Topps Stars was a series of baseball card sets produced and distributed by Topps from 1997 through 2001. The cards featured veterans, young prospects, and retired greats. The sets typically featured player ratings (between 1 star and 5 stars) for their various skills (speed, defense, etc.). Every year featured an autographed insert set with Hall of Fame players. The first set in 1997 featured autographed rookie reprint cards, a practice that would become a staple in various Topps sets for years to come. After 2001, Topps Stars would be added to the Topps Baseball flagship set as an insert set for several years.
1997 Topps Stars[]
Of particular note is the inclusion of Eddie Mathews, Hal Newhouser, and Enos Slaughter in the reprint autograph insert set. All three players signed very few cards, as each passed away before the autographed card boom beginning in the mid-2000's.
1998 Topps Stars[]
1999 Topps Stars[]
2000 Topps Stars[]
2001 Topps Stars[]
The final release of Topps Stars as a standalone set was in 2001. The base set was made up of 200 cards, with several different levels of parallels. The checklist included rookie cards of Albert Pujols, Jake Peavy, and Jose Reyes.