Happy Hobby – DavidGonos.com https://davidgonos.com Smarter Sports Cards, Real-World Budgets! Sun, 04 Oct 2026 23:45:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.5 https://davidgonos.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ms-icon-310x310-1-100x100.png Happy Hobby – DavidGonos.com https://davidgonos.com 32 32 Ranking the 6 Best 2026 Topps Update Rookie Cards To Chase – +1 Bonus Guy! https://davidgonos.com/best-2026-topps-update-rookie-cards/ https://davidgonos.com/best-2026-topps-update-rookie-cards/#respond Mon, 21 Sep 2026 08:00:46 +0000 https://davidgonos.com/?p=37016 As the MLB year comes to a close, we rank the 6 Best 2026 Topps Update Rookie Cards to fill out your collection nicely!

The post Ranking the 6 Best 2026 Topps Update Rookie Cards To Chase – +1 Bonus Guy! first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> The baseball season is wrapping up, playoff races are coming down to the wire, and 2026 Topps Update Series is less than a month away (October 14, 2026!).

The final Topps flagship release of the year gives us 85 new rookie cards to chase after plus rookie debut cards from our favorite players from Series 1 and Series 2.

For those of you who passed on preordering a hobby box or a blaster and prefer to purchase singles, here is the list you have been waiting for!

We present the 6 Best 2026 Topps Update Rookie cards — plus one wildcard — to chase!

As a part of the eBay Partner Network, our site makes a commission if you buy through our links. Thank you!

6 Best 2026 Topps Update Rookie Cards

Rankings reflect a combination of age, position and stats, and the Top 5 are fairly uncontested for once, though the specific order could be swapped based on your favorite team.

1. Kevin McGonigle, SS/3B, Detroit Tigers, Age 22

  • Card No. US7 – View prices on ebay once product is released!

What’s not to like about the rookie with the highest WAR of 6.7, with 17 homers and 65 RBI, while playing a premier infield position?

2. JJ Wetherholt, 2B/SS, St Louis Cardinals, Age 24

  • Card No. US50 – View prices on eBay!

The only thing stopping JJ from being No. 1 on this list is the fact he is two years older than McGonigle, and he lost time late in the season due to injury.

The future looks bright again for the Cardinals!

3. Konnor Griffin, SS, Pittsburgh Pirates, Age 20

  • Card No. US1 – View prices on eBay!

When the Pirates owner opens his checkbook and gives out a huge contract, you know he is going to be great!

Injuries derailed his season a bit, but don’t be surprised if K.G. eventually surpasses the top 2 on this list.

4. Carson Benge, OF, New York Mets, Age 23

  • Card No. US3 – View prices on eBay!

Benge may have been the one bright light to give Mets fans hope after a disastrous season. His 18 HRs are the most so far of all the rookie cards in this 2026 Topps Update release, which bodes well for his value.

5. Travis Bazzana, 2B, Cleveland Guardians, Age 24

  • Card No. US75 – View prices on eBay!

The 2024 No. 1 overall pick is one of the main reasons the Guardians are in the thick of the playoff hunt despite losing their top player for most of the season.

Travis Bazzana, Best 2026 Topps Update Rookie Cards

6. TJ Rumfield, 1B, Colorado Rockies, Age 26

  • Card No. US157 – View prices on eBay!

Rumfeld hits for average and power and not just in Colorado. The only thing hurting his value is his age and position, as first basemen just don’t excite collectors as much as sluggers at other positions.

Wildcard Pick: Justin Crawford, OF, Philadelphia Phillies, Age 22

Crawford’s MLB numbers are a bit weak compared to others on this list, but his tool makeup, top position and his future playoff exposure make the son of former All-Star Carl Crawford an ideal sleeper chase candidate! Consider picking up a cheap parallel or numbered rookie card before he breaks out.

Some other wild “card” candidates to consider picking up include:

  • US11 Owen Caissie Miami Marlins
  • US63 Andrew Painter Philadelphia Phillies
  • US106 Joe Mack Miami Marlins
  • US301 Sam Antonacci Chicago White Sox

Compare some of these young fellas against our list of the Best Baseball Rookie Cards Ever!

Let us know who you think has a chance to break out in coming seasons! Who are among your best 2026 Topps Update rookie cards that we might not have mentioned?

