In a move that has even the most faithful scratching their heads—as they rush to open their wallets—Topps NOW has launched a limited-edition trading card celebrating Pope Leo XIV’s unprecedented election. As the 267th leader of the Catholic Church and the first pontiff to call America home, Pope Leo XIV’s rise to papacy is a notable landmark in history, one that somehow feels perfectly at home in the cardboard capsules that comprise Topps’ time-honored trading tradition. Sure, the Vatican is no Fenway Park, but in the sprawling cosmos of collectibles, it might as well be the Big Show.
This limited-edition card captures a remarkable moment: the spirited emergence of Pope Leo XIV onto the St. Peter’s Basilica balcony, where he was greeted by the expectant and exuberant throng of approximately 150,000 believers. The scene, a mélange of palpable anticipation and spiritual fervor, has now been immortalized in trading card form. For collectors and fervent Catholics alike, owning the card is akin to a holy grail—it turns a unique piece of heritage into a tangible relic you can hold, admire, and, if so inclined, trade.
While you might expect a historic papal conclave to stick strictly within church grounds rather than drift into collector’s cabinets, Topps has proven adept at sliding into spaces others might see as too sacred. After all, if any moment is deserving of a limited run, it is the ascension of the first card-carrying pontiff from the United States. Indeed, if the spiritual is eternal, then so too could be this card’s appeal.
And because unmet expectations are just as common in the world of trading cards as they are in fanatical treasure hunts, Topps introduced an extra smidgen of rarity: the “White Smoke” Short Print. Limited to 267 copies—a tip-off to Pope Leo XIV’s sequential place in the papal hierarchy—this coveted variant is the very definition of coveted. Scoring one of these rarities in a deck is synonymous with detecting that elusive burst of white smoke from the Sistine Chapel: a sign that the heavens—and the forces of blind luck—smile upon you.
For a hobby that often finds itself entangled in sports arenas or comic book conventions, the leap from Messi to majesties—or in this case, from the Boston Red Sox’s roster to the book of Extraordinary Catholic Ordinations—may seem hilarious if not heartfelt. Yet, however unlikely, this release finds the perfect intersection of culture, spirituality, and competitive collecting—possibly positioning it as one of the most intriguing non-sport trading cards of the year.
Why is that, you may ask? Because this card ventures beyond the wandering eyes of fleeting trends, speaking instead to a community of over 1.4 billion Catholics across the globe. While devout followers historically aim higher than material acquisitions, possessing an object of such historical weight could transcend the usual watchful aisle. It might even rival the annual entertainment value of other Topps creations, like Olympic so-and-so or that Shohei Ohtani milestone that people can’t stop chattering about as they scuffle to obtain the limited print.
To some, trading cards are small portraits of fandom nostalgia; to others, they are tiny canvases that paint a bigger picture. But for this card, let’s say it’s a brushstroke on the tapestry of tradition. Whether you’re clipping through musty stacks at estate sales or snatching up pristine packs online, seeking one of these blessed cards represents a new kind of secular-sacred synergy.
While there may be no Sistine ceiling access trawling for cards or immediate enlightenment when your tracking information finally updates, there’s something undeniably appealing about the merging of divine action and modern-day memorabilia. When Topps’ limited-edition offering retires on May 11, 2025, it will leave latecomers pining at the Pearly Gates of trading card fandom. You might say that’s a rather metaphoric reflection of queues outside St. Peter’s Basilica.
In a universe where sacred crosses easily with commodity, one thing’s clear: Papal white smoke has become collectible. And in this intriguing meld where religious history intertwines with retail passion, it might be said that this rare edition is nothing short of, well, divine.
