Topps Ditches Wrapper Redemption for The National: What Changes at the Hobby's Biggest Show This Week
The 46th National opens Wednesday in Rosemont, and Topps is skipping its traditional Wrapper Redemption program. National-exclusive packs will be sold directly at the Topps booth instead. Here is what that means for your show-floor strategy.
The National Opens Wednesday, and Topps Is Changing the Playbook
The 46th National Sports Collectors Convention opens this Wednesday, July 29, and runs through Sunday, August 2 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. This year's show sprawls across more than 500,000 square feet, the biggest footprint in the event's history. But the most talked-about change for many attendees isn't the size; it's what's happening at the Topps booth.
No Wrapper Redemption This Year
Topps has confirmed it is not running its traditional Wrapper Redemption program at the 2026 National. For years, the ritual was familiar: buy qualifying hobby product from a dealer on the floor, carry your wrappers to the Topps booth, and exchange them for exclusive packs. This year, Topps is cutting out the middle step. Attendees will be able to buy National-exclusive packs directly at the Topps booth.
The change has trade-offs collectors should understand before they hit the floor:
- Simpler access. No more buying boxes you didn't want just to qualify for redemption packs. Walk up, buy the exclusive packs, done.
- Expect lines. Direct sales concentrate demand at the booth itself. If past exclusive drops are any guide, the first hours of Wednesday's trade day will be the crunch.
- Dealer dynamics shift. Wrapper redemption historically pushed sealed sales to floor dealers. Without it, some dealers may sharpen prices on current-year Topps product to compete.
- The secondary market moves fast. National-exclusive cards typically hit eBay before the show even closes each day. If you can't attend, watch listings Wednesday night.
Everything Else to Know Before You Go
Single-day tickets are now at the standard rate of 30 dollars after the advance-pricing window closed July 1. PSA will be grading on-site with tiered service starting near 149 dollars, a popular option for collectors who want cards slabbed before they leave the building. The autograph pavilion's 34-signer lineup, headlined by Joe Montana, Cal Ripken Jr., and Allen Iverson, was covered in our full planning guide last week.
The Bottom Line
The National is the hobby's biggest week of the year, and this edition arrives with the market running hot: record auction totals, a grading industry at capacity, and a card market that has spent all summer absorbing one major event after another. If you're going, plan your Topps booth strategy for early in the day. If you're not, the exclusives will find their way online before the weekend.