The month of May is synonymous with spring, but for sports card enthusiasts, the next two weeks are filled with excitement and exhilaration. As we tiptoe into the early days of May 2024, the sporting world finds itself immersed in a sea of sports cards, flagged off by engaging releases sweeping across baseball, basketball, golf, and the ever-thrilling world of racing.
Just as May bursts into life, the collectors’ universe is set ablaze on May 1, 2024, with the widely-anticipated 2024 Topps Heritage Mini Baseball. Drawing inspiration from the rare 1975 mini set, this online-only exclusive sees a return with an impressive 500-card base set. A special tidbit for collectors—it features Juan Soto’s premier on-card autograph in the iconic Yankees’ uniform.
This day doesn’t come solo; it shares its release date with the 2022-23 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Hockey—a perennial favorite amongst hockey card collectors. At a moderate online price of $160, this pack of four is a delight with an autograph, high-end memorabilia, or an autograph memorabilia card, an additional remembrance card, and a base or rookie card. Guaranteed on-card autographs just add that extra allure for the collectors.
Embellishing the scene is another entrant that day—the highly-touted 2023-24 Panini Recon Basketball. It brings with it a slew of Victor Wembanyama rookie cards, which comes with a promise of two autographs and 20 inserts.
As the calendar flips a page to May 8, 2024, we see the return of the revitalized 1989 flagship brand, Bowman Baseball. Offering Hobby boxes with an exclusive Chrome autograph card and Jumbo boxes with three autographs, it also sprinkles in exclusive green parallels in retail boxes for the avid collectors.
Amalgamating with the fervor of the NBA Playoffs, the 2023-24 Panini Crown Royale Basketball stands out for including autographs by the legendary, Tim Duncan. Each box is packed with eight cards, signified by an autograph, a memorabilia card, and two inserts or parallels, priced around an impressive $500.
Joining the party are the sophisticated 2024 Upper Deck SP Game Used Golf Cards and the 2023 Panini National Treasures Racing—each humming with high-end collectibles for golf and racing aficionados.
Not far behind, May 10, 2024, brings forth the 2023-24 Panini Select Basketball and the 2023/24 Donruss Soccer—both highly anticipated powerhouses in the sports card marketplace. While details on box configurations for the soccer series are yet to be released, the basketball line is a delight with Prizm parallels, memorabilia-laden rookie cards, and much more.
Diverse and exhilarating, these early May releases are poised to captivate collectors with their special features. Be it the charm of traditional sports like baseball and basketball or the thrill of golf and racing, the release calendar sprouts options aplenty for every collector.
What’s the verdict on the first fortnight of May 2024? It’s a doozy! With a splendid mix of sports card releases, from Juan Soto’s first Yankees autograph to Tim Duncan’s coveted autographs, May 2024 promises to be a collector’s paradise. No matter how you slice it, this is a period of thrilling possibilities where card enthusiasts can live their ultimate collecting dreams.
