The Highs, Lows, and In-Betweens: Ranking the Sets of 2019

It's all over the internet, TV, and virtually everywhere else one may look. Today is New Year's Eve, 2019, and in several hours, we will usher in a new month, year, and most importantly, decade.

Late December always entails a couple of different blog posts which, admittedly, I'm getting to a little late this year. It's time for me to analyze how successful I was in accomplishing my card collecting goals for 2019, not to mention I should create new objectives for 2020.

I'd also like, if I have the time and creative mindset necessary, to create some type of post recapping and/or highlighting what the 2010s were like for Baseball cards. I'm still in the stages of what this post would look like, and if I end up following through with it, I'll write it in the next week or so.

The final of the end-of-year blog posts that I write is a full ranking of the year's Baseball card releases, and that's exactly what I've dedicated the final day of the year and decade to talking about. Before I get to the countdown, however, I want to note a couple of things.

For starters, I rank the sets on this list primarily based on the actual design, though this becomes slightly more complex when it comes to products like Archives and Heritage. For those 2, I look at how well Topps did with recreating the older designs and how they stack up to previous releases.

Yes, not every Topps/Panini release is featured on this list. I'm sticking to products that I'm familiar with; in fact, for the first time in the blog's history, I'm sticking solely to sets that I've actually opened packs from.

You'll also see that I've combined Donruss/Optic as well as Topps Flagship, Update, and Chrome into their own respective categories. I just don't deem it necessary to talk about Topps Chrome and Topps Series 1 and 2 like they're drastically different design-wise.

Finally, as sad as it may be (for me anyway), Panini Chronicles will not be featured. There are just way too many designs that the product is worthy of its own countdown which I actually wrote.

I have 14 sets to talk about as I gradually lead up to #1. Let's begin with what I feel is the least interesting set design of 2019.

#14 Bowman

I don't recall coming across a single 2019 Panini Diamond Kings base card this entire year, so the go-to fall guy for the last spot on my set rankings lists in the past wasn't there this time around. As a result, the "honor" went to 2019 Bowman, a set that becomes more boring as the years go on.

The off-center style didn't necessarily bug me all that much, though I wasn't exactly thrilled about this detail. Rather, the cards just lack any sort of personality or wow factor. Luckily, big-time prospect collectors don't care what the cards look like.

#13 Topps National Baseball Card Day

NBCD is a promotion that I've been participating in since Topps reintroduced the idea back in 2017. Though I end up with just 2 5-card packs each year, I sample enough cards from the checklist to the point where I feel comfortable including the cards on my countdown.

This year featured the best set design as well as card backs in the promotional set's abbreviated history, but it simply doesn't have enough to compete with the bigger releases of 2019.

#12 Panini Donruss/Optic

Upon close inspection, the similarities between 2019 Topps NBCD and Panini Donruss become increasingly profound. So, how does the set without logos come out on top over a licensed product? 2 words: card backs.

The orangish/yellow or, for Rated Rookies, blue card backs in 2019 Panini Donruss are a huge step up from their past attempts. The amount of blank space has decreased significantly, and I'm just hoping that Panini can continue this type of momentum and continue improving into the 2020s.

#11 Topps Finest

The Topps Finest hobby box that I opened back in June will likely be the first and last one of these boxes that I'll ever rip; the price just didn't seem worth it when I later analyzed the value of the individual cards, and it didn't help that I didn't land anything all that impressive.

As for the base set, the cards look nice, but chrome cardstock can enhance virtually anything. I will say this, however; I don't believe they're at the caliber of previous Finest sets, especially 2014 and 2016.

#10 Topps Fire

Truth be told, I surprised myself by ranking Topps Fire above Finest, a much higher-end product, but I can't ignore the fact that I slightly prefer the former of the 2 releases. While the backs leave a little something to be desired, the fronts are some of the best we've ever seen from Topps Fire.

Finally, Topps took the notion of "less is more" and applied it to this set. Instead of a black background with a ton of sparks and flames, Topps changed it up, giving us a few simple colors and highlighting the player instead of the work of their designers.

#9 Panini Prizm

It's easy for me to overlook the Prizm base design given the sheer craziness of all the different parallels that I'm chasing because of my 2019 Panini Prizm project. However, the base design isn't too shabby; it's sleek, modern, and, once again, Panini has improved their card backs.

