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Topps NFL Living Set Brings Back the 1956 Look With Artist Josh Trout
Topps has introduced Josh Trout as the inaugural artist for NFL Living Set, beginning in September 2026 with the 1956 Topps design. In a September 9 interview, the company puts the person making the artwork at the center of the launch. For football collectors, the appeal is a recognizable vintage visual language applied to a new collection, not a rediscovered box of original 1956 cards.
The Artist Is Part of the Release Story
The Topps interview with Josh Trout establishes the new role and the design reference. Trout has made Topps Baseball sketch cards since 2019 and Star Wars sketch cards since 2022. He describes a mixed-media process using materials including markers, colored pencils, airbrush, watercolor and acrylic paint.
That background gives this launch a different hook from a box preview built around the biggest autograph. An artist-led collection encourages people to look at composition, expression and style as well as the athlete's name. A collector can be interested in how a player is depicted without needing to treat each card as a future resale candidate.
Topps' choice of the 1956 look also makes the edition distinction important. A new card using an older design belongs to the new release. It does not inherit the age, original production context or sales history of a vintage card that inspired it.
An Art Collection Can Have a Different Checklist
There are several coherent ways to approach a release like this. You might follow one team, select favorite players, or build a small group that shows an artist's treatment of different subjects. None requires collecting every item simply because the series carries the words Living Set.
Before ordering, read the specific card's sales page. Check the player, card number, edition, ordering window and fulfillment information. The artist profile introduces the collection, but it does not replace those product-level details.
We are not treating the interview as evidence for a print run, a resale value or a universal order deadline. Those would need their own verified listings. A launch story can explain why a collection is interesting without inventing scarcity to make it sound urgent.
Original Artwork and a Printed Card Are Different Objects
The interview discusses the creation of artwork. That does not mean every retail card is a one-of-one hand-drawn original. If a seller uses phrases such as original art, sketch card or artist proof, check exactly what object is being sold and what documentation supports the description.
A standard printed card can be a perfectly good way to enjoy an image. The problem is not choosing a print. It is paying for one type of collectible while believing you are receiving another. Keep the listing, receipt and photographs together so the item's identity remains clear later.
The Vintage Look Should Not Replace Verification
For a graded purchase, our graded-card verification guide explains how to match a card with its label and certification record. The same careful naming habit helps here: year, set, player and card number should agree across the listing and the item.
For collectors who prefer opening packs, our pack buying guide describes a separate marketplace experience. An artist-led card release and a mystery pack are different formats, with different contents and purchase decisions.
The strongest reason to follow this launch is the art. If a design makes you stop and look, it already has a place in the conversation about what makes a card collectible. It does not need an unsupported claim about future value attached to it.
Where to Go From Here
If you want a separate way to explore physical collectibles, the Polkastarter marketplace offers real trading cards and physical videogames through mystery packs, called Lootboxes. Every Lootbox lists its contents, values, and chances before you open. A free mystery pack is available at signup, subject to the current offer's conditions. Check the live listing rather than assuming that a product mentioned in this story is available there.
Facts checked September 10, 2026 as cited. Availability and prices can change. Nothing here is financial or investment advice. Polkastarter is not affiliated with the manufacturers, teams or companies named. Images are editorial illustrations, not official product photographs.
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Iggy is a Web3 content strategist and writer with over 8 years of experience in the crypto space. She spent 4 years at TokenSuite, a leading Web3 marketing agency, where she produced content across 200+ projects including Biconomy and Natix Network, helping teams communicate complex blockchain concepts clearly and build engaged communities at scale.
Beyond agency work, Iggy has independently run content and marketing campaigns for projects like Oppi Wallet and Ta-da, covering everything from editorial and brand positioning to event coverage and video production. She brings genuine hands-on experience to everything she writes.