Topps signs Mark McGwire to autograph deal
By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor
The former single-season home run champion and Bash Brother is back.
Mark McGwire is back in Topps baseball card sets — with autographs — after the company announced on Friday that it has signed a deal with the former Oakland A’s and St. Louis Cardinals slugger who is now the hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The signatures will be his first for the company.
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McGwire’s first autographs in the deal will appear in 2014 Topps Series 1. He also will appear in Topps Tribute, Allen & Ginter, Archives, Museum Collection, Tier One, Gypsy Queen and Finest.
He hit 583 home runs during his 16-season big-league career, which still ranks 10th, though he later admitted using performance-enhancing drugs during his career and his memorable 1998 season where he hit 70 home runs.
He appears on 5,104 baseball cards in the Beckett database (click here for a checklist or OPG) and has just 141 different autograph cards. His first cards arrived when he was with USA Baseball — a card in the 1985 Topps set. That Rookie Card, which is his only RC, typically sells for $20 or less.
Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball and Beckett Sports Card Monthly magazines. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.
Does this mean Topps is going to open the floodgates on previous ‘roid users? Is Sosa next?
The Steroid era happened, hopefully it is over, deal with it. How many Card dealers made a TON of money on his and all of the rest of that era?
I love this! Big Mac was always a good guy in my opinion. HE HAS SUFFERED ENOUGH. And no I’m not a A’s fan or cardinals fan.
Roid’s or not, there is no denying that Big Mac had an influence in the card market. Although not a Cards fan there is still something about him that will have me chasing an auto card of him
I am sure they will all be redemptions that Topps will not get from Mcgwire and they will send you something lesser than value as always!
Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens next? Might as well add Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmero while their at it.
Finally. Tell your people at Topps to get some cards in his A’s uniform & tell them to sign Canseco! Can you say “dual signature bash bros” card???
Thanks Randy for basically agreeing with me and seeing it in a simular (sp) light.
This started with Gary Sheffield in 2012 products. No one complained. Expect more of it, the steroid player brands are so cheap that Topps is probably seeing it as a gold mine right now. For me personally, it ruins my day to pull one of these guys.
Honestly, what’s wrong with this? His cards, especially autos, have always been decent sellers. Teaming him up on cards with Canseco, Rickey Henderson, and Sammy Sosa would be great.
The Steroid Era happened. Yes, it was a black eye on the sport, but not really on the hobby. Big Mac and Slammin’ Sammy sold TONS of product, and drove the sport back to popularity. What would the baseball hobby landscape look like without them?
Get over it. It’ll be fun to see their stuff in packs again.
As a Cardinal fan, I would be thrilled with pulling one of these (even though I have an ’85 Topps that he signed for me in person before a late season game at Citizen’s Bank Park in 2011).
McGwire would never sign for a card company during his playing days, he was too good for that. He must be running out of money now and needing some quick cash!
I like it
I dont like it
X I don’t care!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why doesn’t Topps sign a few other recently-retired stars like McGwire who are now coaches or broadcasters so they can make a cool subset or two where they could appear pictured in their current coaching uniforms (or team-logoed polo shirts for the broadcasters) and in their playing-days uniform(s) and on variation cards? Mix in an autograph and relic version too. I don’t know neatly all the former greats who are on coaching staffs but my D-backs alone had Alan Tramell and Don Baylor in uniform as coaches. Maybe include the truly great former players who appear in uniform during spring training like Sandy Koufax does for the Dodgers.
i’m not here to talk about the past
I would have preferred if Topps waited until 2015 to sign him . (30 years after his 1st Topps card)
Hey kids, bottoms baseball cards I mean topps just proved CHEATERS DO PROSPER!
Hey bottoms I mean topps can we get some locker room used syringe cards next?
Hey Leaf can you get McRoid to sign “Im sorry I juiced up” Cards?
How about “Im sorry I defrauded & used the Maris family for fraudulent gain”
How about “I didnt lie to congress I just didnt tell them ANYTHING!”
Pardon me while I PUKE!