Though the market for these cards is far too great in Basketball for a change to be made, I'm starting to wish that the Prizm base design consisted of silvers instead of cards like the one above. That way, they won't show dust as easily.

#8 Topps Heritage

I surprised even myself by placing Topps Heritage so low on this list, but if I'm being totally honest, I wasn't overly impressed with the product this time around. Maybe other sets were simply better, or maybe I'm getting a little burned out.

Either way, Topps Heritage dropped from #5 in 2018 all the way to #8, and it's a shame because I actually prefer the 1970 design to 1969. Plus, Topps did a stellar job, as always, recreating the set, but, for some reason, I'm just not feeling the magic I once was in regards to Topps Heritage.

#7 Bowman's Best

It seems as if the best elements were taken from both 2017 and 2018 Bowman's Best and combined into one, cohesive design, creating a superb base design that's both modern and colorful at the same time.

Just like Panini Prizm, 2019 Bowman's Best is sleek, but the shade of grey used by Topps is far more appealing than the darker grey that Panini uses for Prizm. Plus, there's just so much color on both sides of the card that I can't help but love it.

#6 Topps Allen & Ginter

Allen & Ginter claimed the #1 spot on my countdown a year ago, so it may seem like I don't like this year's design for the product to fall 5 places down on the list. Though this isn't true, I do have 1 main issue with the 2019 cards: the absence of the color splotches.

Since the set's debut back in 2006(?), we've known what to expect from Allen & Ginter, and I mean that in a good way. The color splashes behind the photos of each subject have been a mainstay in the product, and although Topps replaced them with traditional backgrounds, it doesn't feel like A&G without them.

#5 Topps Flagship/Chrome/Update

Going into 2019, I can't say I would've expected to rank Topps Flagship above Allen & Ginter or Heritage, but my views on the 2019 Topps design have certainly changed since it was debuted back in the summer of 2018.

The card backs, moreover, feature players' complete stats (yay!), and the design, as many have pointed out, looks like a modernized version of the 1982 design. Topps Chrome and all of its gorgeous refractors only made the cards more appealing.

#4 Topps Gallery

When Topps revived Gallery back in 2017, the artwork was something I had never seen before, and the white borders complimented it incredibly well. In the years that have followed, however, there haven't been many significant changes to the product, and that comes with its upsides as well as its downsides.

Despite this minor complaint, I still ranked Gallery in my top 4 favorite sets of the year, so, evidently, Topps is doing something right. I just hope that they take more risks with these cards in 2020, perhaps going back to gold frames?

#3 Topps Stadium Club

When I was deciding in my head where I'd rank each of the 2019 sets, I told myself to put Stadium Club a little lower on the list due to the fact that the cards have lost some of their wow factors following such stellar showings over the last few years.

Well, ranking it "lower," I suppose, still means making the top 3 because although Stadium Club may not be as incredible as it was 2 years ago, its still one of the most anticipated and celebrated Baseball card sets of the year.

If you're doubting Topps ability to be creative with this set now that it's been around since 2014, look no further than the Christy Mathewson card above.

#2 Topps Gypsy Queen

The biggest surprise, for me, out of all the 2019 Baseball card releases was Topps Gypsy Queen, Topps' finest effort in regards to this product that we've seen in ages.

The banner, frame, card backs, and every little nuance contributes to this set design that, finally, has some sort of identity after Topps spent years trying to give these cards something to work with.

The mockups for 2020 Gypsy Queen look just as promising, so, hopefully, after 2 disappointing years, things are looking up for my former favorite product.

#1 Topps Archives

Going into a brand new decade, Topps Archives will not only be my favorite set but an excellent retail option as well. Since 2017, they've chosen a near-perfect lineup of 3 designs for the 300-card base set with this year's choices being '58, '75, and '93.

Topps did a sensational job, though not perfect, with recreating these old school designs, and the checklist is incredibly diverse, featuring guys that are rarely recognized by any other set.

Needless to say, Topps Archives had all the ingredients for a top tier release, and they were able to accomplish just that with the lineup of sets, incredible checklist, and more factors.

