Beginner's Guide to Topps MVP Buyback Program 2025

Participating as a Beginner

The 2025 Topps MVP Buyback Program is a simple, uncomplicated method for new collectors to find value in their collection:

• Look for Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani cards in any 2025 Topps Chrome Baseball box (hobby or retail); base, refractors, or inserts are all acceptable.
• You can get $20 in store credit with just one base card; parallels can be worth between $40 and $1,200.
• You can mail cards to partners like Dave & Adam's or Steel City Collectibles, or use the store locator at ripped.topps.com to locate one of the more than 600 participating local hobby shops.
• Get instant store credit (no cash) to spend right away on additional packs, supplies, or singles if you bring or send the unaltered cards.
• The deadline is January 31, 2026, so there is plenty of time to participate and learn without feeling rushed.

It's a low-risk way to establish a connection with your LCS (local card shop) and turn your initial rips into more collecting power. Complete guidelines and principles can be found at ripped.topps.com.

Eligible Cards and Credit Values

2025 MVPs and Base Eligibility

With a historic .363/.475/.701 slash line, 58 home runs, 144 RBI, and a league-high 10.8 WAR, Aaron Judge won his third American League MVP award (and second in four years), making history as the first player to win MVP while hitting over .360 with 50 or more home runs. With a 54-homer, 59-steal season, a.310/.390/.646 line at the plate, and a 3.00 ERA over 166 innings on the mound, Shohei Ohtani won unanimous National League MVP honors in his first full season with the Dodgers, solidifying his status as the only 50-50 club member and the prominent two-way standard-bearer.

The buyback program is available for any 2025 Topps Chrome base card (#100 Aaron Judge or #200 Shohei Ohtani). Each card can be redeemed for $20 store credit. Refractors and numbered are eligible as well, and return $40 - $200 depending on which you have.

Credit Tiers Breakdown

For MVPs Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani's eligible 2025 Topps Chrome cards, the program provides fixed store credit values based on card type and rarity. The breakdown is as follows:

• Base cards: $20 each
• Unnumbered refractor parallels (e.g., Aqua, Aquamarine, Black, Blue, Foilboard, Gold/50, Green, Infinity, Negative Refractor, Orange, Pink, Prismatic, Purple, Red, Refractor, Superfractor): $40 each
• Numbered refractors /100 or greater (e.g., Gold /50, Green /10, etc.): $100 each
• Numbered refractors /99 or fewer (e.g., Black Refractor 1/1, Red /5, Superfractor 1/1): $200 each
• Back-to-back MVP stamped cards (from 2025 Topps MLB MVP Collection insert, sequentially numbered /99 or rarer): $400–$1,200 each, based on numbering

Values apply to unaltered cards; inserts like Rookie Debut Patches or Color Wheel qualify at the unnumbered refractor tier ($40)—full chart at ripped.topps.com.

By the way, listed below are more great sports card collecting tips:

• How to Get Baseball Cards Graded: A Novice Collector’s Guide
• These 5 Sports Cards Could Steady Your Collection Through 2026
• Top 5 Ken Griffey Jr. Cards That Still Swing Big

Redemption Process

1. Confirm your card is an eligible 2025 Topps Chrome Judge (#100) or Ohtani (#200) base, refractor, insert, or MVP Collection card – unaltered and in original condition.
2. Visit ripped.topps.com and use the store locator (600+ shops) or choose an authorized mail-in partner (Dave & Adam’s, Steel City Collectibles, Blowout Cards, etc.).
3. In-store: Bring cards to the shop; staff verifies and instantly loads the exact credit amount onto a gift card or account – no purchase required.
4. Mail-in: Download the submission form from ripped.topps.com, include cards and the completed form, ship tracked/insured to the partner, and credit is issued within days of receipt.

Deadline for all redemptions: January 31, 2026.

That’s it. Turn in the card, walk out (or get credited) with store credit ready to spend the same day.

Avoid These Common Mistakes

Typical mistakes can result in credit loss or complete card disqualification. Here are some things to be aware of:

• Don't "upgrade" or change the card in any way (trimming, cleaning, reholdering, or adding stickers or autos), doing so may render it ineligible.
• Only 2025 Topps Chrome and its Update Series are eligible; do not submit non-Chrome 2025 products (Heritage, Allen & Ginter, Bowman, etc.).
• For the $20 base tier, only the standard #100 Judge and #200 Ohtani checklist versions are accepted; image variations, short prints, and base cards with retro designs are not.
• The deadline is January 31, 2026; cards received after that date will not be credited.
• If you ship without tracking, insurance, or the official submission form, you will be responsible for any lost packages.
• Credit is store-only and cannot be transferred between stores, so don't expect cash.
• Double-check the official eligibility list on ripped.topps.com before you submit, and you’ll get every dollar you’re owed.

Conclusion

In the hobby, the 2025 Topps MVP Buyback Program is a rare win-win situation where collectors turn even common base cards into $20 in store credit that keeps the chase going while Topps honors Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani's incredible seasons by returning real, immediate value to collectors' hands. The program rewards participation without complexity. Simply locate the card, redeem by January 31, 2026, and leave with credit ready to spend, regardless of whether you're a novice ripper trading your first Judge refractor or an experienced participant cashing in a low-numbered parallel. This simple promotion continues to be one of the hobby's most clever and collector-friendly initiatives in a time of high box prices and erratic aftermarket values.

People Also Ask:

• Q: Which exact 2025 Topps products qualify for the Judge/Ohtani MVP buyback?
  A: Only 2025 Topps Chrome and 2025 Topps Chrome Update Series cards of Aaron Judge (#100) and Shohei Ohtani (#200) are eligible—nothing from Flagship paper, Heritage, Bowman, Stadium Club, etc.
• Q: Do I have to buy something at the shop to use the store credit?
  A: No purchase is required. You walk in, hand over the card, and they load the credit instantly for use anytime.
• Q: What happens to the cards after I turn them in?
  A: Topps may autograph, remark, or stamp them as official buybacks and re-insert them into future products (2026 Chrome, etc.).
• Q: Is there a limit on how many cards I can redeem?
  A: There is no limit. Redeem one card or one thousand, you get the full credit value for each eligible card (as long as they arrive by January 31, 2026).