How Topps and Kellogg’s 3D Baseball Cards Led To The Creation Of World3D Lenticular Printing

Cereal collectibles hold a nostalgic charm across generations. If you are “of a certain age,” you likely remember finding 3D baseball cards in boxes of Kellogg’s cereal.  These seemingly magical cards were created for Topps trading cards in the 1970’s and early 1980’s. These unique items were more than just a marketing gimmick; they were a cultural phenomenon. They became iconic for their innovative design and the excitement they brought to breakfast tables across America.

Topps, already a leader in the trading card industry at the time, saw an opportunity to combine America’s love for baseball with the everyday ritual of eating cereal. The result was a series of 3D lenticular baseball cards that featured prominent MLB players, making each box of cereal a potential treasure trove. These cards used lenticular printing technology to create a 3D effect. 

For many children, the anticipation of discovering a new card in their cereal box became a morning thrill.  The appeal of these collectibles lay not just in their novelty, but also in their exclusivity. The limited distribution of these cards in cereal boxes made them highly sought after, contributing to their enduring value among collectors. 

Beyond their immediate popularity, 3D baseball cards paved the way for future innovations in collectible items, blending nostalgia with cutting-edge technology.  Today, cereal collectibles like 3D baseball cards are cherished memorabilia.  They represent a simpler time when the mere excitement of finding a special card could brighten a child’s day. They remain a testament to the power of creative marketing and the lasting impact of combining beloved pastimes with everyday products.

Topps, a leader in the collectible trading card industry, is known for producing baseball cards that featured prominent MLB players. Their collaboration with Kellogg’s cereal in the 70’s and 80’s aimed to capitalize on the popularity of both baseball and breakfast cereals among American families during that era. By including rarely before seen 3D cards in cereal boxes, they enhanced the appeal of the product and created a whole new form of collectible that excited consumers.

In creating these cutting edge cards, Topps created a whole new collectible like no other. Whether you are a seasoned collector, or just curious and want to learn more about lenticular and the history of our company, read on to discover the exciting story of how Topps lenticular baseball cards led to the formation of World3D Lenticular Printing.

Lenticular baseball cards utilize lenticular printing techniques to create a special and unique collectible.  Lenticular cards can display one of two different special effects. They can either have images that appear to move or animate when tilted, or they can show depth, or “3D”.   The Topps cards were of this 3D variety. Although the depth that could be created was limited back in the 70’s, the cards still made a lasting impression on the baseball card collectibles market.  But how do lenticular 3D baseball cards work exactly?

The key to lenticular is the “lens” material. The lens is a transparent sheet of plastic with a series of tiny curved strips, or “lenticules.” These lenticules refract light so you can only see specific parts of an image. Printing onto a lenticule is the origin of the term “lenticular printing”.  

The second key element of lenticular is interlacing.  This refers to the art and science of splicing up an image into strips that match up to the lens strips on the sheet.  These days, that is done quickly and easily via custom software.

In the case of 3D lenticular, the lens shows one image to your left eye and a slightly different image to your right eye.  All depth perception comes from the difference between what your two eyes see, and lenticular is no exception.  The magical depth you perceive comes from the fact that the lens is serving slightly different images to each of your two eyes.


The introduction of Topps 3D baseball cards in Kellogg’s cereal boxes marked a successful partnership that tapped into the nostalgia and excitement surrounding baseball and collectible cards during the 1970s. The cards not only boosted cereal sales, but also contributed to the enduring popularity of sports trading cards as a whole. Their distinctive design and limited distribution ensured their lasting legacy among collectors and enthusiasts of vintage baseball memorabilia.

In 1991, a company called Field of Vision created the first line of holographic baseball cards called SilverStar holograms. Inspired by the Topps 3D baseball cards of the 70’s and 80’s, these cards utilized holographic technology instead of lenticular. The result was an eerie, almost ghost-like like full color 3D image. Despite the tiny size of the company compared to the Topps behemoth, SilverStar Holograms took off like a rocket and sold out in days. The collectibles market of the early 1990’s was burning hot, and baseball card enthusiasts couldn’t get enough of this never-before-seen technology. For the next few years, holographic baseball cards were the talk of the collector’s world.

In 1993, however, the entire trading card market collapsed. Too many companies had jumped into the market, flooding collectors with too many choices. The whole market went away, seemingly overnight. The president of Field of Vision packed up his bags and moved back to Ohio. Holographic baseball cards had their day in the sun, but it would take a larger company to carry them forward. To this day, Topps continues to distribute these holographic cards, typically as a special “chase” card that is seeded into the main line of baseball cards. These hologram cards often become the most collected card in a set.