The post Ranking the 6 Best 2026 Topps Update Rookie Cards To Chase – +1 Bonus Guy! first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> https://davidgonos.com/best-2026-topps-update-rookie-cards/feed/ 0 Top 50 Junk Wax Football Cards Everyone Needs! https://davidgonos.com/best-junk-wax-football-cards/ https://davidgonos.com/best-junk-wax-football-cards/#respond Tue, 08 Sep 2026 06:15:49 +0000 https://davidgonos.com/?p=36992 Collecting the best Junk Wax Football Cards is a great way to connect to your childhood for a relatively small price, compared to ridiculous modern day prices!

The post Top 50 Junk Wax Football Cards Everyone Needs! first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> When David asked me to put together a list of the best junk wax football cards from the ’80s and ’90s (after already tackling the top 101 junk wax baseball cards), I thought it was a great idea!

First off, it’s that time of year when visions of the gridiron begin dancing in our heads.

Also, when he suggested a Top 50 for football (baseball was Top 101), I thought it would be fun and easy as pie to come up with 50 legendary junk wax football cards.

I was right! This was a blast to put together, and it was not all that difficult to come up with, so the list almost fell into place.

As you likely know, we love rookie cards! That’s why we listed the Best NFL Rookie Cards Ever here, but the list below is primarily from just the Junk Wax Era. While many of these cards do happen to be rookie cards, there are actually several non-rookie cards that made the list, too!

Most of the sports card links on this page will take you to eBay. That means I will get a commission on the sales from this page. Thank you for supporting the website!

Top 50 Junk Wax Football Cards!

A couple of quick notes, I used the same “junk wax era” years as for baseball: 1981-1995. Also, I considered using the USFL Topps sets, but quickly dismissed this idea, as I think they may be just a bit too niche for the list. Anyway, please enjoy, and let us know where you agree and disagree. Thanks, and most importantly, enjoy football season!

David Gonos shares his thoughts in the italicized notes below!

1. 1981 Topps #216 Joe Montana RC

Essentially the king of the ’80s football era, as the Decade’s Greatest Quarterback on the Greatest Team of the ’80s, Montana’s cards rank among the most expensive on this list, though. His rookie card is one of the earliest on this list, also, barely being ranked in the “junk wax” timeline.

Best Football Rookie Cards 1981 Topps Joe Montana

2. 1989 Score #257 Barry Sanders RC

Possibly the most exciting player to watch of this era, Barry had all the talent and highlights, but no championship trophies to go with it. Plus, his truncated career made his playing days stand up in a way his counterparts didn’t (see late careers Emmitt Smith and Thurman Thomas).

3. 1984 Topps #63 John Elway RC

Going from being a three-time Super Bowl loser to a back-to-back Super Bowl champion to finish out his career, this guy is better remembered after his career, I feel, than during.

Best Football Rookie Cards

4. 1984 Topps #123 Dan Marino RC

Breaking the touchdown passes in a season record in his sophomore season had us feeling different about him than his late career fizzle under Jimmy Johnson. Either way, Dan the Man is still considered one of the greatest pure passers the game has ever seen — and this 1984 Topps Football set ranks among the best football card sets ever!

5. 1986 Topps #161 Jerry Rice RC

Best Football Rookie Cards

6. 1990 Score Supplemental #101T Emmitt Smith RC

Like Emmitt Smith rookie cards? Then this list is for you!

7. 1982 Topps #434 Lawrence Taylor RC

Our first (but not last) defensive player on this list — and L.T. lands inside the top 10!

8. 1986 Topps #374 Steve Young (first Topps NFL card) RC

Young’s USFL card goes for a pretty penny, which makes it tough to call anything that expensive “junk”! (Granted, Montana’s RC is expensive, too, but you get our point!)

9. 1984 Topps #280 Eric Dickerson RC

A 2,000-yard rusher with stellar career stats and a big personality, Dickerson never seemed to get the same fanfare as Marcus Allen or Tony Dorsett.

10. 1988 Topps #327 Bo Jackson RC

I was so happy to see Bo land inside the top-10 on this list. Amazingly, he’s the only guy on both the baseball and football lists. (He was just top-15 in baseball, though.)

