2025 Topps Chrome Labubu Preview Checklist & Pack ODDS

The Origins of Labubu: From Forest Folklore to Collectible Fame

Labubu was created by Hong Kong–based artist Kasing Lung, a painter and illustrator with a flair for dark fairy tales. His art world–meets–childhood-nightmare aesthetic blends cute and creepy in equal measure — like if Tim Burton and Studio Ghibli collaborated on a fever dream.

Labubu first appeared around 2015 through How2Work, a designer toy brand that produces high-quality vinyl art figures. The early runs were limited, handmade, and primarily sold in Asian markets. The toys were inspired by a fictional “monster forest” where odd little creatures lived, each with their own personalities, stories, and moods. Labubu quickly became the face of the forest — a bug-eyed, big-toothed gremlin-looking thing that was somehow…adorable?

At first, only hardcore designer toy collectors knew about Labubu. But over time, the internet — and especially Instagram and Xiaohongshu (China’s “Little Red Book”) — caught on. People started showing off entire shelves filled with different Labubu versions: pirate Labubu, astronaut Labubu, sushi chef Labubu, vampire Labubu, and so on. Each was hand-painted, highly limited, and impossible to find after release.

Sound familiar? Yeah, this is basically the same “FOMO” energy that fueled Pokémon in the 90s and sports cards during the pandemic boom.

---

From Vinyl to Chrome: The Topps Crossover Nobody Saw Coming

Fast-forward to 2025. Topps has been expanding hard into non-sports and pop culture products — we’ve seen everything from Stranger Things to Star Wars Chrome to Wacky Packages revival sets. But when word leaked that they were doing Topps Chrome: Labubu, the hobby world went, “Wait… Topps is making cards of what now?”

Turns out, Topps and Pop Mart, the company that distributes many of the Labubu vinyl toys, teamed up for a one-of-a-kind Chrome trading card product. And honestly, it’s brilliant.

You’ve got one of Asia’s hottest art collectibles getting the full Topps Chrome treatment — refractors, parallels, autographs, sketch reproductions — all the elements that make modern trading cards exciting. But instead of baseball players or Jedi Knights, we’re chasing rare Labubu variants like Detective Labubu, Space Labubu, and Halloween Labubu.

Collectors around the world are calling it the “vinyl-to-Chrome revolution.”

---

Inside the Set: What Makes 2025 Topps Chrome Labubu Different

Let’s break down the structure of this set, because Topps went all out on this one.

Each hobby box contains 24 packs with 4 cards per pack, and every card is Chrome-finished — thick, glossy, and loaded with parallels. The base set features a full lineup of Labubu characters from across the brand’s history, each one illustrated with stunning detail and a collector-grade design.

The inserts are some of the most creative Topps has done in years:

• Dreamworld Reflections – mirror-style refractors that look like they belong in a museum.

• Character Fusion – mashups of different Labubu characters, kind of like Pokémon evolutions gone wrong (in a good way).

• Labubu Sketches – based on Kasing Lung’s original concept drawings.

And yes, there are autograph cards, signed by Kasing Lung himself — easily the most valuable chase in the set. The rarest ones are Gold /50, Red /25, and SuperFractor 1/1s.

Then you’ve got your standard Chrome parallels — Aqua, Purple, Gold, Red, and of course, the almighty SuperFractor, with odds around 1 in 650 packs. The fact that these parallels exist in a non-sports art set is honestly amazing — it merges two worlds: the art toy community and the hardcore Chrome chasers from sports and Pokémon.

---

Why Collectors Are Losing Their Minds Over This Set

The hype isn’t just about how shiny the cards are (though, let’s be honest, that helps). It’s because this release represents something much bigger — a cultural crossover between two collectible universes that were previously pretty separate.

• Designer toy fans who’ve never touched a pack of cards in their life are suddenly ripping Chrome boxes.

• Sports card collectors who couldn’t tell a vinyl toy from a Funko Pop are suddenly googling “Who is Kasing Lung?”

• And Topps is loving it — because they just introduced an entire new audience to their platform.

If you’ve been in the hobby long enough, you can see the parallels to when Pokémon cards first exploded globally. Something cute and creative that started in one niche culture suddenly breaks through to the mainstream — and collectors rush to get in early.

