Market outlook
Rising Outlook 6/10
Recent tracked sales and price-guide data show modest upward movement in the refractor market, and rookie chrome cards often gain traction as the player’s NBA profile develops.[5][6][9]
Next months. Likely to remain liquid with small price swings; gem-mint examples should outperform raw copies if demand stays strong.
Long term. Over 1-3 years, the card should track Kon Knueppel’s on-court development; if he becomes a strong starter or star, graded refractors could appreciate meaningfully, while a plateau in performance would keep prices closer to current levels.
History
Kon Knueppel is a U.S. basketball player and the Charlotte Hornets rookie featured in 2025 Topps Chrome Basketball #254. In modern basketball card collecting, his significance comes from being a top rookie in a flagship chrome product, which typically drives strong hobby demand for base rookies and especially refractors and autographs.[2][3][6][9]
The card first appeared in 2025 Topps Chrome Basketball, released by Topps in 2025 as part of the 2025-26 NBA card cycle; card #254 is the standard rookie base card, with the Refractor variant appearing in the same product run.[3][5][9]
- HobbyScan lists the standard 2025 Topps Chrome #254 Kon Knueppel card as a rookie card for the Charlotte Hornets.[3]
- Sports Card Investor identifies the 2025 Topps Chrome #254 Refractor as an active price-tracked rookie card and reported a last sale of $55.83 on 2026-07-03.[5]
- graded reported 48 graded examples of the standard #254 card in its population report as of early March 2026, with multiple parallel versions also graded.[9]
Rarity and print run
- Tier
- Common
- Print run
- Very High
- First printed in
- 2025 Topps Chrome Basketball
- Demand
- High
- Supply
- High
- Non-serial-numbered chrome parallel
- Part of a mass-produced flagship basketball release
- Multiple copies are available in the market and in grading populations
Collector notes
Condition. Check centering, corner sharpness, edge quality, and surface gloss carefully; chrome refractor cards also show scratches, print lines, and fingerprinting more readily than paper cards. Because this is a common rookie refractor, eye appeal and clean surfaces matter more than minor centering differences for lower-grade copies.[7][9]
Storage. Store in a penny sleeve and rigid top loader or semi-rigid holder, keep away from humidity and heat, and avoid stacking pressure that can scratch the refractor surface. For higher-grade copies, consider immediate submission in a card saver or slab after inspection to preserve surface quality.
Authenticity. Use the official Topps Chrome stock, foil finish, and crisp printing as baseline checks; counterfeit cards often show blurry text, dull chrome effect, incorrect color tones, or poor edge cutting. Compare the card number, team branding, and refractor sheen against verified listings and graded examples, and be cautious with altered or trimmed copies when evaluating raw cards.
Sources: sportscardinvestor.com, hobbyscan.com, sportscardspro.com, bigapplecollects.com, store.nba.com