11. 1983 Topps #294 Marcus Allen RC
12. 1982 Topps #486 Ronnie Lott RC
13. 1986 Topps #275 Reggie White RC
14. 1989 Topps Traded #83T Barry Sanders RC
15. 1990 Topps Traded #27T Emmitt Smith RC
16. 1989 Score #270 Troy Aikman RC

17. 1990 Fleer Update #U40 Emmitt Smith RC
18. 1985 Topps #251 Warren Moon RC
19. 1989 Score #246 Deion Sanders RC
20. 1983 Topps #38 Mike Singletary RC
21. 1989 Score #18 Michael Irvin RC
22. 1989 Score #211 Thurman Thomas RC
23. 1986 Topps #389 Bruce Smith RC
24. 1987 Topps #362 Jim Kelly (first Topps NFL card) RC
25. 1983 Topps #33 Jim McMahon RC
26. 1987 Topps #296 Randall Cunningham RC
27. 1981 Topps #150 Kellen Winslow RC
28. 1989 Score #258 Derrick Thomas RC
29. 1987 Topps #264 Herschel Walker (first Topps NFL card) RC
30. 1989 Pro Set #494 Barry Sanders RC

I present to you, one of the most beautiful sports cards ever created!

31. 1992 Stadium Club #683 Brett Favre RC

Not gonna lie, I was a little upset Favre’s 1991 Upper Deck misspelled card wasn’t in this spot! To be fair, this was his first card in a pro uniform and a Packers uniform. 

32. 1984 Topps #111 Howie Long RC
33. 1989 Score #78 Rod Woodson RC
34. 1984 Topps # 353 Roger Craig RC
35. 1981 Topps #194 Art Monk RC
36. 1989 Score #72 Cris Carter RC
37. 1986 Topps #388 Andre Reed RC
38. 1985 Topps #33 Walter Payton

The first non-rookie card on the list — and it happens to be one of Payton’s final cards, coming in the year of the Bears’ Super Bowl win!

39. 1990 Action Packed Rookie Update #34 Emmitt Smith RC

That’s right — my man has FOUR cards listed among the top 5o best junk wax football cards! That leads everyone on this list and Emmitt’s not even a quarterback!

40. 1989 Topps Traded #70T Troy Aikman RC
41. 1984 Topps #380 Darrell Green RC
42. 1989 Topps Traded #30T Deion Sanders RC
43. 1994 Upper Deck SP #3 Marshall Faulk RC
44. 1986 Topps #255 Boomer Esiason RC
45. 1986 Topps #20 William “The Refrigerator” Perry RC

Any Bears fan worth his weight in bratwursts must have a card of The Fridge in his collection.

46. 1986 Topps #187 Bernie Kosar RC
47. 1982 Topps #51 Anthony Munoz RC
48. 1987 Topps #45 Doug Flutie (first Topps card)
49. 1988 Topps #144 Brian Bosworth RC

I love that this card made the list!

50. 1989 Topps #27 Ickey Woods RC

One of the most fun players to watch from back in the ’80s, every kid worth his trading cards was doing the “Ickey Shuffle” after scoring a touchdown in the sand lot next door. It’s one of my favorite “Cards That Make Us Happy!”

Some cards I was sad to see not make Scott’s list of the Best Junk Wax Football Cards includes the 1987 Topps Vinnie Testaverde RC card (just because I’m a Bucs fan!), the 1989 Topps Cris Carter RC (his Score made it, so I’m good with that) and the 1990 Topps Junior Seau RC.

Don’t forget to check out:

How many of the best junk wax football cards did you own? Which ones are you getting ready to buy after seeing this list!?!

The post Top 50 Junk Wax Football Cards Everyone Needs! first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> https://davidgonos.com/best-junk-wax-football-cards/feed/ 0 Best MLB Rookie Cards From Each Year! https://davidgonos.com/who-are-the-best-rookies-from-each-topps-baseball-set/ https://davidgonos.com/who-are-the-best-rookies-from-each-topps-baseball-set/#respond Sat, 05 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000 http://davidgonos.com/?p=15999 Looking for the best Topps baseball cards from each set, each year? It's a common question from sports card collectors, new and old, so we listed the best rookie cards to get in each Topps Baseball card set?

The post Best MLB Rookie Cards From Each Year! first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> Finding the best Topps baseball rookie cards from each year is one of the most useful things a collector can do. Whether you’re new to the hobby, a Comeback Collector, or have been collecting for years, it helps to know which rookie cards matter most from each Topps flagship set, including Series 1, Series 2, and Topps Update.

That’s why I put this list together. I wanted one place where collectors could quickly see the best rookie cards from each year, going all the way back to 1941 (I’ll eventually go farther back!). I also wanted to track which Baseball Hall of Famers and other key players had their Topps rookie cards in which years, so I could greatly improve my own baseball card collection!

This page will be updated over time as players rise, fall, or prove more/less important than we first thought. The newest seasons will usually have more rookie cards on the list, since we’re still waiting to see which players turn into long-term stars.