Right now, early Labubu Chrome boxes are selling out fast, and secondary prices are climbing. Autographs from Kasing Lung are commanding hundreds of dollars, and short-print refractors of popular characters are being treated like modern rookie cards.

It’s a collector’s dream and a speculator’s playground.

---

The Art Collector Crossover: Why This Set Matters

This isn’t just about flipping cards. For a lot of collectors, Labubu represents something special — a new kind of collectible crossover between fine art and pop culture.

Kasing Lung isn’t just a “toy designer.” His work has been exhibited in art galleries, and Labubu is part of a larger universe of melancholic characters and stories. By translating that art into Chrome cards, Topps has effectively created miniature, tradable art prints.

Each card feels like it’s part of an ongoing narrative — an emotional mix of nostalgia, mystery, and weirdness that you just don’t get in most trading card products.

And here’s where things get interesting: art collectors are now grading Labubu cards. We’re seeing PSA 10 Chrome Labubu refractors already hitting the market, and that’s going to add another layer of collectibility and value stability long term.

---

Comparing Labubu Chrome to Other Non-Sports Hits

Topps has had success with other non-sports sets — Star Wars, Garbage Pail Kids, even Mars Attacks. But Labubu stands apart because it’s tied to a living, evolving brand with a devoted collector base outside of the card hobby.

It’s similar to what MetaZoo tried to do — blending art, storytelling, and rarity — but Labubu has the visual charm and international following to actually pull it off.

And unlike most art cards or NFT-inspired sets, Labubu Chrome has the backing of Topps’ production quality and Chrome technology. These cards look and feel premium. You can hold them, admire them under good lighting, and they genuinely pop.

For long-time collectors who love the tactile part of this hobby, that’s everything.

---

The Chase: The Biggest Hits and What to Look For

Every collector wants to know the same thing — what are the big hits?

The top chases in the 2025 Topps Chrome Labubu set are:

• Kasing Lung autograph cards (especially Red /25 and SuperFractor 1/1)

• Gold and Red Chrome parallels of fan-favorite characters (Space Labubu, Vampire Labubu, Pirate Labubu)

• Dreamworld Reflections short prints

• Hand-numbered art signature cards that were signed directly by Kasing Lung in limited quantities

Collectors are also reporting early “easter eggs” — unannounced variations and refractor patterns that Topps hasn’t officially confirmed yet. That mystery factor is part of what’s fueling the fun here. It feels like ripping Chrome in the mid-2000s, when you didn’t quite know what could pop out next.

---

Why This Release Might Be a Turning Point for the Hobby

If you zoom out a little, the Labubu Chrome release signals something bigger: the next evolution of the trading card industry.

We’re now in an era where collectibles are colliding — sports, art, games, and pop culture are all merging. Kids who grew up watching anime are now buying cards of artists. Collectors who used to rip Bowman for prospects are ripping Chrome for fictional characters. The definition of a “hit” has officially expanded.

And let’s be real — the sports card market has needed fresh energy. We’ve had years of rookie chases, prospecting, and constant parallel fatigue. The Labubu release brings fun back. It’s colorful, weird, and doesn’t take itself too seriously — yet still manages to feel high-end.

Topps has hinted that this is just the beginning of their partnership with designer art brands. If Labubu performs well — and all signs point to that — we could see future Chrome sets for other Kasing Lung creations, or even collaborations with other art toy icons like Molly or Skullpanda.

---

Final Thoughts: Why I’m All In on Labubu (and Why You Might Be Too)

As a collector who’s seen this hobby evolve from junk wax to digital to Chrome madness, Labubu Chrome feels like a refreshing mix of old-school chase and modern creativity.

It’s something new that still taps into what makes collecting fun — discovery, design, and the thrill of the hunt. It’s not about rookies or stats. It’s about art, story, and style.

If you’re a long-time card collector, don’t dismiss it because it’s “cute.” Labubu has serious legs — and serious collectors behind it. It’s the kind of brand that builds over years, not hype cycles.

And honestly? It’s just fun to see the hobby get a little weird again.