The trading card industry has gone to the dogs — literally.
Topps, Fanatics’ trading card company, is partnering with the Westminster Kennel Club to release a line of inserts named “Stars of the Show,” which feature champion pooches from Sage the Miniature Poodle to Trumpet the Bloodhound.
Included in the release are so-called relic cards, particularly rare cards sought after by collectors that contain a small piece of memorabilia, such as the wood of a used baseball bat or fabric from a game-worn jersey. Topps’ “Stars of the Show” relics will feature authentic cut-up pieces of the winning dog’s “Best in Show” ribbon. Even rarer are the seven one-of-a-kind cards that include the handler’s purple winner’s lapel fully inserted into the card.
“What the cards do is they capture a moment and connect you with a hero,” said Clay Luraschi, Topps’ senior vice president of product. “Heroes come in all different forms, and in this case it’s champion …