A quick note: This list only includes Topps flagship cards, not Topps Archives, Topps Heritage, or other sets. If you want more rookie card guides, I also have separate articles for the best Topps Chrome rookie cards since 1996 and the best 1st Bowman cards for the top MLB prospects. You can also find many of these rookie cards listed here among MLB.com’s Top 100 Baseball Players Right Now list.

Some of the sports card links on this page go to eBay, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase. If you do, I really appreciate your support of the site. And if you just read the article and don’t buy anything, thank you for being here anyway.

Best Baseball Rookie Cards By Year

Card images provided by BuySportsCards.com. Cards in bold indicate one of the three best rookie cards from that year.

Best Baseball Rookie Cards From 1940s

While there were many great rookie cards from before the 1940s (pre-war cards), this is a good starting point, as Jacob Bowman started at Play Ball cards before going on to create Bowman Gum Company. Several legendary ballplayers had rookie cards from this decade, but many lost MLB playing time because they were in the military during World War II.

The sizes, designs and formats are all over the place during this decade, and getting cards in great condition can be difficult and expensive. 

Quick Links: 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s

Best 1941 Play Ball Rookie Cards

Pee Wee Reese (HOF) – 54 – View on eBay!

Best 1948 Bowman Rookie Cards

Just a legendary set, with rookie cards of some of the best nicknamed ballplayers from the first half of the 20th century (Scooter, Stan the Man, Red, and Yogi are just a few!)

Ralph Kiner (HOF) – 3 – Check current eBay prices!
Yogi Berra (HOF) – 6 – Check current eBay prices!
Phil Rizzuto (HOF) – 8 – Check current eBay prices!
Warren Spahn (HOF) – 18 – Check current eBay prices!
Stan Musial (HOF) – 36 – Check current eBay prices!
Red Schoendienst (HOF) – 38 – Check current eBay prices!
Bobby Thomson – 47 – Check current eBay prices!

Best 1948 Leaf Baseball Rookie Cards

Interestingly, the 1948 Leaf cards were actually distributed in 1949! That makes Bowman the better 1948 set to own, but this Leaf set is still an iconic one.

Stan Musial (HOF) – 4 – Check current eBay prices!
Satchel Paige (HOF) – 8 – Check current eBay prices!
Phil Rizzuto (HOF) – 11 – Check current eBay prices!
Warren Spahn (HOF) – 32 – Check current eBay prices!
Ted Kluszewski – 38 – Check current eBay prices!
Jackie Robinson (HOF) – 39 – Check current eBay prices!
Ralph Kiner (HOF) – 91 – Check current eBay prices!
Hal Newhouser (HOF) – 98 – Check current eBay prices!
George Kell (HOF) – 120 – Check current eBay prices!
Johnny Pesky – 121 – Check current eBay prices!
Larry Doby – 138 – Check current eBay prices!

Best 1949 Bowman Baseball Rookie Cards

While this set doesn’t have the great rookies from 1948, two of the greatest Dodgers in history came along in the 1949 Bowman set, with the debuts of Campanella and Snider.

George Kell (HOF) – 26 – Check current eBay prices!
Robin Roberts (HOF) – 46 – Check current eBay prices!
Roy Campanella (HOF) – 84 – Check current eBay prices!
Gil Hodges – 100 – Check current eBay prices!
Early Wynn (HOF) – 110 – Check current eBay prices!
Richie Ashburn (HOF) – 214 – Check current eBay prices!
Duke Snider (HOF) – 226 – Check current eBay prices!
Bob Lemon (HOF) – 238 – Check current eBay prices!

Best Baseball Rookie Cards From 1950s

This was the decade when baseball card collecting really took off with Baby Boomers, turning people like Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays into world famous athletes. Early on, Bowman ruled the hobby, but Topps would eventually overtake them as collectors’ favorites, and Topps would go on to buy out Bowman in 1956. 

Remember also, there were just 16 MLB teams in 12 cities in the Northeast and Midwest until the end of this decade when the Dodgers and Giants moved to California.

Quick Links: 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s

1950 Bowman Baseball Rookie Cards

Don Newcombe – 23 – Check current eBay prices!

Best 1951 Bowman Baseball Rookie Cards

Whitey Ford (HOF) – 1 – Check current eBay prices!
Joe Garagiola – 122 – Check current eBay prices!
Monte Irvin (HOF) – 198 – Check current eBay prices!
Nellie Fox (HOF) – 232 – Check current eBay prices!
Mickey Mantle (HOF) – 253 – Check current eBay prices!
Willie Mays (HOF) – 305 – Check current eBay prices!

