If you walk into a local card shop today and ask for a pack of 2018 Topps football cards, the guy behind the counter might look at you like you’ve got two heads. He’s not being rude. He’s just thinking about the fact that Topps hasn’t held the NFL license to produce cards with team logos since 2015. Panini has that market in a chokehold. Yet, if you dig through eBay or old retail clearance bins, you’ll find them. They exist.
It’s a bizarre situation.
Most people assume that because Panini owns the "exclusive" rights, everything else is just bootleg garbage. That’s not the case here. Topps actually produced several sets in 2018, but they had to get creative. They used their "Topps Chrome" branding for the AAF (Alliance of American Football) and focused heavily on their Topps Archives Football line, which is basically a nostalgia trip for collectors who miss the old-school designs.
The Licensing Loophole and 2018 Topps Football Cards
Collecting is funny. We spend thousands of dollars on small bits of cardboard, but we’re obsessed with the "official" nature of it. In 2018, Topps was in a weird spot. They could still sign players to individual deals, but they couldn't put a Dallas Cowboys star or a New England Patriots logo on the helmet.
This led to what collectors call "unlicensed" cards.
Basically, Topps took photos of guys like Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Baker Mayfield and digitally scrubbed the logos off their jerseys. It looks a little naked. Honestly, some people hate it. They call them "pajama cards" because the jerseys look like plain t-shirts. But here’s the kicker: the 2018 Topps football cards from the Archives set are actually holding value better than some "official" products.
Why? It's the designs.
Topps has decades of iconic layouts—the 1963 design, the 1976 design, the 1981 design. They slapped the 2018 rookie class onto these vintage templates. It creates this weird, beautiful anachronism. You get a Josh Allen card that looks like it was pulled from a pack in 1985. For a certain generation of collectors, that hits a lot harder than a shiny, over-produced Panini Prizm card.
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The Lamar Jackson Factor
Lamar Jackson changed everything for this specific year. When he won the MVP, people went hunting for every rookie card they could find. Because Topps wasn't the "main" producer, the print runs for 2018 Topps football cards were significantly lower than the massive waves of Panini products.
Scarcity drives the market.
Take the 2018 Topps Archives "1992 Topps Draft Picks" insert. It’s a simple card. No autographs. No jersey swatches. But try finding a PSA 10 (perfect condition) copy of the Lamar Jackson. It’s harder than you think. Because these were often sold in "blaster boxes" at retail stores like Target or Walmart, the quality control wasn't always top-tier. Corners got dinged. Centering was off.
What You're Actually Buying
If you're hunting for these cards, you need to know exactly what you're looking at. Topps didn't just release one "flagship" set. They scattered the 2018 players across a few different releases:
- Topps Archives Football: This is the big one. It’s full of "Fan Favorites" autographs and rookie cards on old designs.
- Topps Chrome AAF: These are technically 2018-2019 cards, but they feature guys who were trying to make it in the short-lived Alliance of American Football. It’s niche, but some of these guys, like Younghoe Koo, actually became NFL stars.
- Topps Now: This was their print-on-demand service. They would release a card for 24 hours after a big game. These are incredibly rare because they only printed the exact number of people who ordered them.
The 2018 Topps football cards in the Archives set also featured on-card autographs. That’s a huge deal. Panini uses a lot of "sticker autos" where the player signs a sheet of plastic and a factory worker sticks it on the card. Topps Archives often featured retired legends who signed the actual surface of the card. Seeing Jerry Rice or Dan Marino on a 2018 product with a real signature? That’s why people still buy this stuff.
Why the "Unlicensed" Label Doesn't Always Matter
A lot of "serious" investors will tell you to stay away from anything without a team logo. They’re sort of right, but also sort of boring.
If you look at the history of the hobby, some of the most iconic cards are technically "weird" releases. The 2018 Topps Archives set captures a specific moment in hobby history where the biggest name in cards was fighting to stay relevant in a sport they didn't officially own anymore.
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Also, the "Topps" brand name carries weight.
Collectors who have been around since the 70s trust Topps. They like the card stock. They like the way the cards smell (don't act like you don't know that smell). When Fanatics eventually takes over the NFL license in the coming years, Topps—which Fanatics now owns—will be back in the driver's seat. This makes these "gap year" cards like the 2018 Topps football cards feel like interesting historical artifacts.
The Grading Game
If you're looking to make money here, you have to grade. An ungraded (raw) 2018 Topps Archives Josh Allen might only fetch $10 or $20. But if that same card comes back from PSA or BGS with a "10" grade? The price jumps significantly.
Because the "pajama" look is less popular, the barrier to entry is lower. You can pick up rookies of Hall of Fame-track players for a fraction of the cost of their Panini Prizm or National Treasures counterparts.
It's a value play.
Think about it. Are you buying the logo, or are you buying the player? If you're a Josh Allen fan, do you really care if he’s wearing a plain blue helmet instead of one with a Buffalo on it? Some do. Some don't. The ones who don't are finding some of the best deals in the hobby right now.
Specific 2018 Topps Sets to Watch
Not all 2018 Topps products are created equal. You really have to keep your eyes peeled for the "Short Prints" (SPs). Topps is notorious for slipping rare variations into their sets without telling anyone. In the 2018 Archives set, there are "image variations" where the player is in a different pose. These are much rarer than the base cards and can be worth a small fortune to master set collectors.
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Then there’s the 2018 Topps X Dunk collaboration. This was a digital-to-physical crossover. They were essentially cards that existed in the Topps digital app that you could redeem for physical versions. These are extremely scarce. Most football collectors don't even know they exist. If you find one of these 2018 Topps football cards in a bargain bin, grab it immediately.
Common Misconceptions
People think Topps stopped making football cards in 2015. They didn't. They just stopped making licensed football cards.
Another big mistake is thinking these cards are "fake." They aren't. They are fully authorized by the NFL Players Association (NFLPA). This means Topps had the legal right to use the players' names and likenesses; they just couldn't use the team names or logos. It's a subtle distinction that makes a massive difference in the legal world.
If you see a card of Saquon Barkley from 2018 with a Topps logo, it’s a real card. It’s just an "unlicensed" one.
Moving Forward With Your Collection
If you're looking to dive into the world of 2018 Topps football cards, don't just go buying random packs. Be surgical. Look for the big three: Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Baker Mayfield. Even though Baker's career has had more ups and downs than a roller coaster, he still has a massive following.
Check the back of the cards for the "Topps Certified Autograph Issue" stamp. If it's there, and the signature is on the card itself (not a sticker), you've found something special.
Actionable Steps for Collectors:
- Scan eBay Sold Listings: Don't look at what people are asking for these cards; look at what people are actually paying. Filter by "Sold" to see the real market value of 2018 Topps Archives.
- Focus on the 1981 Design: In the 2018 Archives set, the 1981 design (which features a small "helmet" icon in the corner, usually left blank or with a generic logo) is the most popular among veteran collectors.
- Inspect the "Pajamas": Look closely at the airbrushing. Sometimes the way Topps removed the logos is actually quite artistic, and other times it looks like it was done in MS Paint. The "cleaner" looking cards tend to hold better value.
- Buy the Grade, Not the Raw: Unless you’re an expert at spotting surface scratches or edge wear, buy cards that have already been authenticated by PSA, SGC, or BGS. It protects your investment.
The 2018 season was a massive turning point for the NFL with a legendary QB class. While Panini might have had the logos, Topps had the history. Owning a piece of that "weird" year where the two collided is what making a unique collection is all about. Focus on the rare inserts and the high-grade rookies, and you'll find that these "unlicensed" gems are a lot more valuable than the critics want to admit.