COLLECTIBLES COLUMN: New Topps Product Delivers Signed Cards of Triple H, Stephanie McMahon

Since Topps began producing WWE trading cards in 2005, a few names have always topped collectors’ autograph wish lists: Undertaker, Vince McMahon, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. In 2017, Topps has given collectors autographs from three of those top stars.

Topps’ 2017 WWE Then Now Forever product, which was just released earlier this week, includes certified autographed trading cards of Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. Undertaker’s signature appeared in a couple different Topps products earlier this year.

Then Now Forever marks the first autograph cards of Stephanie McMahon and Triple H in more than 15 years. Prior to the new Topps release, Triple H’s only autograph was found in 2002 Fleer All Access, and Stephanie’s only autograph was in 2001 Fleer Championship Clash (as Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley). The Fleer autographs of both Stephanie and Triple H have for years sold for about $200-$300 each.

While Topps is giving collectors fresh autographs of Triple H and Stephanie, they certainly aren’t flooding the market. Both cards are short printed, with Stephanie’s signed card serial numbered to 25 and Triple H’s numbered to just 10. Because of the scarcity of these cards, it will be extremely difficult to assign a value to them. Two Triple H autographs are listed on eBay for about $700 or best offer each, and no Stephanie signatures had surfaced by the time this article was published.

About 2017 Topps WWE Then Now Forever

Then Now Forever is in its second year as a Topps WWE product, and serves as a second series to 2017 Topps WWE, which was released earlier this year. For the base set, cards 1-100 were found in 2017 Topps WWE, and cards 101-200 are in Then Now Forever.

As with most Topps WWE products this year, Then Now Forever delivers two hits per hobby box, with at least one of those being an autograph. Other hits include mat and T-shirt relics, commemorative belts, kiss cards and more. Boxes are selling for around $50 on eBay and other online shops.

The Then Now Forever checklist is deep, including autographs from many wrestlers who debuted with or returned to WWE in 2017. In addition to many of the usual subjects like Braun Strowman, Bray Wyatt and Dean Ambrose, Then Now Forever also includes autographs from Kurt Angle, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Akira Tozawa, Ruby Riot, Kassius Ohno, Killian Dain, Lacey Evans and Aleister Black. The Black autograph in particular had the potential to be a hot card; however, his lazy “AB” signature continues the tradition of WWE wrestlers signing only their initials and has turned off a lot of collectors.

It should also be noted that only Triple H and Stephanie McMahon signed their autographs on-card. All others feature signed stickers attached to the cards.

A full checklist of 2017 Topps WWE Then Now Forever is available at Topps.com.

NOW CHECK OUT THE PRIOR COLUMN: COLLECTIBLES COLUMN: The Best and Worst Figures of Wrestling’s Monsters

PWTorch Collectibles Specialist Michael Moore can be reached at michaelmoorewriter@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @MMooreWriter.