1952 Bowman Rookie Baseball Cards

Minnie Minoso (HOF) – 5 – Check current eBay prices!
Lew Burdette – 244 – Check current eBay prices!

Best 1952 Topps Rookies Cards

Mickey Mantle – 311 (Not technically his rookie card, but it is viewed so by many) – Check current eBay prices!
Billy Martin – 175 – Check current eBay prices!
Minnie Minoso (HOF) – 195 – Check current eBay prices!
Ralph Houk – 200 – Check current eBay prices!
Willie Mays (HOF) – 261 (Not technically his rookie card, but it is viewed so by many) – Check current eBay prices!
Hoyt Wilhelm (HOF) – 392 – Check current eBay prices!
Dick Williams (HOF) – 396 – Check current eBay prices!
Eddie Matthews (HOF) – 406 – Check current eBay prices!

Best 1953 Topps Rookies Cards

Jim Gilliam – 258 – View on eBay!
Johnny Podres – 263 – View on eBay!

Best 1954 Topps Rookies Cards

Ernie Banks (HOF) – 94 – Check current eBay prices!
Hank Aaron (HOF) – 128 – Check current eBay prices!
Tommy LaSorda (HOF) – 132 – Check current eBay prices!
Al Kaline (HOF) – 201 – Check current eBay prices!
Bill Skowron – 239 – Check current eBay prices!

1954 Topps Ernie Banks RC

Best 1955 Topps Rookies Cards

Don Zimmer – 92 – View on eBay!
Sandy Koufax (HOF) – 123 –Check current eBay prices!
Harmon Killebrew (HOF) – 124 –Check current eBay prices!
Roberto Clemente (HOF) – 164 –Check current eBay prices!

Best Rookie Cards From 1956 Topps Baseball

Walt Alston (HOF) – 8 – Check current eBay prices!
Luis Aparicio (HOF) – 292 – Check current eBay prices!

We listed the 10 Most Valuable 1956 Topps Baseball Cards here!

Best 1957 Topps Rookies Cards

Don Drysdale (HOF) – 18 – Check current eBay prices!
Bill Mazeroski (HOF) – 24 – Check current eBay prices!
Whitey Herzog (HOF) – 29 – Check current eBay prices!
Frank Robinson (HOF) – 35 –Check current eBay prices!
Clete Boyer – 121 – Check current eBay prices!
Rocky Colavito – 212 – Check current eBay prices!
Bobby Richardson – 286 – Check current eBay prices!
Tony Kubek – 312 – Check current eBay prices!
Brooks Robinson (HOF) – 328 –Check current eBay prices!
Jim Bunning (HOF) – 338 – Check current eBay prices!

Best 1958 Topps Rookies Cards

Something cool about this set is that the most valuable rookie card isn’t of a Hall-of-Fame player! Everyone wants the first card of non-HOFer Roger Maris, who would go on to break Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record with the Yankees in 1961.

Johnny Roseboro – 42 – Check current eBay prices!
Roger Maris – 47 –Check current eBay prices!
Orlando Cepeda (HOF) – 343 –Check current eBay prices!
Vada Pinson – 420 –Check current eBay prices!
Curt Flood – 464 – Check current eBay prices!

Best 1959 Topps Rookies Cards

MLB Commissioner Ford Frick (HOF) – 1 –Check current eBay prices!
Sparky Anderson (HOF) – 338 – Check current eBay prices!
Norm Cash – 509 –Check current eBay prices!
Bob Gibson (HOF) – 514 –Check current eBay prices!

Best Baseball Rookie Cards From 1960s

Topps continued as the lone licensed card producer through the ’60s, as far as cards that came in packs with gum. Fleer tried to test that in 1963, but failed, as their cards-with-cookies gameplan was not a great one.

Legendary players like Carl Yastrzemski, Willie Stargell, Nolan Ryan and Pete Rose would bridge vintage cards and the junk wax era.

Quick Links: 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s

Best 1960 Topps Rookies Cards

Here’s my piece on the Top 10 Best Baseball Cards From 1960 Topps Baseball to collect!

Frank Howard – 132 – Check current eBay prices!
Jim Kaat (HOF) – 136 –Check current eBay prices!
Carl Yastrzemski (HOF) – 148 –Check current eBay prices!
Willie McCovey (HOF) – 316 –Check current eBay prices!

