Topps NBA MVP Buyback Program: How It Works
Topps NBA MVP Buyback Program: How It Works
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What Is the Topps MVP Buyback Program?
Topps is buying back 2025 Topps Chrome Basketball cards featuring the player who wins the 2025/26 NBA MVP award. If you pull a card of the MVP winner, you can trade it in for store credit at participating hobby shops.
No cash. Just store credit.
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How It Works (In 3 Steps)
1. Buy 2025 Topps Chrome Basketball
Open packs and collect base cards and parallels of players you think will win MVP.
2. Wait for the MVP Announcement
The NBA will announce the 2025/26 MVP.
Once the winner is announced, the buyback program starts shortly after and runs for about 3 months.
3. Turn In Your Cards for Store Credit
Take your cards to a participating hobby shop or mail them to an authorized partner.
You’ll get instant store credit based on the card type (see values below).
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How Much Store Credit Do You Get?
| Card Type | Store Credit |
|—————|——————|
| Base Cards | $20 |
| Refractors (standard parallels) | $40 |
| Numbered cards > /100 | $100 |
| Numbered cards < /100 | $200 |
Examples:
- Base card of the MVP? $20 credit
- Purple Refractor /199? $100 credit
- Orange Wave /75? $200 credit
- SuperFractor /1? $200 credit
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Which Cards Are Eligible?
Eligible: 2025 Topps Chrome Basketball base cards and base parallels of the MVP winner.
NOT eligible:
- Insert cards (Chrome Greats, Rookie Refractors, etc.)
- Autograph cards
- Relic cards
- Any cards from other sets (Prizm, Optic, etc.)
Full list of eligible parallels:
- Base, Refractor, Prism, Negative, Basketball, Red White & Blue, Raywave, Pulsar, X-Fractor, Blue X-Fractor, Skylight, Wave, Silver Basketball
- All numbered parallels (Magenta, Teal, Yellow, Aqua, Blue, Green, Purple, Gold, Orange, Black, Red, White, SuperFractor, etc.)
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Where Can You Redeem Cards?
Option 1: In-Person at Hobby Shops
Bring your cards to any participating hobby shop.
Find a shop near you: Best Card Shops in America Directory
Option 2: Mail-In Partners
If you don’t live near a shop, Topps has partnered with authorized mail-in retailers who will accept cards by mail and issue online store credit.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When does the buyback program start?
The program starts shortly after the NBA announces the 2025/26 MVP (expected Spring 2026) and runs for about 3 months.
Shops should NOT accept buyback cards before the official start date.
What if I don’t live near a participating shop?
You can mail your cards to one of the authorized mail-in partners. You’ll get online credit to their store account instead of in-person credit.
Can I get cash instead of store credit?
No. The buyback program only offers store credit — not cash.
Do cards need to be in mint condition?
No. Cards just need to be in one piece with no major rips or alterations.
Light wear is fine. Ripped or altered cards will NOT be accepted.
Is there a limit to how many cards I can turn in?
No official limit, but each hobby shop has the right to cap the number of cards they buy back.
What if the MVP winner doesn’t have a base card in Topps Chrome?
If the MVP winner doesn’t appear in the 2025 Chrome base set but appears in a Chrome continuity product (like Chrome Update), those base cards become eligible at the same credit values.
What happens if my MVP pick doesn’t win?
You keep the cards. They’re still valuable rookie or veteran cards — they just won’t qualify for the buyback program.
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