Because of that, Archives reigns supreme as my favorite Baseball card product of 2019.

Ranking the Sets of 2018

January 31st marked the beginning of the 2018 Baseball card collecting season with the release of Topps Series 1. In the months that have followed, predominantly Topps as well as Panini have combined to release dozens of products, ranging from something as simple as Series 2 all the way to the super high-end Panini National Treasures product.

All in all, the year 2018 was a major improvement when compared to 2017, a year full of half-baked products. 2016 wasn't much better with one of the worst Flagship sets of all-time being released. 

Therefore, I suppose you could say that 2018 as a whole was one of the best years for collecting in a few years. Even with an excessive number of sets being released, there were a number of products that hold their own, resulting in their placement on my list.

Just like last year, 16 products ended up on my list, 2 Panini sets, 2 Bowman products, and 12 Topps sets. I intentionally left out the beloved Panini Chronicles due to there being too much going on for me to form a coherent opinion on the set.

With that being said, I'll start off with my least favorite set of the year with a product that held this honor in 2017 as well.

#16 Panini Diamond Kings

Once again, Panini Diamond Kings was a disappointing product in 2018. The checklist was one of the few strong points with a nice balance of old-time players from the early 20th century along with today's stars as well. However, the set design was only a bit more exciting than last years' set, and the card backs were pretty lackluster once again, using the same images on the back of the card as the front for the 2nd year in a row.

#15 Bowman

The card backs from 2018 Bowman weren't the problem as they've become somewhat expected over the last few years. Rather, it's the front of the cards, featuring cut-off logos, that fueled my mild dislike for the set. You'd think Topps would learn from 2016 Topps to never include cut-off logos in their products again, but apparently not. I don't mind Topps continuing to take a more modern approach to the most of their sets. However, in the case of 2018 Bowman, it should've been done differently.

#14 Topps Fire

Coming off a fairly well-received debut in 2017, Topps Fire took a major step back in terms of their 2018 set, mainly due to the lackluster 3 designs that the set is composed of. Unlike last year, the different flame patterns in the background of 2018 Topps Fire are barely distinguishable whereas last years' set featured unique patterns that each had their own strong points. It wasn't a total train wreck, but needless to say, Topps Fire took a step down in 2018.

#13 Panini Donruss/Optic

I surprised even myself by placing 2018 Panini Donruss/Donruss Optic above sets like Fire and Bowman, but I couldn't ignore the fact that Panini put out their best Donruss set yet in 2018, even if that's not too bold of a statement. The backs are still pretty disappointing along with the overwhelming number of variations. However, I appreciate the effort that Panini put in to improve the Donruss set.

#12 Topps National Baseball Card Day

If you're doubting if 2018 was indeed that much of an improvement for Baseball cards from the shaky 2017 season, take a look at the Topps National Baseball Card Day set, showing that even promo sets improved drastically from year to year. Like I said before, many 2017 sets appeared half-baked, and last years' NBCD set was no exception. Even if the 2018 release didn't set the world on fire, the simple and modern design was a major improvement from the 2017 promotional product.

#11 Topps Gypsy Queen

The Gypsy Queen product continues to decline in my eyes with the set coming in at #11 in 2018, another low placement for a set that used to be my favorite yearly release. The Gypsy Queen card backs have never been standouts, but the irritatingly small card numbers cause me to squint in order to see each card number. Even though the base set design isn't terrible, the color is basically a repeat of 2016, causing the set to blend in with previous releases instead of being able to stand out.

#10 Topps Finest

Despite my unfamiliarity with the Topps Finest set, likely due to the fact that I've never opened a pack from the product, the few cards that I was able to acquire via the dime bins helped the set sneak into my top 10. Like Gypsy Queen, the card numbers are unnecessarily small. However, the ultra-modern card fronts and backs are appealing to me, more so than seeing the same type of Gypsy Queen set year after year.

#9 Topps Chrome

Let me preface this by saying that 2018 Topps Chrome was much, much better than the 2017 set. However, up against some tough competition from other 2018 Baseball card products, the highest place I could give the set on the list is #9. This year, refractors were multitudes better than they were last year with colors taking up the entire background instead of appearing as spiky triangles scattered throughout the card. 