Best Rookie Cards From 1960 Topps Baseball
Carl Yastrzemski, 1960 Topps Baseball Rookie Card

Best 1961 Topps Rookies Cards

Ron Santo (HOF) – 35 –Check current eBay prices!
Billy Williams (HOF) – 141 –Check current eBay prices!
Juan Marichal (HOF) – 417 –Check current eBay prices!

Best Rookie Cards From 1962 Topps Baseball

Boog Powell – 99 – Check current eBay prices!
Tim McCarver – 167 – Check current eBay prices!
Gaylord Perry (HOF) – 199 – Check current eBay prices!
Jim Fregosi – 209 – Check current eBay prices!
Lou Brock (HOF) – 387 – Check current eBay prices!
Joe Torre (HOF) – 218 – Check current eBay prices!
Jim Bouton (multi-RC) – 592 – Check current eBay prices!
Bob Uecker (multi-RC) – 594 – Check current eBay prices!
Sam McDowell – 591 – Check current eBay prices!
Joe Pepitone – 596 – Check current eBay prices!

Best 1963 Topps Rookies Cards

Tony Oliva (HOF) (multi-RC) – 228 – Check current eBay prices!
Pete Rose (multi-RC) – 537 – Check current eBay prices!
Rusty Staub (multi-RC) – 544 – Check current eBay prices!
Willie Stargell (HOF) (multi-RC) – 553 – Check current eBay prices!

Best 1964 Topps Rookies Cards

Mickey Lolich – 128 – View on eBay!
Tommy John (dual RC) – 146 – View on eBay!
Lou Piniella (multi-RC) – 167 – View on eBay!
Richie Allen (HOF) – 243 – View on eBay!
Tony La Russa (HOF) – 244 – View on eBay!
Tony Conigliaro (dual RC) – 287 – View on eBay!
Phil Niekro (dual RC) (HOF) – 541 – View on eBay!

Best 1965 Topps Rookies Cards

Joe Morgan (dual RC) (HOF) – 16 – View on eBay!
Luis Tiant – 145 – View on eBay!
Denny McClain – 236 – View on eBay!
Steve Carlton (dual RC) (HOF) – 477 – View on eBay!
Jim “Catfish” Hunter (multi-RC) (HOF) – 526 – View on eBay!
Tony Perez (multi-RC) (HOF) – 581 – View on eBay!

Best 1966 Topps Rookies Cards

Jim Palmer (HOF) – 126 – View on eBay!
Fergie Jenkins (dual RC) (HOF) – 254 – View on eBay!
Don Sutton (dual RC) (HOF) – 288 – View on eBay!

Best 1967 Topps Rookies Cards

Rod Carew (dual RC) (HOF) – 569 – View on eBay!
Tom Seaver (dual RC) (HOF) – 581 – View on eBay!

Best 1968 Topps Rookies Cards

Nolan Ryan (dual RC) (HOF) – 177 – View on eBay!
Johnny Bench (dual RC) (HOF) – 247 – View on eBay!
Hal McCrae (dual RC) – 384 – View on eBay!

Best 1969 Topps Rookies Cards

Bobby Cox (HOF) – 237 – View on eBay!
Reggie Jackson (HOF) – 260 – View on eBay!
Rollie Fingers (multi-RC) (HOF) – 597 – View on eBay!
Bobby Bonds – 630 – View on eBay!

best rookie cards
1969 Topps Reggie Jackson RC

Best Baseball Rookie Cards From 1970s

Topps continued with their stranglehold on the industry through the ’70s, but this would be their last decade of lone dominance.

Quick Links: 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s

Best 1970 Topps Rookies Cards

Thurman Munson (dual RC) – 189 – View on eBay!
Vida Blue/Gene Tenace (dual RC) – 21 – View on eBay!
Bill Buckner (dual RC) – 286 – View on eBay!
Bill Russell – 304 – View on eBay!
Larry Bowa (dual RC) – 539 – View on eBay!
Oscar Gamble (multi-RC) – 654 – View on eBay!

Best 1971 Topps Rookies Cards

Dave Concepcion – 14 – View on eBay!
Bert Blyleven (HOF) – 26 – View on eBay!
Ted Simmons (HOF) – 117 – View on eBay!
George Foster (dual RC) – 276 – View on eBay!
Steve Garvey – 341 – View on eBay!
Greg Luzinski (dual RC) – 439 – View on eBay!
Bill Buckner (multi-RC) – 529 – View on eBay!
Dusty Baker (multi-RC) – 709 – View on eBay!

