make this an appealing base card!  This card is top notch!

Top 5 Topps Bunt Cards for 2024

My Fantasy Baseball Teams in 2024 were horrible.  Thank goodness my teams did not reflect the season and the Topps Bunt cards that were released in 2024.  Unlike my fantasy teams, Topps released some really amazing sets from the base set style, to my favorite Bowman common set to some of the higher end limited edition sets.  

I was able to acquire six legendary cards and seven iconic cards in the 2024 set with the Nolan Gorman Future Stars 25 card count highlighting top elite status of my set.  

Here are my Top 5 Topps Bunt Cards for 2024: 

5.  Topps Chrome 24, Oneil Cruz, Series 1 - Base - Common, N/A Card Count (12/27/24)

You must know, after viewing my Top 5 2024 Topps Bunt Base Cards post, that I love action cards.  This
card is just that on a really nice card design.  On one corner of the card the team name is written in a clear, team color themed font and on the opposite corner the team logo is prominently displayed.  The player name and position is printed in the lower right corner and the card delivers a nice "shiny" look as one tilts the device on which they are viewing the card.  Then, on this particular card we get a nice landscape image of Oneil Cruz in full arm-extension mid-throw.  It is a marvelous card that draws in the collector the moment it is revealed in the pack.  

4.  Topps Heritage 24, Dansby Swanson, Series 1 - Clubhouse Collection Relic - Rare, 4,393 Card Count

This card and set are classic. This is a card layout that I had in my early days of collecting cards. You
know, those days when the doubles or cards of players we didn't like ended up in the spokes of our bikes. The Heritage Collection has a simple yet eye catching yellow and purple boarder.  The title of the set at the top, "Clubhouse Collection."  On the bottom of the card is Dansby Swanson's name with a classic spring training-like photo of Dansby holding a bat out front of him.  Then what makes this card really unique is the uniform piece in a circle feature between the image and the bottom boarder.  If there was any doubt, this is a classic baseball card and it makes my number four top card of 2024.  

3.  Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary 23, Dave Winfield, Series 2 - Base - Uncommon, 10,299 Card Count

The Chrome sets return for another look at my top 5 Topps Bunt cards of 2024.  This is a Platinum
anniversary card that has the same "shiny" feature that the Oneil Cruz card has as mentioned above with the number 5 card.  There are a couple features that highlight this card for me.  First, I love it when Topps highlights players from the past, especially when the player happens to be one of my favorite players of all time, Dave Winfield!  Another feature of the card is the dual images on the card.  On the right side of the card Topps gives us a full card portrait image in color of Winfield while on the left side of the card we get a smaller full black and white image of Winfield as he appears to be on the base paths.  Finally, who doesn't love a signature on the card?  

2. 1989 Topps Baseball 24, Wade Boggs, Series 1 - Signature - Super Rare, 1,864 Card Count

Speaking of signatures on baseball cards from above, the number two card of this year's top cards
makes this spot largely because of the signature.  Who doesn't love a signature series card with the signature of a super star of the past, Wade Boggs?  Not only an awesome player with an awesome signature, but Topps gives us a 35th anniversary card style from the 1989 set.  I always loved this card set with the large, colorful team name and banner under the team name for the player's name.  Like the Dansby Swanson card in the number 4 slot of this list, this Wade Boggs card just screams baseball card!  

1.  Allen & Ginter 23, Al Kaline, Series 1 - Uniform Countdown - Rare, 7,954 Card Count

Uniqueness wins in this years Top 5 Topps Bunt cards of 2024.  I love these Allen & Ginter cards. 
They are the old school cigar box type cards with a smaller dimention than a regular baseball cards.  They are drawn cards instead of photos of the players with a classic font that screams a yesteryear time period.  This card was chosen in particular because of, keeping very much to this year's theme of classic players, Al Kaline of my second favorite Detroit Tigers.  This is the kind of card I would put into a frame and hang on my wall.  I mean on the wall of my living room.  

I hope you enjoyed this list of my Top 5 Topps Bunt digital cards from 2024.  Let me know what your top cards are from the set or did my list resonate with you as well?  Let me know and Happy New Year!  Here is to looking forward to a great 2025 baseball season.   

