Collectors from the ’80s and ’90s remember the Junk Wax Era all too well — when millions of cards flooded the market and even the greats became nearly worthless. To keep collectors interested, card companies needed something new. Cutting print runs meant losing profit, so instead, they got creative. Enter the parallel.
Among stacks of base cards, a few stood out — maybe a gold border, a foil finish, or a facsimile autograph. It was just enough to make collectors chase something rarer.
Fast forward to today, and we’ve got the opposite problem. Parallels aren’t rare anymore. What used to be four or five per set has ballooned into as many as thirty-eight — some numbered, some not. Card companies know that thrill of pulling something shiny drives sales, so they’ve doubled (and tripled) down.
So here’s the real question — do collectors actually care about every single parallel out there? Or are there only a few that truly matter? We’ll dig into the data to see which versions people are chasing, which ones they’re skipping, and whether all that rainbow shimmer still means anything.
De La Cruz, I choose you!
Topps Chrome Baseball has become notorious for its flood of parallels. From base refractors to Frozenfractors, there’s something shiny in nearly every pack — a built-in hit that keeps collectors chasing.
For this experiment, we’re zeroing in on one of the hobby’s hottest young names: Elly De La Cruz. His rookie cards have been flying out of packs and straight into PSA slabs. Specifically, we’ll focus on his 2024 Topps Chrome Base Rookie Card, graded PSA 10.
Base Card
The base card is exactly what it sounds like — the standard version of the set, printed in the highest quantities. These days, base cards mostly serve as filler unless you’re pulling a big name in a high grade.
Numbered: No
PSA 10 Pop: 1,060
Gem Rate: 31.9%
Price: $52.80
Refractor
Refractors are typically the next most common parallel, but unlike base cards, they can still hold some value. In Panini products, they’re often called Silvers, Prizms, or Holos — different names for the same concept: that rainbow shine laid over the base image.
Numbered: No
PSA 10 Pop: 579
Gem Rate: 38.6%
Price: $63.20
Pink Refractors
A step rarer than standard refractors, Pink Refractors are exclusive to retail blaster boxes. They carry the same shine — just with a rosy twist.
Numbered: No
PSA 10 Pop: 221
Gem Rate: 36.2%
Price: $98.20
Prism Refractors
Not to be confused with Panini’s Prizm line, Prism Refractors are a touch rarer than standard refractors. They feature a patterned shine and can be pulled from any form of product packaging.
Numbered: No
PSA 10 Pop: 323
Gem Rate: 38.3%
Price: $68.40
RayWave Refractors
Originally introduced as a special parallel in some Topps sets’ Lite Hobby boxes, RayWave Refractors quickly caught on with collectors. Once Topps saw the demand, they ramped up production and added them to retail releases as well.
Numbered: No
PSA 10 Pop: 165
Gem Rate: 34.7%
Price: $108.00
Sepia Refractors
Similar to Pink Refractors, Sepias are slightly rarer and exclusive to retail blaster boxes. They carry the same reflective shine with a warm, brown-toned twist.
Numbered: No
PSA 10 Pop: 191
Gem Rate: 36.3%
Price: $96.40
X-Fractors
These checkerboard patterned parallels can only be found in retail monster boxes. Historically, they’ve been among the most coveted parallels in the hobby.
Numbered: No
PSA 10 Pop: 597
Gem Rate: 48.0%
Price: $70.20
Negative Refractors
Negative Refractors were originally very short-printed. But once collectors showed they loved them, Topps ramped up production — proving once again that demand drives supply in the hobby.
Numbered: No
PSA 10 Pop: 8
Gem Rate: 6%
Price: $490.60
Magenta Speckle Refractors
The first numbered card in the set, Magenta Speckles are limited to just 350 copies. While earlier parallels’ print runs are unknown, this one’s rarity is set in stone.
Numbered: /350
PSA 10 Pop: 92
Gem Rate: 66.2%
Price: $89.20
Purple Speckle Refractors
This one’s purple…
Numbered: /299
PSA 10 Pop: 27
Gem Rate: 33.8%
Price: $69.80
Purple Sonar Refractors
Another different purple one…
Numbered: /275
PSA 10 Pop: 17
Gem Rate: 32.7%
Price: $82.60
Purple Refractors
The first of Topps’ “True Color” refractors, Purple Refractors appeal to collectors who prefer a cleaner, classic look over the newer speckles and patterns. Historically, True Color parallels have been among the most sought-after.
Numbered: /250
PSA 10 Pop: 20
Gem Rate: 37.7%
Price: $233.60
Aqua Refractors
Another “True Color” but added more recently in Topps history.
Numbered: /199
PSA 10 Pop: 33
Gem Rate: 39.8%
Price: $78.20
Aqua Lava Refractors
A numbered parallel featuring a unique “blob-like” pattern that spreads across the card. Its design stands out among the more traditional refractors.
Numbered: /199
PSA 10 Pop: 33
Gem Rate: 39.8%
Price: $213.80
Aqua RayWave Refractors
These days, Topps is making parallels for parallels. Aqua RayWaves combine the RayWave pattern with an aqua color twist, adding yet another layer to an already crowded parallel landscape.
Numbered: /199
PSA 10 Pop: 31
Gem Rate: 43.1%
Price: $214.40
Blue Refractors
Numbered: /150
PSA 10 Pop: 19
Gem Rate: 33.9%
Price: $375.60
Blue RayWave Refractors
Data for sales of this parallel is limited. A few PSA 10s exist, but collectors are holding onto them since the print run is relatively low. For our estimate, we’ll use a conservative approach: multiplying the average of the latest PSA 9 sales by 2.5×.
