Complete Guide to October 2023’s Sports Card Release Calendar
October brings a number of exciting releases for sports card collectors, headlined by several highly-anticipated Panini releases as well as the third year of Bowman University Football — the second since gaining licensing rights. Below you’ll find a list of drops that cover a wide range of sports that should catch your eye.
October 4: 2023 Panini Black Football
Kicking off October’s release calendar is the 2023 Panini Black Football collection. With hobby boxes coming in just over $400, this release offers solid bang for your buck. This set features 242 cards with 100 of them coming from rookies. Expect 1 base parallel that is serial numbered, which can range from /75 to 1/1. The release also includes several short-printed inserts and a number of auto and relic variations for buyers to seek out.
October 4: 2023 Panini Select Baseball
Panini continues a heavy release month with the 2023 Panini Select Baseball drop. With Panini not having rights to MLBPA licensing, collectors can find retired legends as well as upcoming prospects included. This drop has a 300-card base set, which can then be categorized into three different subsections: Concourse, Premier, and Diamond. Hobby boxes are packed with cool variants, including a mix of Holo, Tri-Color, and serial-numbered Prizm parallel prints. New products include the Prospect Revolution set, where the aforementioned young talent will be located. Top exclusive cards will be found via Color Wheel and Select Names variants.
October 4: 2023 Panini Prizm WNBA Basketball
Panini’s final opening day drop for October is the 2023 Panini Prizm WNBA Basketball release. Hobby Boxes start at $135.99, and feature a 150-card base set sporting the top female basketball players in the league. The drop includes two limited Prizm Editions, and those buying hobby boxes can hope to pull Gold, Black, and Gold Vinyl Prizms. There are a total of 19 different parallels for base prints, giving collectors a wide range of unique options. Boxes also average out to 10 inserts per, and the Color Blast returns in a super short print fashion.
October 4: 2022-23 Upper Deck Premier Hockey
The first non-Panini drop of the month falls to Upper Deck Premier Hockey. This 150-card release features several different parallels created off the base set, seen through Base Legends and Base Rookies. Certain players such as Matt Boldy and Connor McDavid also have Base Autograph and Base Relic prints. There are also patch autographs showcased through the Acetate Rookie Auto Patch as well as the Acetate Rookie Auto Patch Horizontal.
October 4: 2023 Upper Deck Team Canada Juniors Hockey
Hockey fans and collectors get another October 4th release through Upper Deck Team Canada Juniors Hockey. While this is likely more of a niche drop, it’s packed with several different parallels and inserts that should draw attention for collectors. The checklist consists of 150 cards, and each base print has multiple parallels, with hobby boxes showcasing exclusive card variations such as Clear Cut, Rose Gold Foil, and Blue Pattern Foilboard. In total there are 14 different parallels available to be drawn off the base prints. New inserts include Go to the Top, License to Ice, and Red, which is more exclusive in rarity. The base set also includes the Signatures line as well as Premium Material Auto’s for those looking for signed editions.
October 4: 2023 Leaf Vivid Football
Leaf first breaks into the release schedule on October 4th with 2023 Leaf Vivid Football. Hobby Boxes come in at $134.95 and include five autographed cards that feature low serial numbers. This drop is sure to catch the eyes of those heavily focused on card art, as Leaf’s prints here showcase tons of bright colors through 7-plus different themed sets. Autographed cards can be found for retired, current, and upcoming NFL players such as Bo Jackson, Joe Burrow, and Caleb Williams. This release includes 5 cards per box, and 12 boxes make up a case.
October 4: 2023 Upper Deck Marvel Premier
The final October 4 drop comes from Upper Deck’s 2023 Marvel Premier. Fans of the comics and cinematic universe will see the return of this Upper Deck Line for the first time since 2019, and it features a 50-card set. Card art was supplied via Batsky and Vinz El Tabanas, and hobby boxes include a bit of flair by averaging 1 Sketch Card, 1 Booklet, 1 Classic Art Shadowbox Insert, as well as a single base card and parallel. Collectors can pick up prints of fan favorites like Antman and Groot that have been more recently included in Marvel’s films.
October 6: 2023 Panini Mosaic Football No Huddle
2023 Panini Mosaic Football No Huddle drops October 6, including an average of 1 autograph per factory-sealed box. There are 12 cards per pack, and 12 packs per box totaling 144 cards. This release does include first-year players, and features several serial-numbered options for collectors to pull. Card art here can be relatively desirable as the prints feature a chromium finish. Available players include all-time greats such as Emmitt Smith, as well as sure-fire Hall of Famers like Aaron Rodgers.
