Topps Marks of Excellence checklist
 

Hadn’t seen this compiled anywhere so I figured I would just try to put all the info together in one place for my reference and for anyone else who cares or wants to discuss them. I love MOE, think their look/design and the on-card autographs should stand the test of time. Let me know if I missed any of them!

Topps Marks of Excellence (all 2023/2024 dated according to copyright language on the back of the cards, but listed by product release year)


2023/24

Merlin - shearer, cafu, haaland, yamal, brunner, zlatan
Finest - camavinga, bellingham, dalglish, ronaldo
Flagship - none
Chrome - camavinga, bellingham, dalglish, ronaldo, ronaldo, lewandowski
Inception - casemiro, yamal, larsson, gascoigne
Museum - iniesta, casemiro, haaland, crespo, bellingham, ronaldo, van dijk
Stadium - shearer, casemiro, bellingham, yamal, brunner, lewandowski, van dijk

2024/25

Chrome- sir alex ferguson, crespo, yamal, messi, zidane, musiala, gerrard
Flagship- iniesta, suker, ronaldinho, zlatan
Finest- haaland, kaka, messi, desailly, gavi, yamal, kagawa
Chrome Japan- suker, larsson, pedri
Merlin (new design)- s.a. ferguson, kaka, gascoigne, vieri, maeda, g.ramos, messi, klose
Definitive-
Museum- neymar, ozil, keane, shearer
Inception- del piero, gudjohnsen, nwaneri, effenberg
Dynasty- yamal,yamal

Great thread!

the inclusion of Paris Brunner in this set still doesn't make any sense

[QUOTE=YayNJ;20039227]the inclusion of Paris Brunner in this set still doesn't make any sense[/QUOTE]

lol I totally agree, that was a really strange pick and I did have a wtf moment when I saw that name and put it on the list. It’s an awesome checklist and all the signees have reason to be on it to varying extents, but that was a weird one that totally doesn’t belong.

Nice list! It’s a great auto set.

I don’t know that any of those other 24-25 products are being made, however.

[QUOTE=mikee1186;20039642]Nice list! It’s a great auto set.

I don’t know that any of those other 24-25 products are being made, however.[/QUOTE]

yeah i’ve heard the same thing but just left them in as question marks for now. i was kinda thinking there might be one more grouping of them coming just because the yamal RCs are numbered to 6 and i believe we have only seen 5 of them? but who knows with topps/fanatics…

Wow…for those of you who haven’t seen this, a member here (alan1899) has put together an awesome compilation of these cards that includes photos of the different versions and a lot more information than the measly list I put together in the original post. Check this out, super impressive website:

[url]https://cartophilic-info-exch.blogspot.com/2025/10/topps-topps-marks-of-excellence-on-card.html[/url]

Messi’s brother at work here, too

[QUOTE=MonsterTruck20;20048452]Messi’s brother at work here, too[/QUOTE]

Think so? Even after being called out on it once?

That is pretty brazen.

How is CR7 not in this?

[QUOTE=JWBlue;20050190]How is CR7 not in this?[/QUOTE]

When was the last time he signed on-card?

2022? (2022 Eminence)

[QUOTE=YayNJ;20050389]When was the last time he signed on-card?

2022? (2022 Eminence)[/QUOTE]

I think that’s right. He hasn’t signed anything since he moved to the Saudi league, right? I’m still foolishly hoping he somehow someway turns out to be the dynasty mystery redemption.

It would be great if he had a card in this series but that seems unlikely. I wonder how long the MOE will go anyway since they all seem to be dated as 23/24 cards, based on the back of the cards.

[QUOTE=Ra3;20050404]I think that’s right. He hasn’t signed anything since he moved to the Saudi league, right?[/QUOTE]

Yep, so it's likely something to do with image rights or something like that.

..but hey, on the brightside, we got Paris Brunner autos :D

Interesting…topps surprisingly is going to do a Merlin edition for 2024-25 and is including MOE! Maybe a chance for another on card yamal RC, or a paris brunner if we’re lucky…

[url]https://www.topps.com/pages/topps-ucc-merlin[/url]

Just what we wanted, half way through the 25/26 season.

