Topps When? Topps Now!

Today's mail day is a bit different in that it's my first Topps Now card that I've ever purchased.  Earlier this year, my Reds put on a real run for the NL Central pennant and one of the biggest catalysts was Elly De La Cruz.  Out of the many highlights that De La Cruz has put up in 2023, perhaps his biggest was hitting for the cycle in an 11-10 Reds win over the Atlanta Braves.  My Topps Now card celebrates that day:

I love the look (and feel) of the Topps Now cards.  They are thicker than your usual Topps base card with an extra bit of hologram printing on the back (presumably to thwart counterfeiters).  

I would have loved to have acquired De La Cruz's Topps Now card from the game he stole second, third, and home in the same inning but that card ended up selling for hundreds of dollars (it was a triple relic card, one for each of the bases that De La Cruz stole).

Although I didn't get the most expensive De La Cruz card, I'm still pleased with what I did buy!  I don't know if I'll get too many other Topps Now cards but at least I can say I gave the program a shot now.  

In other news, the Topps Now card is my third different Elly De La Cruz card in my collection - not bad for a guy who still doesn't even have an official Topps rookie card yet (you'll notice even the Topps Now card is labeled "call up" as opposed to "rookie card").  Presumably, Topps is holding De La Cruz official rookie cards for its 2024 set offerings.