2018 Topps Update Series Baseball Variations Guide and Easy-to-Use Gallery
2018 Topps Update Series Baseball variations offer a similar sort of continuity from the Series 1 and Series 2 SP cards much like other parts of the product. These cards offer up a different mix of fresh photos for stars and rookies.
It also means the addition of more retired legends.
Topps also managed to work in some of the late-season trades. These put the likes of Andrew McCutchen and Josh Donaldson with their new teams.
Another piece of continuity comes from the cards’ two levels of rarity. Regular SP variations are 1:45 2018 Topps Update hobby packs. A total of 52 players are in this mix. Tougher SSP variations are 1:273 hobby packs. Combined, they’re a little tougher than one per box at this level. Overall, the more common versions shouldn’t be too tough to find, both at the time of the set’s release and further down the road the big wave of breaks happen. SSPs, though, could prove to be tough over time if past years are any indication.
2018 Topps Update Series Baseball Variations Code Confirmation
Once again, card backs offer a confirmation as to whether you’ve got a short print variation. At the end of the fine print is a code that’s used on the production side. They double as identifiers for collectors, even if that’s not the intent. Once you get past all of the copyright info, look to the last few digits of the code and they’ll tell you what you’ve got.
Here are the code endings that are applicable to identifying variations:
- Base – 990
- SP Variations – 030
- SSP Variations – 032
Several of the 2018 Topps Update variations also have autographed versions. These were all revealed on the checklist put out by the company, but not the unsigned ones.
Variations
2018 Topps Update Series Baseball Variations Checklist
If you’re looking for a specific card, click on the links to see what’s available on eBay.
US1 Shohei Ohtani – SP | SSP (batting) | SSP (pitching)
US1 Nolan Ryan – SP
US7 Babe Ruth – SP
US7 Giancarlo Stanton – SP
US9 Roberto Clemente – SP
US10 Ian Kinsler – SP
US12 Mike Mikolas – SP | SSP
US14 Scott Kingery – SP | SSP
US20 Don Mattingly – SP
US21 Sandy Koufax – SP
US23 Wade Boggs – SP
US23 Pedro Martinez – SP
US31 Chipper Jones – SP
US34 Austin Meadows – SP | SSP
US38 Torii Hunter – SP
US39 Freddy Peralta – SSP
US44 Hank Aaron – SP
US58 Jordan Hicks – SP | SSP
US64 Ted Williams – SP
US68 Michael Soroka – SP | SSP
US73 Marcell Ozuna – SP
US76 George Brett – SP
US83 Andrew McCutchen – SP (Giants) | SP (Yankees)
US88 Daniel Mengden – SSP
US95 Dustin Fowler – SP | SSP
US98 Randy Johnson – SP
US100 Ichiro – SP
US101 Roger Clemens – SP
US107 Rally Goose – SSP
US110 Lourdes Gurriel Jr. – SP | SSP
US111 Bob Gibson – SP
US118 Evan Longoria – SP
US118 Bo Jackson – SP
US121 Rickey Henderson – SP
US151 Matt Kemp – SP
US157 Ernie Banks – SP
US174 Fernando Romero – SP | SSP
US175 Dylan Cozens – SSP
US177 Mike Piazza – SP
US195 J.D. Martinez – SP
US197 Will Clark – SP
US198 Shane Bieber – SSP
US200 Lou Gehrig – SP
US200 Gleyber Torres – SP | SSP (batting) | SSP (throwing)
US201 Nick Kingham – SP | SSP
US213 Todd Frazier – SP
US217 Trevor Hoffman – SP
US218 Tyler O’Neill – SP | SSP
US232 Josh Donaldson – SP
US242 Franmil Reyes – SSP
US248 Christian Yelich – SP
US250 Ronald Acuna Jr. – SP | SSP (batting) | SSP (with glove)
US250 Derek Jeter – SP
US253 Cal Ripken Jr. – SP
US257 Chris Stratton – SSP
US259 Mark McGwire – SP
US271 Joey Lucchesi – SP
US281 Willy Adames – SSP
US300 Juan Soto – SP | SSP
2018 Topps Update Series Baseball Variations Gallery
US1 Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels

Variation – red warm-up shirt

SSP Variation – pitching (white jersey)