October 6: Pokemon Scarlet & Violet 151 Ultra Premium Collection
Available for just over $175, the Pokemon Scarlet & Violet 151 Ultra Premium Collection box contains 10 cards per pack, while boxes are composed of 16 packs. Characters featured include Charizard, Mew, Ivysaur, as well as Venusaur to name a few. Scarlet & Violet serves as the newest extension for Pokemon collectors as an attainable price point.
October 11: 2023 Panini Chronicles UFC MMA
Back for its 3rd year, 2023 Panini Chronicles UFC MMA releases on October 11. These releases typically offer a ton of variety, and this year shows no change. This drop features Kaboom’s, Gala Rookies, and a myriad of different autographed variants. On average hobby box breaks will include 2 Autographed cards, 12 Holographics (which has both base and parallel prints) and 10 Optichromes (also featuring base and parallels).
October 11: 2023 Panini Gold Standard Football
Panini continues to dominate October with this year’s 2023 Panini Gold Standard Football. Hobby boxes start at $459.99, and while they contain just 7 cards, 5 of those 7 (on average) come out to be either an autograph or relic. Base/Rookies and Rookie Autographs have a total of 13 different attainable parallels ranging from #/199 to 1/1 in serial numbers. New inserts such as El Dorado can also be pulled that showcase elite NFL talent such as Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Jalen Hurt. The Golden Ticket variation also hits the scene for the first time, which is done on a 14KT Gold Card and is sure to be a hit. Inserts each have 4 parallels ranging from #/99 to 1/1 in serial numbers. Autographs and relics are also a big part of this drop, with 24K Autographs and Alchemist Autographs including 5 parallels per.
October 11: 2022-23 Panini Noir Basketball
Panini returns with 2022-23 Panini Noir Basketball, an expensive and exclusive release with hobby boxes starting at $1,899.99. There are 4 different base parallels, as well as Metal Frame editions. Collectors can also hope to pull Rookie Patch Autographs, and a unique Sneaker Spotlight Signatures print that showcases not only player signatures, but photos of the shoes worn by the player in the photo featured.
October 11: 2023 Topps Update Series Baseball
Next for October is 2023 Topps Update Series Baseball, also releasing October 11. Including a flurry of both veteran and rookie stars, Topps has two different boxes, Hobby and Jumbo, which can be purchased for $79.99 and $149.99, respectfully. This release comes as Topps’s 3rd baseball release of the year, alongside 2023 Topps Series 1, and Series 2. Collectors can expect a checklist that features a whopping 330 base cards which will showcase players that have moved teams or are new rookie players. Retail-Exclusive parallels include fairly common pulls such as Blue Foilboard (#/999), Purple Foilboard (#/799) and Royal Blue (1:10 packs). In total, base cards see 19 different possible parallels to be pulled, which is sure to add variety to collections. Desirable inserts showcase retro styling for card art, and the AKA line adds even more diversity to the lineup through prints including player nicknames.
October 11: 2023 Rittenhouse Star Trek Strange New Worlds Season 1
2023 Rittenhouse Star Trek Strange New Worlds Season 1 enters the scene to provide trading cards from Season 1 of the Paramount+ Star Trek show. Hobby boxes start at $130, and contain 1 costume relic as well as 4 signed prints from the cast. There are a total of 9 different inserts able to be pulled, ranging from a likelihood of 1:8 packs to 1:288 packs. Rittenhouse has also added incentives to buy in bulk, as ordering either 6 or 12 cases ensures specific autos or an Archive Box.
October 11: 2022 Topps Chrome Road to UEFA Nations League Final Soccer
Starting at $145.95, the 2022 Topps Chrome Road to UEFA Nations League Final soccer release includes a hobby box containing 20 packs. Collectors will find a number of different autographed prints to pull featuring a chromium finish. Rookie cards are also included, helping make this box an ideal product to help with set building. Fortunate buyers will find limited print low serial numbered cards amongst the mix of both rising stars and established soccer legends. Outside of the base prints, featured lines include Future Stars, European Tour, and National Debut.
October 13: 2023 Bowman University Chrome Football
Coming October 13 is a highly anticipated release, 2023 Bowman University Chrome Football. With Bowman now having proper licensing rights, collectors can pick up some desirable college stars at an affordable price, with hobby boxes starting at $149.99. This year Bowman has included twice the amount of cards in the base set, meaning there are now 200 cards featured. Collectors can look for Heisman chasers as well as top NFL prospects in players like Bo Nix, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Penix Jr. The release also includes a wide variety of different autographed prints.