I can’t believe how many people are whining about this. McGwire used PEDs but at least he admitted it, co-operated, and didn’t lie under oath. The guy lived in the weight room and mostly did Andro which is STILL legal and can be purchased at any Nutrition shop. He worked harder than any other player in his era. If you are going to be mad, get upset at the MLB for allowing this stuff to go around.
Furthermore, if you are a collector, why do you care? Seriously, it “would ruin your day” to pull one of these? And this guy “Joe” above me here…are you a drama teacher? Geez. Why do such miserable collectors even continue buying cards if they are this upset over every little thing? lol
It’s about time! Looks like Topps is finally paying attention. I sincerely doubt that I am the only one who grew up during this era of baseball and wants to collect the guys I grew up watching. I can only hope that they will look into signing guys like Bonds, Clemens, and Canseco. There are so many different sets they put out, surely one of them could feature some more of these names, and if you don’t like it, buy one of their other products.
Hey , they can have all the players from that era in like SUPER TOPPS , like the ones from the early 70’s glad I kept mine. Either way , I’m not gonna a fuss , I really don’t care, one mite say I’m a addict not a dealer
It is what it is….get over it! As I only collect IP auto’s, don’t really much care if I happen to pull anyone’s auto as long as I can sell/trade it. (rippen addict here). As long as there are folks who clamor for them, Topps and everyone else will sign whomever they can from a business standpoint. They deal in pictures on pieces of cardboard not sociatal ethics. This hobby is filled with the winniest bunch of people….I just don’t get why alot of them have this as thier hobby.
Sorry I forgot this…why not a I don’t care option in the vote
A message to that guy Dave below me. Get your facts Straight & maybe you can be taken seriously in a debate!
McGwire used PEDs ( you Omitted STEROIDS!) but at least he admitted it ( Yea 10 years AFTER he retired!), co-operated (WHEN?), and didn’t lie under oath (Because he didnt say anything other than he didnt want to rehash the past! Wow what a way to co-operate & not lie!).
The guy lived in the weight room ( So do lots of people who DONT use roids!)
and mostly did Andro ( Are you reading his press kit? Next you will say Barroids head never grew its just the camera adding weight!) which is STILL legal and can be purchased at any Nutrition shop ( But STEROIDS are NOT & CANT!) .
He worked harder than any other player in his era (says who? Cal Ripken, Wade Boggs, etc etc I guess were lazy bums?).
If you are going to be mad, get upset at the MLB for allowing this stuff to go around. ( Which I do blame along with the con man used car salesman ceo (He is a ceo NOT a Commish) Budence)
Furthermore, if you are a collector, why do you care? ( Maybe I want to see this type of collecting not go the way of Stamp Collecting! If bottoms is going to glorify cheats what message is that sending the kids? Also would you like relic cards of Charles Manson? Before you start whining that Mcroid didnt kill anyone he DID help to destroy the integrity of the game & the record book so since you say who cares regarding him should others say who cares if we get Manson autos in A&G?)
Seriously, it “would ruin your day” to pull one of these? ( Ruin my day No. Make me pissed he is profiting from cheating & they wasted money on him that could have been used for other signers YES!)
And this guy “Joe” above me here…are you a drama teacher? Geez. Why do such miserable collectors even continue buying cards if they are this upset over every little thing? lol
I am miserable according to you because I dont cheer cheaters! I hope you are nowhere near the kids of the world & enlightening them as to the rights & wrongs in the world!
To all of the people complaining… You are a loud minority, but a minority none the less. According to the poll, it is 3:1 ratio in favor of liking the idea.
I want to see buy back autographs of his 1985 Topps!
My offer still stands: you can take an the steroids you want, but until you can make solid contact on a 98mph fastball it doesn’t really matter, you can’t say MxGwire wasn’t special. Plus, he brought baseball back from the strike with the summer of ’98. Show some appreciation.
Bahahahaha someone comparer McGwire to Charles Manson. That’s too funny. Do you guys really think steroids were created in the 80s? Give me a break lol