Perhaps we will get a 24/25 Inception set at the start of 26/27.

[QUOTE=Ra3;20083537]Interesting…topps surprisingly is going to do a Merlin edition for 2024-25 and is including MOE! Maybe a chance for another on card yamal RC, or a paris brunner if we’re lucky…

[url]https://www.topps.com/pages/topps-ucc-merlin[/url][/QUOTE]

Base card design is nice and simple...really like it.....anybody know what the box price is going to be?

Updated above for the upcoming 24-25 Merlin checklist. Couple of new names for the marks of excellence checklist…

[QUOTE=Ra3;20085110]Updated above for the upcoming 24-25 Merlin checklist. Couple of new names…[/QUOTE]
Merlin is out and still available, so I guess you know what that means
[url]https://www.topps.com/pages/topps-ucc-merlin[/url]

[QUOTE=Americards;20085208]Merlin is out and still available, so I guess you know what that means
[url]https://www.topps.com/pages/topps-ucc-merlin[/url][/QUOTE]

Yes, I always figure any time I forget about a release and an hour later and it's still available it will most likely suck!

Even cases appear to be available. I assume people are just worn out, plus it will be 7 months post 2024-25 season when this drops. Same products, 1 auto and 3 numbered (which can be numbered very high in this product) per box, inflated price. Plus general issues with jobs, economy, tariffs, saving for Christmas, etc.

I could try and grind out sales of base cards and inserts to break even, but it doesn’t sound fun or worth my time given how little interest there is, especially when it means loaning Fanatics money for a month. And I’m sure there are plenty of stale hits - I definitely don’t want to be hitting Chiesa, Diaz, or Darwin cards as a LFC fan at this point. Generally just blah.

Yikes. Just saw the new design (on topps fc instagram) for the MOEs in 2024 Merlin and I think they’re…not good. At all.

[QUOTE=Ra3;20090735]Yikes. Just saw the new design (on topps fc instagram) for the MOEs in 2024 Merlin and I think they’re…not good. At all.[/QUOTE]

they are literally just Topps Pearl cards (that flopped after one release)

[IMG]https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcT7G51N60b97SX6lCOvRoJKwrYQDPyqgN0TXHED-_zm4rKYv7vIuzWUzvH8uuWgVgGERZ4NvT130ijylntLFKK05Rx_Gc3r-qgGSHxx_AVV6yRzMewDmKHs[/IMG]

latest topps announcements have mentioned the new topps definitive soccer release having 1-2 of the newly redesigned MOE per box. checklist quality notwithstanding, this proliferation, along with the new and cheaper-looking design of MOE cards seem indicative of the “10x” fanatics strategy we are all so psyched about.

I think it’s going to make the original classier portrait MOE cards look more attractive by comparison. And may be good for longer term values of those original MOEs.

Edit - well it’s getting a little confusing now…looks like Topps has announced definitive, Merlin, museum and inception in quick succession all in the last 2 weeks, along with announcing the new MOE designs. All for 24/25 releases. Not sure which will have the older (imo more desirable) design or the newer ones.

Based on previews looks like Merlin has the new and museum has the old…

Frustrating the design is changing. Was hoping to get a Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Alessandro Del Piero and about 10 other players in the old template. Totally not a fan of this new one. I see Roy Keane on Topps site that will be in Museum. Hopefully there are a couple more legends in that checklist before it's done.

Ok well based on the just-released checklist for definitive, it seems the new MOE and the new design are going to be a somewhat different thing going forward than it has been in the past. Beyond the cheaper looking new card design, there are 20(!) new MOE in 2024 definitive, and they are inserted 1 per box. While the cost of a definitive box is pretty expensive, IMO these factors, along with the new look kinda lessens the desirability of the new MOE compared to the older, portrait-style ones.

I haven’t seen pictures of the MOE in definitive, but my guess is it’s the new design, and we know the ones in Merlin are the new design too. I take most of this back if it turns out the definitive MOE are the original design!

Inception’s designs remain to be seen, but I’d guess it’s the new ones. Seems like Museum might be the last chance for the original MOE.