Topps Will Remove Plastic Seals From Chrome Updates Basketball Mega Boxes To Discourage Resale
Topps is trying a new approach with one of its upcoming basketball card pre-orders.
The company announced that Friday’s Topps Chrome Updates Basketball Mega Box pre-order on its website will ship with the plastic seal fully removed. Topps said the cards and contents inside the boxes will remain untouched.
The move follows what Topps described as unprecedented demand for the 2025-26 Topps Chrome Updates Basketball pre-order. According to the company, removing the factory seal is meant to discourage immediate resale and give more collectors a chance to buy the product at retail price.
Topps called the change an initial test that is part of a larger program aimed at helping more collectors buy the products they want at retail prices. The company said it is working to make the collecting experience more enjoyable for first-time buyers, lifelong collectors and everyone in between.
The Mega Box pre-order is scheduled for July 10 at 1 PM Eastern on Topps’ website.
The release itself is one of the more closely watched basketball products on the Topps calendar. Topps says 2025-26 Topps Chrome Updates Basketball is headlined by Rookie Debut Patch Autographs, which are making their Topps Basketball debut. The 1-of-1 cards feature game-worn NBA Debut patches and will include standout rookies Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Dylan Harper.
The product also includes a 200-card base set with rookies, veterans and legends, using updated in-season photography in Statement, City and Classic Edition uniforms. Topps says collectors can also look for Chrome parallels, new inserts, short prints and autograph content.
Other chase elements listed by Topps include Alter Egos SSPs, Minions NBA SSPs in collaboration with Illumination, Denim Tears SSP parallels, Captains inserts and Celebración short print inserts. Autograph content includes Topps Chrome Autographs, 1980-81 Topps Basketball Autographs and Lava Lamp Rookie Autographs.
For collectors, the removed seal is the biggest story. Sealed wax has long been a major part of the resale market, and Topps is directly testing whether removing the factory seal can make quick flipping less appealing. If the test works, it could become one of the more interesting attempts by a card company to deal with demand, resale pressure and retail access for major releases.