How a Subway Ride Inspired the 2025 Topps Series 1 Baseball Cards
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Inspiration can strike in the most unexpected places—even on a routine subway ride. For Topps senior designer Phil Imbriano, that’s exactly what happened last year during his daily commute. While riding the NYC subway, his eyes landed on a red-and-silver badge in the corner of the train car. Something about the sleek lines and curves stood out. He snapped a quick photo, and by the time he reached his desk at Topps, he was already sketching new ideas.
Those early sketches evolved into what is now the base design for the 2025 Topps Series 1 baseball cards, officially launching today.
“I love drawing inspiration from everyday things,” Imbriano explained. “It could be a building, a sign—just something that catches my eye. I take pictures and refer back to them later. You never know when something simple will turn into something big.”
The 2025 design features two bold lines that sweep up the left side and across the top of the card. It’s a look that some collectors might recognize—it bears a resemblance to the 1982 Topps set, but this time, the lines are color-matched to each team.
That nostalgic callback wasn’t intentional. In fact, Imbriano initially drew inspiration from the woodgrain aesthetic of the 1962 and 1987 sets. “The ’82 connection was a happy accident,” he said. “But I think it works because it blends vintage style with a modern twist.”
The design was selected through a competitive in-house process, where Topps designers submit concepts that go through multiple rounds of review. Imbriano’s design won out over 20 other submissions in a rigorous, months-long selection process. Some elements from past non-winning designs even make their way into future sets—this year, for example, a small field graphic in the bottom right corner marks the player's position.
From that initial subway moment to the final product, Imbriano created around ten different versions before landing on the final design.
“There’s so much that goes into this process,” he said. “I don’t think most people realize how much work happens before they ever hold the card in their hands.”
Bringing the Cards to Life
Once the digital designs are finalized, Topps creates physical prototypes to evaluate how they look and feel. This hands-on approach is crucial, according to Clay Luraschi, Topps’ senior vice president of product.“When we’re down to the final five designs, we actually print them out and simulate opening a pack,” Luraschi explained. “It’s a long, competitive process, and it’s one of the biggest debates we have in the office all year.”
He added, “Everyone on the team knows how important this is. This is the 74th edition of Topps baseball cards. From the early days when Sy Berger designed them on his kitchen table to today’s high-tech process, we all take that legacy seriously. It’s a big deal—but also a lot of fun.”
Beyond the Base Set: What’s New in 2025?
Of course, the base design is just the beginning. Topps Series 1 also includes several popular subsets:- Future Stars
- All-Topps Team
- Training Grounds (Spring Training highlights)
- Call to the Hall (celebrating Hall of Fame inductees)
- City Connect Swatch Collection Autographs
- Heavy Lumber Autographs
For Dodgers fans, there’s an extra treat: special base-card variations featuring celebratory moments, including the Freddie Dance—Freddie Freeman’s signature hip-swaying move after reaching base.
This year’s 35th-anniversary tribute pays homage to the 1990 Topps set, known for its bold, colorful designs. But at the core of it all is Imbriano’s striking new base design.
“I approach designing cards like I would a movie poster,” he said. “Each card should stand out on its own, almost like a mini poster in a collector’s hands.”
And that collector’s mindset is exactly what drives Topps’ design philosophy.
“I think Phil’s design is incredible,” Luraschi added. “Fifty years from now, people should be able to look at a card and instantly recognize the year it’s from. This one absolutely nails that idea.”
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