Best 1972 Topps Rookies Cards

Carlton Fisk (multi-RC) – 79 – View on eBay!
Ron Cey (multi-RC) – 761 – View on eBay!

Best 1973 Topps Rookies Cards

Rich “Goose” Gossage (HOF) – 174 – View on eBay!
Mike Schmidt (multi-RC) (HOF) – 615 – View on eBay!

Best 1974 Topps Rookies Cards

Mike Schmidt (first solo card) (HOF) – 283 – View on eBay!
Dave Winfield (HOF) – 456 – View on eBay!
Ken Griffey – 598 – View on eBay!
Bucky Dent – 528 – View on eBay!
Dave Parker (HOF) – 252 – View on eBay!

Best Rookie Cards From 1975 Topps Baseball

George Brett (HOF) No. 228 – View on eBay!
Robin Yount (HOF) No. 223 – View on eBay!
Jim Rice (HOF, multi-RC) No. 616 – View on eBay!
Gary Carter (HOF, multi-RC) No. 620 – View on eBay!
Fred Lynn (multi-RC) No. 622 – View on eBay!
Keith Hernandez (multi-RC) No. 623 – View on eBay!

Best 1976 Topps Rookies Cards

Dennis Eckersley (HOF) – 98 – View on eBay!
Willie Randolph (multi-RC) – 592 – View on eBay!
Ron Guidry (multi-RC) – 599 – View on eBay!

Best 1977 Topps Rookies Cards

Bruce Sutter (HOF) – 144 – View on eBay!
Mark Fydrich – 265 – View on eBay!
Andre Dawson (multi-RC) (HOF) – 473 – View on eBay!
Dale Murphy (multi-RC) – 476 – View on eBay!
Dennis Martinez (multi-RC) – 491 – View on eBay!

Best 1978 Topps Rookies Cards

Eddie Murray (HOF) – 36 – View on eBay!
Jack Morris (multi-RC) (HOF) – 703 – View on eBay!
Lou Whitaker (multi-RC) – 704 – View on eBay!
Paul Molitor / Alan Trammell (multi-RC) (HOF) – 707 – View on eBay!

best rookie cards
1978 Topps Eddie Murray RC

We listed the 10 Most Valuable 1978 Topps Baseball Cards here!

Best 1979 Topps Rookies Cards

Ozzie Smith (HOF) – 116 – View on eBay!

Best Baseball Rookie Cards From 1980s

Move over Topps — Donruss, Fleer, Upper Deck and others finally broke up the MLB card license monopoly in the ’80s.

Quick Links: 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s

Best 1980 Topps Rookies Cards

Rickey Henderson (HOF) – 482 – View on eBay!

You can read my “9 Amazing Facts About the 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson Rookie Card” here!

Best 1981 Topps Rookies Cards

Series 1:
Joe Charbonneau – 13 – View on eBay!
Mike Scioscia / Fernando Valenzuela (multi-RC) – 302 – View on eBay!
Kirk Gibson – 315 – View on eBay!
Harold Baines (HOF) – 347 – View on eBay!
Tim Raines (multi-RC) (HOF) – 479 – View on eBay!

Traded:
Danny Ainge – 727 – View on eBay!
Tim Raines (solo rookie card) (HOF) – 816 – View on eBay!
Fernando Valenzuela (solo rookie card) – 850 – View on eBay!

Best 1981 Fleer Baseball Rookie Cards

Fernando Valenzuela – 140 – View on eBay!
Harold Baines (HOF) – 346 – View on eBay!
Kirk Gibson – 481 – View on eBay!

Best 1981 Donruss Baseball Rookie Cards

Tim Raines (HOF) – 538 – View on eBay!

Best 1982 Topps Rookies Cards

Cal Ripken Jr. (multi-RC) (HOF) – 21 – View on eBay!
Jorge Bell (George Bell) – 254 – View on eBay!
Lee Smith (HOF) – 452 – View on eBay!

Traded:
Cal Ripken Jr. (solo rookie card) (HOF) – 98T – View on eBay!
Kent Hrbek – 44T – View on eBay!
Steve Sax – 103T – View on eBay!

Best 1983 Topps Rookies Cards

(View single wax pack of 1983 Topps pricing on eBay!)
Ryne Sandberg (HOF) – 83 – View on eBay!
Tony Gwynn (HOF) – 482 – View on eBay!
Wade Boggs (HOF) – 498 – View on eBay!

Traded:
Darryl Strawberry – 108T – View on eBay!

