New VeeFriends Chrome set joins a rich cardboard legacy

The latest might be the greatest -- so far -- but there are plenty of past VeeFriends to collect if one decides to go there ... and it appears that quite a few of you do.

This newest release, Topps VeeFriends Chrome 2025, is packed with flashy characters and sets -- we'll get to those later -- and it's been a near-instant sellout at that link. But, there are two previous sets that paved the way for this one that might be worth looking at before exploring this new one.

The O.G. was VeeFriends x zerocool Series 1, a collection that arrived in 2022 with 268 characters and 15 sketches that introduced Series 2 characters. It "was designed to bridge the gap between NFTs and real-world collectibles, allowing collectors to own physical versions of their VeeFriends Series 1 NFTs," per the company.

That first one was in a premium format and a limited release of only 1,000 boxes (250 cases) showcasing characters drawn and created by the guru behind it all, Gary Vaynerchuk, while the second series introduced them as "fully personified and colored characters" in a collection of more than 250 characters and also almost 100 additional other cards. It took on more of a modern gaming trading card game form. Both series have NFT counterparts and include rarer finds among the various tiers and autographed cards from Vaynerchuk. (You also might want to see this box in the Blowout store for a different option.)

What is VeeFriends some might ask? It "combines stories, games, events, collectibles, and technology to build a community around a movement of kindness and accountability," the company said, using their "characters and their attributes to create a better world. These characters foster a sense of community and inspire creativity, self-discovery, accountability, and personal growth."

What kind of interest and demand was there for these sets? Well, anybody who was at the National Sports Collectors Convention in recent years likely remembers their colorful and busy booth -- at a sports card show -- but don't take our word for it. Just click here for a look at eBay sales. There's big interest.

And now, this newest set introduces something into the mix that wasn't there before -- the power of Chrome. Let's take a look at what's in there this time.

Topps VeeFriends Chrome 2025 brings 100 of the franchise's characters to Chrome with Refractors and a rainbow to chase for each of them -- including 1/1 Superfractors -- in a pair of packaging formats. An 18-pack (72-card) hobby box will include three serial-numbered parallels, two Sketch To Screen inserts and one Favorite Entrepreneur insert card. Purple Refractors (/20) will only be found there, while the rest of the Refractor rainbow includes Shimmer (/250), RayWave (/199), Wave (/150), Green (/99), Pink (/75), Gold (/50), Orange (25), Black (/10), Red (/5) and Supers. ... Eight-pack (32-card) blaster boxes will be the home of Yellow Refractors every time along with 1/1 Blast Off parallels.

That's just the basic stuff -- there are also insert sets to chase.

There will be one-per-box Manga Speckle inserts for all 100 characters -- with Orange (/25), Purple (/10), Red (/5) and 1/1 Black versions -- as well as 1975 Topps variations that apply the vintage baseball card look to this new team of all-stars. (Only 25 make the cut here.) They're far rarer at one in 339 hobby packs and one in 446 in blasters. The Erupt! inserts are only found for 10 characters and they're one in 3,000 hobby packs and one in 9,000 packs for blasters. They will only have Black Lava (/10) and 1/1 Superfractor parallels.

Joining them among the rare finds will be a Nintendo Game Boy-inspired 8-bit look at 10 characters in the Game On set, which checks in at one in 1,200 and 3,600 packs but with more parallels -- Blue (/99), Purple (/50), Green (/25), Yellow (/10), Teal (/5) and 1/1 Superfractors. There also will be Iconics inserts for 20 names with similar odds -- one in 1,300 and one in 3,900 -- as well as Y2K cards that are a nod to the 2000 Topps Chrome Pokemon set. These are one in 735 and one in 2,205 packs with a few parallels -- Spectra (/25), Sparkle (/10), Tekno (/5) and 1/1 Superfractor.

The easiest inserts previously mentioned include Sketch To Screen -- parallels there include VF Green (/99), Gold (/50), Orange (/25), Black (/10), Red (/5) and 1/1 Superfractors -- and Entrepreneur Elf cards that showcase business notables and have both regular (same parallels as Sketch set) and autographed cards. Among the signers here? Arianna Huffington, Ryan Serhant, Daymond John, Christina Tosi, Bobbi Brown, Gary Vaynerchuk, Mike Cessario, Stephen Ross, Bethenny Frankel, Steven Bartlett, Dana White, Kevin Hart and Michael Rubin.

Another rarer hit in this one will be sketch cards from "artists, pop culture icons, athletes, VeeFriends community members and more." Among those? Vaynerchuk, AJ & Big Justice, AlexMDC, King Saladeen and a number of familiar names for fans of sketch cards.

Pre-orders for Topps VeeFriends Chrome 2025 have been so strong that Blowout has set up a dedicated support email for this one -- please email veefriends@blowoutcards.com for all things related to VeeFriends for more info or with your questions.

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