Topps hasn’t released a traditional hockey trading card set in over 20 years—not since the 2003-04 season. Since then, Upper Deck has held the exclusive NHL license, producing all officially licensed hockey cards.
But now, Topps is sliding back into the rink—just not in the way collectors might expect.
On April 3, Fanatics is set to launch Topps Under Wraps: Emanate 2024-25, a new hockey-focused product. It’s not a card set in the usual sense. Instead, it features oversized 8x10 autographed photos that are designed to look like trading cards, complete with player images on the front and biographical information on the back.
“Heck, these even have photos and information on the back,” noted collector and dealer Sal Barry in his PuckJunk.com newsletter. “They’re basically giant trading cards.”
Each Emanate piece is hard-signed—no sticker autographs—and includes a serial number and authenticity hologram. The prints come encased in a premium magnetic folio, ready for display.
Collectors can chase six tiers of rarity:
- Gold (/50)
- Orange (/25)
- Blue (/10)
- Red (/5)
- Iridescent (1/1)
There are also multi-autograph editions, including ultra-rare signed and inscribed versions. Among the most talked-about is a 1-of-1 triple-signed photo featuring Ovechkin, Bedard, and Matthews.
Boxes contain one signed photo and retail for $130.
So, while this isn’t a full-blown return to licensed hockey cards, Emanate does mark a creative reentry into the hockey space for Topps. And with Fanatics continuing to reshape the hobby landscape, this might just be a preview of what’s ahead.