SSP Variation – batting

Base – pitching (red jersey)
US1 Nolan Ryan, California Angels

Base – Nolan Ryan

Base – Shohei Ohtani
US7 Babe Ruth, New York Yankees

Variation – Babe Ruth

Base – Giancarlo Stanton
US7 Giancarlo Stanton, New York Yankees

Variation – warm-up jersey, bat on shoulder

Base – pinstripe jersey
US9 Roberto Clemente, Pittsburgh Pirates

Variation – Roberto Clemente

Base – Nick Kingham (Rookie Debut)
US10 Ian Kinsler, Boston Red Sox

Variation – with glove

Base – with bat
US12 Miles Mikolas, St. Louis Cardinals

Variation – white jersey, tipping cap

SSP Variation – holding ball, vertical

Base – throwing, ball not in hand
US14 Scott Kingery, Philadelphia Phillies

Variation – red jersey

SSP Variation – pinstripe jersey, throwing

Base – “Rookie Debut”, gray jersey
US20 Don Mattingly, New York Yankees

Variation

Base – Jeurys Familia
US21 Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers

Variation – Sandy Koufax

Base – Kenley Jansen
US23 Wade Boggs, Boston Red Sox

Variation – Wade Boggs

Base – J.D. Martinez
US23 Pedro Martinez, Boston Red Sox

Variation – Pedro Martinez

Base – J.D. Martinez
US31 Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves

Variation – Chipper Jones

Base – Jose Ramirez
US34 Austin Meadows, Tampa Bay Rays

Variation – blue jersey

SSP Variation – fielding, gray jersey

Base – gray jersey, sunglasses
US38 Torii Hunter, Minnesota Twins

Variation – Torii Hunter

Base – Jose Berrios
US39 Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee Brewers

SSP Variation – facing forward, vertical

Base – leg stretched, horizontal
US44 Hank Aaron, Milwaukee Braves

Variation – Hank Aaron

Base – Freddie Freeman
US58 Jordan Hicks, St. Louis Cardinals

Variation – sitting with team

SSP Variation – leg out, horizontal

Base – knee up
US64 Ted Williams, Boston Red Sox

Variation – Ted Williams

Base – Mookie Betts
US68 Michael Soroka, Atlanta Braves

Variation – sitting in dugout

SSP Variation – pitching, turned to side, horizontal

Base – pitching, facing forward, vertical
US73 Marcell Ozuna, St. Louis Cardinals

Variation – red jersey, with bat

Base – white jersey, catching ball
US76 George Brett, Kansas City Royals

Variation – George Brett

Base – Salvador Perez
US83 Andrew McCutchen, San Francisco Giants/New York Yankees

Variation – black jersey

Variation – New York Yankees

Base – gray jersey
US88 Daniel Mengden, Oakland Athletics

SSP Variation – ball visible, horizontal

Base – ball in glove, vertical
US95 Dustin Fowler, Oakland Athletics

Variation – with team

SSP Variation – brown bat

Base – black bat
US98 Randy Johnson, Seattle Mariners

Variation

Base – Edwin Diaz
US100 Ichiro, Seattle Mariners

Variation – at batting cage

Base – wearing helmet
US101 Roger Clemens, Boston Red Sox

Variation – Roger Clemens

Base – Chris Sale
US107 Rally Goose, Detroit Tigers

SSP Variation – Rally Goose

Base – Craig Kimbrel
110 Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Toronto Blue Jays

Variation – wearing headband, blue jersey

SSP Variation – fielding, blue jersey

Base – running, white jersey
US111 Bob Gibson, St. Louis Cardinals

Variation – Bob Gibson

Base – Jean Segura
US118 Bo Jackson, Kansas City Royals

Variation – Bo Jackson

Base – Evan Longoria
US118 Evan Longoria, San Francisco Giants

Variation – leaning on bat rack

Base – fielding
US121 Rickey Henderson, Oakland Athletics

Variation – Rickey Henderson

Base – George Springer
US151 Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers

