Trading cards of Formula 1 world champions Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton were auctioned off for exceptionally high sums—Here’s why they’re so valuable
The hype surrounding Topps’ Formula 1 trading cards continues to gain momentum, as two unique cards have fetched extraordinary prices at recent auctions: A Michael Schumacher card changed hands for $74,420, while a one-of-a-kind Lewis Hamilton card sold for as much as $134,810.
However, this is not a new record for Topps Formula 1 trading cards. Back in 2024, the American trading card manufacturer caused a stir when a one-of-a-kind Lewis Hamilton card was auctioned off for the record sum of one million US dollars.
The cards now auctioned are from Topps’ exclusive Dynasty series. These products are characterized by a combination of an autograph, so-called “relic” material, and an extremely limited print run—in both cases, the cards are one-of-a-kind 1/1 items.
The Hamilton card from the 2025 Dynasty series features three “race-used memorabilia patches”—pieces of material from his Ferrari racing suit that were actually worn during races. The card was sealed (“Encased”) by Topps and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.
Michael Schumacher trading card with autograph
Hamilton personally applied the autograph on the card. In the case of the Schumacher card from the 2024 Dynasty Collection, however, the focus is on the so-called “cut signature” element. This consists of an original historical signature on a piece of his glove that has been integrated into the card.
The card is complemented by material from a former Ferrari racing suit. Due to this multi-layered construction, the card was designed in a fold-out booklet format to properly showcase the various relic elements.
A few months ago, the auction of a rare card featuring Kimi Antonelli also caused a stir: That one-of-a-kind card changed hands for over 200,000 US dollars at the time, making it one of the most expensive collectible cards in Formula 1.
Crazy: A few weeks ago, Hamilton admitted that he, too, had caught the collecting bug: “I just opened these boxes and thought to myself: I definitely need more of these!” said the seven-time world champion with a smile.
Topps has been an official licensing partner of Formula 1 since 2020 and extended the partnership through 2024 as part of a long-term, multi-year agreement. The company is the exclusive provider of official Formula 1 trading cards and recently even released a Hamilton card featuring a real diamond embedded in it.