In the early 90’s, as SilverStar Holograms was at the height of its success, a young executive at the company was fielding calls from people around the country who were not interested in buying baseball cards, but were instead interested in using the same technology as a marketing tool. When the market for trading cards collapsed, the idea formed to create a company that provided the power of these holographic technologies to companies for marketing purposes.

In 1993, that young executive started a new company, World Holographics. The mission of World Holographics was to bring 3D and motion technologies to the advertising and promotions world. For several years, the company offered only holographic technology to ad agencies and promotional marketers for use in their marketing efforts. Over time, however, the lenticular technology that had been so successful for Topps and Kellogg’s, developed and advanced. Computer technology helped enhance the interlacing process, and lens manufacturing increased the quality and depth of possibilities. This advancement in lenticular technology led World Holographics to begin offering the more impactful and impressive lenticular printing.

In the late 90’s, World Holographics dropped holography from its offering and its name, and became World3D Lenticular Printing.

Although the Topps Kellogg’s 3D lenticular baseball cards from the 1970s were innovative for their time, World3D has helped current-day lenticular technology advance significantly with improvements in printing techniques and materials. Here are some key differences and advancements:

Resolution and Image Quality: Modern lenticular printing allows for higher-resolution images and smoother transitions between frames, creating animation that allows the image to tell a story. 3D lenticular cards are more realistic and less prone to visual artifacts than older lenticular cards.

Color Depth and Range: Today’s lenticular cards can display a wider range of colors and shades, making the images more vibrant and lifelike.

Motion and Animation: While older lenticular cards typically showed a simple flip or morph effect between only a couple of frames, modern lenticular technology can create complex animations and even simulate video-like effects by using more frames per sequence.

All of these advancements, compared with the Topps/Kellogg’s 3D trading cards of the past, allow lenticular to be a marketing tool like no other. Here are some ways that it can excel:

Enhanced Engagement: The 3D and motion effects of lenticular cards attract attention and increase engagement among consumers. This is particularly effective in environments like retail displays or promotional events where standing out is crucial.

Memorability: The interactive nature of lenticular cards makes them more memorable compared to traditional print media. This increases brand recall and reinforces marketing messages effectively.

Storytelling and Brand Messaging: Lenticular cards can tell a story or convey a brand message dynamically through visual effects. This storytelling capability can captivate audiences and leave a lasting impression.

Collectability and Shareability: Like their Topps 3D predecessors, modern lenticular cards retain the collectible appeal that encourages repeated interactions with a brand. They can also be easily shared on social media platforms, amplifying their reach and impact.

Since its humble beginnings with Topps 3D baseball cards, lenticular printing technology has undergone significant advancements. Initially limited by the manual process of interlacing and lens manufacturing, today’s lenticular printing benefits from sophisticated computer software and high-precision printing equipment. These technological innovations have revolutionized the capabilities of lenticular prints, enabling not only sharper and more vibrant visuals but also complex animations and 3D effects that are shockingly vivid and deep.

Overall, while the Topps Kellogg’s 3D lenticular baseball cards were pioneering in their time, today’s lenticular technology has evolved significantly to offer more sophisticated visual effects and interactive capabilities. This evolution has cemented lenticular printing as a powerful tool in modern marketing strategies, leveraging its ability to captivate and engage audiences in ways that traditional media cannot.

While World3D has moved decades past its original origins in the lenticular baseball card market of the early 90’s, occasionally clients still look to us to create a collectible trading card. In 2023, Steel Wool Games approached us to help them create a collectible trading card for their Five Nights at Freddy’s video game series. These cards were so well received and highly collected, they sold on the secondary market for upwards of $500 each! This just goes to show that even decades later, lenticular not only continues to be a cutting-edge marketing tool but can also still be used to create high perceived value. If a trading card can be worth $500, just imagine what lenticular can convey for your product or brand.

For nearly 50 years, baseball card manufacturers have leveraged lenticular printing technology to create eye-catching collectible cards. However, lenticular has advanced far beyond the market of young adult collectibles. It is now widely used to produce marketing materials, including point of sale (POS) displays, brochures, postcards, trade show displays, merchandise, and much much more.

Would you like to discover how you can dazzle your target audiences with lenticular cards? At World3D, we have over 30 years of experience producing lenticular printing! Whether you have a large or small project, we can make your vision a reality. Contact us today to learn more about our lenticular printing services.