Ranking Topps Sets by Decade; 2000s

To be quite honest, I don't really know what to think about the 2000s in terms of Topps Flagship sets. It has a couple of standout designs, but it's left somewhere in the middle in terms of the best and worst decades for Topps sets of all-time. The 2000s lack even that 1 set that helps them stick out, whether that's in a good way or a bad way.

Encompassing sets with nontraditional border colors like 2001 (green), 2002 (bronze) and 2007 (black), the 2000s departed from what Topps had done for decades before. However, most of the other sets utilized white borders, some of which worked, others did not.

More so than any other decade, many sets from the 2000s had the potential to be great, but the designs ended up falling short for whatever reason. 

Throughout this in-depth look, I'll be pointing out what sets fell short and why, along with the products that missed the mark almost entirely, and finally, the few sets that rose to the top of the entire decade of Flagship designs.

#10 2005 Topps

Large amounts of foil have rarely worked out well in a Topps Flagship design, and 2005 Topps is a perfect example of this premise. Even without the foil near the team name at the bottom of the card, there's another major problem with this card; there's a lot of repetition. The team name is listed twice and with the players' last name appearing 2 times as well, 2005 Topps embodies what a modern set looks like when it goes wrong.

#9 2004 Topps

Probably the most forgettable Topps Flagship set ever released, 2004 Topps seems to take elements that we've seen from multiple different products without doing much on its own. I recall being somewhat fond of the set in the past, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that the set isn't anything special.

Even the position player in the bottom left corner is something we've seen before (1976 Topps), and that seems to be one of the only details differentiating this set from any other Topps Flagship product from the last 15 years.

#8 2003 Topps

Bless their hearts for using non-white borders in a few Topps Flagship sets from this decade, but in some instances, I get sick of seeing the same color over and over again, especially in a 721-card set like 2003 Topps. 

Something about the dark blue color just doesn't work on Baseball cards, leaving a dissatisified taste in my mouth when I look at the set. I respect Topps' attempt to pay homage to previous sets like '83 with the 2nd photo on the card, but like the blue borders, it simply doesn't work.

#7 2006 Topps

The photo quality of the 2006 Topps set saved it from finishing much lower on the list, for the set design is nothing exciting whatsoever. It features more foil (ugh) and different colors depending on what team is shown on the card. But because of the number of teams with red and blue team colors, many of the cards feature red and blue stripes along the top and bottom of every card.

It's not just the Victor Martinez card. There are numerous examples of superb photography throughout the set. While the photos couldn't save the set completely, it sure did have an effect on 2006 Topps' placement on the list.

#6 2001 Topps

This greenish-blue shade is slightly easier to look at than the bold blue of the 2003 set, but the 2001 Topps product did not do justice for the 50th anniversary of the first Topps set back in 1951. Judging by the 2015 Bowman set, I assume that Topps still hasn't learned to make all player names legible as is shown here with a rather difficult to read font, spelling out "Fernando Tatis."

I actually don't mind the color at all, but there weren't enough strong points for this set to make it higher on the list than the #6 spot.

#5 2000 Topps

Topps ushered in a new millennium with a sleek Flagship design, composed of light grey borders and the slightest bit of color at the bottom of the card. While I like the balance between the amount of space the photo takes up and the splash of color, I'm still not a fan of foil text on Baseball cards, and all the info spelled out at the bottom of this card in foil lettering is almost impossible to read when scanned.

#4 2009 Topps

I surprised myself with how high I placed 2009 Topps on this list, but the reality is that even though parts of the set don't work, the design, as a whole, is actually pretty nice and comes together rather well. The logo placement on home plate is a nice touch along with the black space behind the foil. IF Topps is going to insist on using foil letters, I'm glad it's at least somewhat readable.

It's almost as if Topps remade the horrendous 1994 Topps set with a modern twist. Gone are the ugly colors and weird features, and in their place, we have a sleek design that symbolizes what the 2000s are capable of producing.

#3 2007 Topps

The idea behind 2007 Topps is enough to put it at the #1 spot, but even though it didn't make it to the top, the '07 Flagship design is one of the boldest sets Topps has attempted in the last number of decades. 

One of only 2 black-bordered sets ever created, 2007 Topps is accompanied by respectable images that help further enhance the product. If not for odd pattern designs in every corner and a missed opportunity for a unique colored font for the players' name, 2007 Topps could be the greatest Flagship set of the 21st century.

#2 2002 Topps

Out of all the choices for border colors across the 2000s, the bronze borders of 2002 Topps seemed to be the best of the bunch, and that's the main reason why 2002 Topps has ended up as the runner-up on this countdown. In addition to featuring a wide variety of images, 2002 Topps remains a standout because of how well Topps pulled off the bronze border design. 

In some places, specifically the bottom left, there's a bit too much border on the card and not enough of the image or the ribbon. However, there are only a couple of small drawbacks in what has become a Flagship set that I'm increasingly fond of.

#1 2008 Topps

Topps had a world of potential when creating the 2008 Flagship set, and what they were able to pull off exceeded what I thought was possible from a 2000s set; white borders with just the right amount of color and excellent images.

Unlike a set like 2006 Topps, the colors that spell out the team name change frequently, and the foil for the player name, in this instance, is by far the most legible of the entire decade. I could certainly do without the facsimile signatures, but that's the only major complaint that I have. 

In a decade that lacked standout products, 2008 Topps stood out at an entirely different level.