Numbered: /150
PSA 10 Pop: 12
Gem Rate: 31.6%
Price: $187.50* (PSA 9 Sold for $75)
Blue Sonar Refractors
Numbered: /125
PSA 10 Pop: 19
Gem Rate: 38.8%
Price: $328.20
Lightboard Logo
Admittedly, we had no idea what this card was. It’s a super short printed parallel out of retail. Looks cool though!
Numbered: No
PSA 10 Pop: 10
Gem Rate: 29.4%
Price: $680.00
Green Refractors
Green Refractors are the first color in the sub-100 category, traditionally numbered out of /99. Their limited print run makes them a sought-after parallel for collectors.
Numbered: /99
PSA 10 Pop: 21
Gem Rate: 47.7%
Price: $364.20
Green Wave Refractors
A hobby exclusive parallel pattern numbered out of /99.
Numbered: /99
PSA 10 Pop: 22
Gem Rate: 51.2%
Price: $238.20
Green RayWave Refractors
Numbered: /99
PSA 10 Pop: 9
Gem Rate: 30%
Price: $296.00
Green Sonar Refractors
Numbered: /99
PSA 10 Pop: 34
Gem Rate: 72.3%
Price: $255.80
Blue Wave Refractors
Numbered: /75
PSA 10 Pop: 11
Gem Rate: 34.4%
Price: $382.77
Gold Refractors
Gold Refractors are among the most sought-after True Color parallels, prized for their rarity and clean, classic look.
Numbered: /50
PSA 10 Pop: 11
Gem Rate: 50%
Price: $968.80
Gold Wave Refractors
Numbered: /50
PSA 10 Pop: 8
Gem Rate: 34.8%
Price: $791.34
Gold RayWave Refractors
Numbered: /50
PSA 10 Pop: 8
Gem Rate: 53.4%
Price: $850.00
Big Apple Refractors
Exclusive to Fanatics Fest NYC boxes, Big Apple Refractors aren’t numbered but are extremely limited — fewer than 50 were printed.
Numbered: No
PSA 10 Pop: 3
Gem Rate: 15.8%
Price: $600.00
Orange Refractors
Numbered: /25
PSA 10 Pop: 4
Gem Rate: 30.1%
Price: $635.00
Orange Wave Refractors
Hobby exclusive orange parallel.
Numbered: /25
PSA 10 Pop: 2
Gem Rate: 25%
Price: $686.00
Orange RayWave Refractors
Numbered: /25
PSA 10 Pop: 2
Gem Rate: 22.2%
Price: No Previous Sales Data
Black Refractors
After a long hiatus, Topps recently brought back this hobby-exclusive True Color parallel to Topps Chrome, making it a standout for collectors once again.
Numbered: /10
PSA 10 Pop: 1
Gem Rate: 20%
Price: $2,355.00* (PSA 9 Sold for $942)
Black RayWave Refractors
Fairly new retail exclusive parallel to Topps Chrome.
Numbered: /10
PSA 10 Pop: 0
Gem Rate: 0% (5x in PSA 9)
Price: No Previous Sales Data
Frozenfractors
An exclusive parallel to the Hobby Jumbo variety.
Numbered: /-5
PSA 10 Pop: 0
Gem Rate: 0% (1x in PSA 8)
Price: No Previous Sales Data
Red Refractors
The last of the “True Color” parallels.
Numbered: /5
PSA 10 Pop: 0
Gem Rate: 0% (2x in PSA 9, 1x in PSA 8)
Price: $5,175.00* (PSA 9 Sold for $2,070)
Red RayWave Retors
Numbere5
PSA 10 Pop: 0
Gem Rate: 0% (2x in PSA 9, 2x in PSA 8)
Price: No Previous Sales Data
Printing Plates
After production, Topps includes the printing plates in packs across all formats. Each plate is considered a 1-of-1, though there are actually four total due to the printing process — Black, Yellow, Cyan, and Magenta.
Numbered: /1
PSA 10 Pop: 0
Gem Rate: None have been graded by PSA
Price: No Previous Sales Data
Superfractors
Saving the most coveted for last, the Superfractor is the ultimate chase in Topps Chrome. This gold-spiral patterned 1/1 has astronomical odds, but when you pull one of even just a pretty good player, it can sell for enough to buy a car.
Numbered: /1
PSA 10 Pop: 0
Gem Rate: None have been graded by PSA
Price: No Previous Sales Data
Breaking it Down
Our data makes one thing clear: not all parallels are created equal. True Color parallels almost consistently sell for more than their patterned counterparts, proving that collectors still value a cleaner, classic look over flashy designs.
Gold Refractors appear to command a premium, even over rarer cards like True Orange, Orange Wave, and Big Apple — scarcity matters, but collector preference can outweigh it.
Then there’s the curious case of team color matching. For De La Cruz, Pink Refractors sell for surprisingly high prices, and the Magenta Speckle even outpaces its lower-numbered Purple counterpart. It seems that when the color matches that of the player’s team, collectors notice — and they’re willing to pay for it.
In short, while the parallel landscape is crowded, collectors still gravitate toward certain types. Clean looks, golds, and team color matches continue to stand out in a sea of shiny cards.
At the end of the day, while the parallel rainbow keeps getting wider, collectors still know what shines the brightest.
Disclaimer: The content in The Hobby Wire is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Commentary, analysis, and opinions on sports cards, rookies, and the hobby are not financial, investment, or professional advice. Collectors should always do their own research before buying, selling, or trading cards. Market values are volatile and can change rapidly—past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
Unless specified, all pricing references are based on the Prizm/Refractor parallels of an athlete’s Chrome rookie card, with prices from alt.xyz & 130pt.com.
Any odds mentioned were derived from DraftKings Sportsbook.