October 13: 2023 Leaf Exotic Baseball
2023 Leaf Exotic Baseball will be Leaf’s first standalone baseball edition, and the Exotic name is showcased through jungle-themed card art of both former and current stars. While there hasn’t been extensive information shared on this release, collectors can expect to hunt for autographed and dual-autographed prints from players like Nolan Ryan and Jackson Holliday. Boxes are composed of 3 cards, which makeup the 20-box cases.
October 18: 2023 Topps Pro Debut Baseball
October 18 brings 2023 Topps Pro Debut Baseball’s 2023 edition, which has hobby boxes that can be purchased for less than $100. This release focuses on top minor league talent in a 200-card set, with a ton of different variations able to be pulled. Collectors can add base parallels, chrome cards, as well as Foil edition prints. Hobby boxes can include 3 different short printed parallels, with an exclusive Chrome Mini-Diamond Refractor. Base parallels feature serial numbers from /199 to 1/1. Inserts can include former MLB stars such as Albert Pujols in action sporting their MiLB uniforms.
October 18: 2023 Topps Stadium Club Baseball
The second release on October 18 comes from Topps with its 2023 Topps Stadium Club Baseball edition. This release will continue to focus on using elite photography for card art, and hobby boxes start at just $109.99. The lineup, like other baseball releases of this month, includes former stars as well as current veterans and top prospects. The base set features 300 cards, with 90 of those featured players also having Base Chrome variants to be collected. Base prints feature 12 different parallels ranging in serial number from /199 to 1/1. Base Chrome options also include an additional 6 possible refractors. Fan favorites such as Beam Team and Triumvirates return, and the Chief Fantasy Professionals prints hit the market for the first time to round off the inserts nicely.
October 20: 2023 Donruss FIFA Women’s World Cup Soccer
With this year’s 2023 Donruss FIFA Women’s World Cup Soccer comes Donruss’s first full release dedicated solely to the Women’s World Cup. The base set includes 235 cards showcasing players from each country that participated. The last 35 prints showcase top talent and are short prints. Eight different parallels can be pulled as base set variants, ranging in serial numbers from /299 to 1/1. Hobby blasters average 9 inserts per, with some appealing lines such as Net Marvels and Star Status. Each insert also has 7 available parallels. Base SP Autograph cards show up on average every other hobby blaster, and they too have several parallels ranging from #/99 to 1/1.
October 25: 2022-23 Panini Flux Basketball
Panini Flux Baskeball returns in late October after taking a gap year, with hobby boxes starting at $319.99. Collectors can expect a base set composed of 250 cards, with 50 of those prints showcasing rookies. Base parallels can be found in 10 different variations, ranging in serial number from /99 to 1/1. The Titan, Incoming, and Rookie Influx lines headline inserts for this release, with players like Paolo Banchero able to be pulled. Those lucky enough to hit on Full Capacity prints will be adding a super short-printed rare card to their collection, which can feature top stars like Jayson Tatum. Best of the Best Signatures cards will also be found in this drop, which are designated primarily for established stars in the league. For those looking for rookie autographed prints, Equinox Autographs and UltraViolet Signatures are available.
October 25: 2023-24 Panini Prizm Draft Picks Basketball
The second basketball release on October 25 comes from Panini Prizm Draft Picks Basketball. This edition adds some variety for basketball collectors as it includes both current young NBA talent and this year’s draft picks in both NBA and Collegiate uniforms in its 100-card base set. Exclusive to hobby boxes is the Blue Ice edition Prizm parallel, while choice boxes have five of their own parallels. More hobby boxes exclusives include super short printed variations such as Color Blast, Stained Glass, and National Pride. Autographed prints are also available for new faces such as the Thompson twins, while those that opted to take the NCAA route can be found from the College Penmanship line.
October 25: 2023 Panini Origins WNBA Basketball
The final basketball release on the 25th is dedicated to the WNBA. Panini Origins WNBA Basketball features hobby boxes starting at $169.99 that include 10 cards and average 2 autographed prints as well as a single relic. There are three parallels from the base set: Rainbow, Teal, and Blue. The Aficionado line headlines the inserts for this release, as it focuses on top WNBA names to feature. Collectors can also find prints featuring two players via Roots of Greatness and Splitting Image. For those hoping to add some WNBA exclusivity, super short printed variations can be found with Blank Slate and Tiger Eyes options. The release also features a group of several different autographed and relic cards.
