Trading card manufacturer Topps is expected to introduce Dutch auctions for select product releases starting next month.
The company announced the format in a recent presentation to businesses with Topps direct accounts. Dutch auction formats begin at a ceiling price and lower in small increments until the inventory is sold out or the auction reaches its floor price.
Included in the presentation, a portion of which was obtained by cllct, was a preview of a high-end Topps product in a sample auction. The presentation showed the product’s starting price with a history of price points descending in $100 increments.
Rival trading card manufacturer Panini America has traditionally used Dutch auction formats for high-end releases, including the popular First Off the Line drops. FOTL releases typically contain similar content to traditional hobby boxes but include additional exclusive parallels.
In addition to traditional purchasing formats, Topps has partnered with third-party commerce platform EQL for popular drops. Unlike first-come, first-served formats, EQL requires customers to register prior to a drawing of winners, which is meant to limit the use of bots or individuals acquiring large quantities of a limited product.
The practice also allows the market to set the price for a product, rather than the company assigning one.
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Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture. He was previously the collectibles editor at Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on X and Instagram @benmburrows.