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Topps has made a significant change to its policy regarding redemption cards, which are placeholders for autographs not ready at the time of a product's release. Traditionally, these redemption cards have been a source of frustration for collectors due to their short expiration dates, often resulting in decreased value for older products that include them. Addressing this issue, Topps announced that starting with sports card releases branded from 2021-22 onwards, the expiration period for redemption cards will be extended from two years to ten years. This change applies even if the card states a different expiration date, effectively allowing a redemption card issued in 2022 to remain valid until 2032 instead of expiring in 2024.

This policy adjustment is expected to preserve the value of recent releases longer, as collectors can be assured that the redemption cards they find can still be redeemed far into the future. However, this depends on whether the autographs are eventually returned to Topps. Delays can occur if athletes fail to return signed cards in time, or if negotiations over compensation stall. With major sports player unions engaged with Fanatics for upcoming exclusive licenses starting in 2025 and 2026, there is hope for more timely completion of autographs, benefiting everyone in the ecosystem. Moreover, Topps reported a significant reduction in outstanding redemptions, decreasing from 70,000 to under 10,000 in the past year, marking a positive trend towards resolving this long-standing issue.