October 25: 2023 Topps Tier One Baseball
Topps Tier One Baseball should continue to draw attention for its release at an affordable price point. Hobby boxes start at $199.99, and include (on average) a single relic and two autographed prints. This checklist is packed with desirable potential pulls with its inclusion of several different autographed short prints, such as Bronze Ink, Silver Ink, and Gold Ink. The younger talent is featured via the Breakout Out series, and the Advanced Stats Stars Autograph line makes its debut giving investors prints that focus on players that produced high-level statistics. Top case hits can be found via Tier One Autographs, which have 4 of their own parallels ranging from #/199 to 1/1. Even more autographed options such as Autograph Tier One Relics and Gripping Autographed Relics can be found which also sport memorabilia.
October 25, 2023: 2023 Panini Chronicles Racing Nascar
Panini Chronicles returns for its 4th year of release in late October, giving investors and collectors alike the opportunity to pick up new NASCAR prints with the racing sports card market showing signs of leveling out. This drop has a horde of variety, including the return of Chronicles, Clear Vision, Elements, and Select editions. New content includes the Immaculate Collection, which appears twice per hobby box. You can also pull autographed prints and oversized memorabilia options.
October 27: 2023 Topps Star Wars Chrome Black
Star Wars fans get their itch scratched on October 27 with the 2nd release of 2023 Topps Star Wars Chrome Black. Hobby Boxes start at $149.99 and are packed with content with its ominously-themed prints. The base set holds 100 cards, and each box should include 2 bases with 1 parallel. Base parallels come in eight different variants, with serial numbers ranging from /199 to 1/1. For the animated fans, the Animated Short Prints line showcases your favorite characters cartoon counterparts for card art, and the newly added Fantastic Fights cards highlight some of the most memorable fight scenes throughout the Star Wars universe. Chrome Black Autographed prints return with 5 different parallels available. Cases feature 48 cards and include 1 encased autograph as well as 1 base parallel.
October 25: 2023-24 Panini Prizm Collegiate Draft Picks Basketball
This year’s Panini Prizm Collegiate Draft Picks Basketball release continues Panini’s yearly drop that touts variety at an affordable price point of $169.95. Collectors can expect to find new rookies such as Scoot Henderson and the Thompson twins. Boxes are composed of just 1 8-card pack, and prints include both desirable autographed options as well as several parallels such as: Silver Prizms, Choice Blue Yellow Green, Prizm Choice Red, and Choice Prizm. Collectors can expect a 100-card base set with hobby box-exclusive inserts such as Color Blast and Color Wheel. For those looking to flip these cards, this is a solid option as there are a number of lower-valued cards for sleeper rookies that can make an instant impact on today’s league.
October 27: 2023 Topps Chrome McDonald’s All-American Basketball
Rounding off the final day of October releases is Topps yearly Chrome McDonald’s All-American Basketball edition. This release should be particularly interesting for basketball fans as it will feature popular names such as Bronny James Jr. and Juju Watkins. Hobby boxes start at $161.95, a solid price point for the potential value provided. Collectors can expect an average of 2 autographed prints per box, as well as limited print serial-numbered cards.
October 27: 2023 Topps Gilded Collection Baseball
Featuring a 150-card base set, 2023 Topps Gilded Collection Baseball has been designed by using Topps Chrome as a blueprint, but with some slight tweaks. Each base print is actually a refractor and serial numbered /99. Parallels include variants such as Wave Gold Etch, Mimi-Diamond Gold Etch, RayWave Gold Etch, and Lava Gold Etch. The entire release features a gold theme that is certainly easy on the eyes, and more recent Hall of Fame inductees such as Derek Jeter can be collected. There are also a flurry of different autographed edition cards that showcase legends such as Albert Pujols and budding stars like Corbin Carroll. Packs are composed of 5 cards, and boxes include just 1 pack.
October 27: 2023 Topps MLS Soccer
Topps MLS Soccer rounds off this month’s release schedule, featuring a 200-card base set that includes 2 autographed cards and 1 relic on average per hobby pack. Collectors can look to pick up prints from collections such as Base Autographs, Soccer Tile, Nameplate Patches, and Pearlers. Packs are made up of 8 cards, and hopeful investors can look to secure parallels prints that were made in 8 different variations off the base set. Inserts are headlined by the rare Big City Strikers prints that fall just 1 out of every 144 packs. In all, this release adds a ton of variety for soccer fans and collectors alike.
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Paul Hickey is a regular contributor to Sports Card Investor, the creator of the Sports Card Investment Report at NoOffseason.com, and the host of the Sports Card Strategy Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. He can be found on Instagram at @sportscardstrategy and on Twitter @nooffseasoncard.
