Trading card kingpin Topps didn’t set out to define an entirely new way to enjoy baseball. Originally they included the cards with their chewing gum as a way to incentivize and entice consumers. The freebie would become so popular that by 1951, Topps started to make the kinds of baseball cards we are all familiar with today. In recognition of its 70-year history, Topps is releasing a special series of baseball cards designed by 51 guest artists called Project70.
Every 70 hours, Topps issues a new trio of cards, each featuring a different player and a guest designer, until all cards in the set are released. Gold frame, artist proof, and rainbow foil variants of each card are also randomly inserted in every card’s run.
With 51 invited designers, the styles of cards are varied. Some, such as Jackie Robinson’s card, stays truer to form, while others like Gregory Siff’s Darryl Strawberry draws inspiration from various art forms, such as abstract, pop, and street art.
Some of the cards released so far include Sean Wotherspoon’s Roberto Clemente, Brittany Palmer’s Robert Rodriguez, New York Nico’s Derek Jeter, Fucci's Mike Trout, and Snoop Dogg’s Ronald Acuña Jr. Future cards feature guests Chinatown Market, Ron English, Action Bronson, and Mister Cartoon.