Variation – batting cage, no helmet

Base – wearing helmet
US157 Ernie Banks, Chicago Cubs

Variation – Ernie Banks

Base – Francisco Lindor
US174 Fernando Romero, Minnesota Twins

Variation – looking up

SSP Variation – knee up

Base – throwing off mound
US175 Dylan Cozens, Philadelphia Phillies

SSP Variation – running

Base – batting
US177 Mike Piazza, New York Mets

Variation – Mike Piazza

Base – Jacob deGrom
US195 J.D. Martinez, Boston Red Sox

Variation – standing, waist-up photo

Base – catching ball
US197 Will Clark, San Francisco Giants

Variation – Will Clark

Base – Joe Jimenez
US198 Shane Bieber, Cleveland Indians

SSP Variation – ball over head

Base – ball at waist
US200 Lou Gehrig, New York Yankees

Variation – Lou Gehrig

Base – Gleyber Torres
US200 Gleyber Torres, New York Yankees

Variation – black jersey, throwing

SSP Variation – gray jersey, batting

SSP Variation – gray jersey, throwing

Base – pinstripe jersey, batting
US201 Nick Kingham, Pittsburgh Pirates

Variation – yellow jersey, blowing into hand

SSP Variation – yellow jersey, throwing

Base – black jersey
US213 Todd Frazier, New York Mets

Variation – blue jersey

Base – gray jersey
US217 Trevor Hoffman, San Diego Padres

Variation – Trevor Hoffman

Base – Justin Verlander
US218 Tyler O’Neill, St. Louis Cardinals

Variation – at fence with team

SSP Variation – batting

Base – running
US232 Josh Donaldson, Cleveland Indians

Variation – Josh Donaldson

Base – Brad Hand
US242 Franmil Reyes, San Diego Padres – SSP

SSP Variation – batting

Base – pointing
US248 Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers

Variation – yellow jersey back, wearing cap

Base – pinstripe jersey, wearing helmet
US250 Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta Braves

Variation – red and blue shirt, standing at batting cage

SSP Variation – white jersey, with bat

SSP Variation – white jersey, with glove

Base – Batting
US250 Derek Jeter, New York Yankees

Variation – Derek Jeter

Base – Ronald Acuna Jr.
US253 Cal Ripken Jr., Baltimore Orioles

Variation – Cal Ripken Jr.

Base – Manny Machado
US257 Chris Stratton, San Francisco Giants

Base – black jersey

Base – white jersey
US259 Mark McGwire, Oakland Athletics

Variation – Mark McGwire

Base – Stephen Piscotty
US271 Joey Lucchesi, San Diego Padres

Variation – brown jersey

Base – white jersey
US281 Willy Adames, Tampa Bay Rays

SSP Variation – legs visible, verticle

Base – waist-up shot, horizontal
US300 Juan Soto, Washington Nationals

Variation – hands on hips

SSP Variation – Gatorade bath

Base – batting
Autograph Variations
2018 Topps Update Series Baseball Variations – Autographs Checklist
This is the full list of SP and SSP Variation Autographs. Unlike the base card variations, Topps included them on the final checklist.
Short Print Variation Autographs
Current Players
BSPA-AC Andrew McCutchen
BSPA-AM Austin Meadows
BSPA-CY Christian Yelich
BSPA-DF Dustin Fowler
BSPA-DM Don Mattingly
BSPA-EL Evan Longoria
BSPA-FR Fernando Romero
BSPA-GT Gleyber Torres
BSPA-I Ichiro
BSPA-IK Ian Kinsler
BSPA-JS Juan Soto
BSPA-LG Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
BSPA-MM Miles Mikolas
BSPA-MO Marcell Ozuna
BSPA-MS Michael Soroka
BSPA-NK Nick Kingham
BSPA-RA Ronald Acuna Jr.
BSPA-SK Scott Kingery
BSPA-SO Shohei Ohtani
BSPA-TF Todd Frazier
Retired Legends
BSPA-BG Bob Gibson
BSPA-BJ Bo Jackson
BSPA-CJ Chipper Jones
BSPA-CR Cal Ripken Jr.
BSPA-MC Mark McGwire
BSPA-NR Nolan Ryan
BSPA-PM Pedro Martinez
BSPA-RH Rickey Henderson
BSPA-RJ Randy Johnson
BSPA-TH Torii Hunter
BSPA-WB Wade Boggs
BSPA-WC Will Clark
SSP Variation Autographs
BSRA-AM Austin Meadows
BSRA-CS Chris Stratton
BSRA-DF Dustin Fowler
BSRA-DM Daniel Mengden
BSRA-FE Franmil Reyes
BSRA-GO Gleyber Torres
BSRA-GT Gleyber Torres
BSRA-JS Juan Soto
BSRA-LG Lourdes Gurriel
BSRA-MM Miles Mikolas
BSRA-MS Michael Soroka
BSRA-NK Nick Kingham
BSRA-RA Ronald Acuna Jr.
BSRA-RC Ronald Acuna Jr.
BSRA-SH Shohei Ohtani
BSRA-SK Scott Kingery
BSRA-SO Shohei Ohtani
US 253 – Has a Cal Ripken Jr. SP. I just pulled one.
Approximately how many total regular SP’s are there for each player?
@Isaac – Print runs were not released for cards without serial numbers.
Has anyone actually seen the Acuña ssp autographs ?