My Top 5 Topps Bunt 2024 Base Cards

Ah, collecting the classic Topps baseball cards as a kid in the 1980's.  That was me.  Coming home from the drug store with 3-4 packs in my pocket.  I was looking for Chicago  Cubs players: Ryne Sandberg, Ron Cey, Leon Durham, and others.  My friends and I would trade, but we would always end up with doubles of players we didn't know or care about.  So, we would slap a clothespin on the back forks of our bike, slide that baseball card double in the clip and stick it through the spokes.  We would cruise up and down the street with our bike-cycle buzzing.  Base cards of a set are like that; you end up with a whole bunch.  But they are a great way to get a good look at who these players are.  Some card pictures are staged and profile-like.  Some cards are position players up to bat, and the pitchers often get a mid- throw shot.  All of them are pretty cool when flipping through the cards and checking career stats on the back of the card. 

In Topps Bunt digital card trading app, there are 450 series 1 base cards, and while I haven't checked recently, I would bet I have dupes of most of them if not all.  The other day I decided to flip through the base cards, since I don't really take a good look at them after the initial release.  Who are the names?  Who has had a good season?  Are there any rookie sensation base cards?  It is fun; it's why we collect.  

Here are my Top 5 Bunt 2024 Base Cards with a comment about the style of each one:  

5.  Brandon Lowe, 2024 Bunt Base Series - White

Classic shot of the backswing of a hitter while catching most of his face so fans can recognize him.  Also does a nice job of showing the "battle worn" helmet.  Super cool.  

4.  Andrew Abbott, 2024 Bunt Base Series 1 - White

If I were a pitcher, this mid-pitch action shot is definitely what I would want on my base card!  

3.  Ezequiel Tovar, 2024 Bunt Base Series 1 - White

The action shots get my attention, and what better way to capture a short stop than on a throw over to first base.  This is a great mid-motion shot for Tovar.  

2.  Kyle Hendricks, 2024 Bunt Base Series 1 - White

I love this "in the stretch" position for a pitcher's card.  This card also gives a good sense of background.  A good card will also place you in the game like you are there watching.  This card, blurred, has lots of fan space.  That is a good quality for a card.  

1.  Francisco Alvarez, 2024 BUNT Base Series 1 - White

I love this in-game action of Alvarez lifting his mask and his colorful chest pad popping on this card.  It also has the background factor too.  

I want to take a second to discuss the boarder features.  The boarder has a modern look all the way around with the right side multilayered.  Pretty coo.  I like the team logo in the bottom right.  It is clear, but it doesn't dominate the picture/card.  The name of the players is clearly found at the bottom of the card.  The only criticism is the that the player's position does blend in at the bottom.  I don't mind the placement, but maybe a bit larger font.  Still, I really liked this set.  How about a bonus card?  

Bonus: Austin Gomber, 2024 BUNT Base Series 1 - White

What's up the the bonus?  It is my list and I couldn't leave this one off.  As the top 5, this card has good action in mid pitch, but what I really like about this card is it shows rain falling.  The drops are all around him.  Once again, anything that makes me, the collector, feel like I was there to take the picture myself is awesome.    

Topps Bunt Community - Paying It Forward

The first week of October when the Major League Baseball playoffs began an unusual thing happened on my Topps Bunt app.  See, my profile picture on the app is the Detroit Tigers "Old English D."  I am supporting my second favorite team, but my favorite in the playoffs.  Suddenly, I started getting unbalanced trades by 4 or 5 different people on the opening day of the Wildcard games.  When I say unbalanced, I mean unbalanced in my favor.  These people started sending me Tigers cards out of the blue with "Go Tigers!"  messages.  They weren't sending base cards; they were sending common and uncommon cards.  How fun!  It really made my day.  

I don't know.  I thought this was an amazing little trend, so I paid it forward and a sent whole bunch of my Tigers doubles to those who have the "Old English D" on their profile.  As the games continue through the playoffs, I plan to do this with fans of other teams.

Let's take this random act and pass it on in the other card apps.  Take a look at someone's profile and ship off unwanted dupes that match team or character of their profile.  This, by the way, isn't a trade you send to get something, just ask for a random base card.  Let that person know that you are celebrating their team or character.