2018 Topps Chrome was able to benefit from a better Flagship set than 2017, something I'll be expanding on shortly.

#8 Topps/Opening Day/Update

If not for changes being made to the 2018 Topps parallels, the much-improved refractors of Topps Chrome would not have been possible. In addition to stepping their game up with the parallels, Topps designed a base set that's undoubtedly better than 2016 and 2017 by far. The card backs, although they don't include the full stats, include a nice splash of color. Still, it's the front of the cards and the fantastic photography that catapults 2018 Topps to the #8 spot on a list with tons of well-designed sets.

#7 Topps Big League

Although it spelled the end for Topps Bunt, the Topps Big League product delivered everything that many collectors have been wanting for years now. It's a 400-card set, a large enough checklist to include bench players and relief pitchers, that's incredibly affordable and includes a base set design that's different from that of Topps Flagship. I hear there are talks of this set taking Opening Day's place and all I can say is I can't wait for that to happen.

#6 Bowman Platinum

My lack of familiarity with 2018 Bowman Platinum did not stop the set from closing in on the top 5 of my ranking of 2018 sets. With a black background (YES!) and the inclusion of swirls of blue, orange, purple, and pink, Bowman Platinum stepped its game up in 2018. Next step, don't make this set or Topps Gallery a Walmart exclusive nor Topps Fire a Target exclusive. They'll have to make more cards, but Topps should definitely expand these products to both stores so that anyone who wants to is able to buy these products.

#5 Topps Heritage

We know what to expect from Topps Heritage year after year, so it's hard for the set to do a ton to impress me. With that being said, the brand continues to be one of my most collected sets year after year, and 2018 was no exception. 1969 Topps isn't one of my favorite Topps products like 1968 Topps is, affecting its placement on the list. However, Topps remained consistent with it's impeccable recreating of their past sets, causing Topps Heritage to make the top 5 once again in 2018.

#4 Topps Stadium Club

While 2018 Topps Stadium Club doesn't feature as interesting of a base set design as it did in 2016 and 2017, the high-quality images of players both past and present helped the set end up at #4 on the list, trailing just 3 sets with a slight edge over the photography-based product. 

Guys like Ted Williams, Tim Raines, and Anthony Rendon, whose card is shown above, were subjects of some of the many intriguing images of this years' set. Even with another year of "meh" card backs, Stadium Club continues to shine since being revived in 2014.

#3 Topps Archives

Deservingly so, Topps Archives was my favorite Baseball card product in 2017 with 1960, 1982, and 1992 Topps being the subjects of the set. This year, 1958, 1977, and 1982 Topps ran the show. With 3 sets that would make my top 20 of favorite Topps Flagship products being included in the set, Archives seemed destined to repeat as my favorite product of the year. 

While it was anything but a disaster, small details like font size for the players' names in 1958 Topps and the use of yellow flags for position in 1977 Topps were enough to change Archives' placement on my list. With the sets coming in at #1 and #2 being at such a superior level, it was these small details that moved Archives down to the #3 spot.

#2 Topps Gallery

I promise this is it for Topps Gallery for a long time, but I have to talk about how much I love this years' product one more time since I placed it so high up on my list. With some of the artwork being nothing short of breathtaking, Topps Gallery ironed out the few kinks it had in 2017 and presented a product this time around that's worthy to hang in a museum. The variety of different colors and art styles served to help the set as well since having a range of different artists resulted in a perfect mix of different styles of cards throughout the set.

In nearly any other year, Gallery would be at the top of this countdown. However, one set stepped up its game so much in 2018 that it narrowly beat out the art-based set for the #1 spot.

Here it is, my favorite set of 2018 is...

#1 Topps Allen & Ginter

Topps Allen & Ginter! I guess 13 isn't such an unlucky number after all since Topps' 13th consecutive release of the set is one of the best designs yet. While the card backs remain the same as they've always been, the base set seems to incorporate frames as the players' pictures appear to be inside an intricately-designed border. The color splashes in the background have become expected, but it's the A&G logo at the bottom that also helps to seal the deal.

It's hard to explain, in full, why I chose Allen & Ginter as my favorite set of the year. It's just something about the product that no other set this year had, resulting in it being my absolute favorite set of 2018, a year chock-full of fantastic products.