1983 Topps Ryne Sandberg RC

Best 1984 Topps Rookies Cards

(View single wax pack of 1984 Topps pricing on eBay!)
Don Mattingly – 8 – View on eBay!
Darryl Strawberry – 182 – View on eBay!

Traded:
Dwight Gooden – 42T – View on eBay!

Best Rookie Cards From 1985 Topps Baseball

(View single wax pack of 1985 Topps pricing on eBay!)
Dwight Gooden Record Breaker – 3 – View on eBay!
Dwight Gooden – 620 – View on eBay!
Roger Clemens – 181 – View on eBay!
Orel Hershiser – 493 – View on eBay!
Kirby Puckett (HOF) – 536 – View on eBay!
Mark McGwire (Team USA) – 401 – View on eBay!
Eric Davis – 627 – View on eBay!

Best 1986 Topps Rookies Cards

(View single wax pack of 1986 Topps pricing on eBay!)
Len Dykstra – 53 – View on eBay!
Ozzie Guillen – 254 – View on eBay!
Cecil Fielder – 386 – View on eBay!

Traded:
Barry Bonds – 11T – View on eBay!
Andres Galarraga – 40T – View on eBay!
Bo Jackson – 50T – View on eBay!
Jose Canseco – 20T – View on eBay!
Will Clark – 24T – View on eBay!

Best 1987 Topps Rookies Cards

(View single wax pack of 1987 Topps pricing on eBay!)
Barry Bonds – 320 – View on eBay!
Bo Jackson Future Stars – 170 – View on eBay!
Mark McGwire (first in A’s uniform) – 366 – View on eBay!

Traded:
Greg Maddux (HOF) – 70T – View on eBay!
Fred McGriff (HOF) – 74T – View on eBay!

Best 1988 Topps Rookies Cards

(View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Tom Glavine (HOF) – 779 – View on eBay!

Traded:
Roberto Alomar (HOF) – 4T – View on eBay!
Tino Martinez (Team USA) – 66T – View on eBay!

Best 1989 Topps Rookies Cards

(View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Craig Biggio (HOF) – 49 – View on eBay!
John Smoltz (HOF) – 382 – View on eBay!
Randy Johnson (HOF) – 647 – View on eBay!

Here’s a bonus rookie card not from Topps, but essential to any collection:
1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. – 1 – View on eBay!

1989 Topps Traded:
Ken Griffey Jr. (HOF) – 41T – View on eBay!
Randy Johnson (HOF) (first Mariners card)- 57T – View on eBay!

Best Baseball Rookie Cards From 1990s

Deep into the “Junk Wax Era” now, the ’90s represented another shift in card manufacturing, forcing companies to create premium products.

Quick Links: 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s

Best 1990 Topps Rookies Cards

(View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Ken Griffey Jr. (HOF) – 336 – View on eBay!
Frank Thomas (HOF) – 414 – View on eBay!
Sammy Sosa – 692 – View on eBay!
Larry Walker (HOF) – 757 – View on eBay!
Bernie Williams – 701 – View on eBay!

Best 1991 Topps Rookies Cards

(View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Chipper Jones (HOF) – 333 – View on eBay!

Traded:
Ivan Rodriguez (HOF) – 101T – View on eBay!
Jeff Bagwell (HOF) – 4T – View on eBay!
Jason Giambi (Team USA) – 45T – View on eBay!
Luis Gonzalez – 48T – View on eBay!

Best Rookie Cards From 1992 Topps

(View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Manny Ramirez – 156 – View on eBay!
Shawn Green – 276 – View on eBay!
Kenny Lofton – 69 – View on eBay!
Mike Mussina (HOF) – 242 – View on eBay!
Jim Thome (HOF) – 768 – View on eBay!

Traded:
Nomar Garciaparra – 39T – View on eBay!
Jason Varitek – 123T – View on eBay!

Best 1993 Topps Rookies Cards

Series 1: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Derek Jeter (HOF) – 98 – View on eBay!
Jason Kendall – 334 – View on eBay!

Here’s another essential non-Topps rookie card for every collection:
1993 Upper Deck SP Derek Jeter – 279 – View on eBay!

Series 2:
Jim Edmonds – 799 – View on eBay!
Mike Piazza (HOF) /Carlos Delgado (multi-RC) – 701 – View on eBay!

Traded:
Todd Helton (HOF Class of 2024!) – 19T – View on eBay!

best rookie cards
1993 Topps Derek Jeter RC

Best 1994 Topps Rookies Cards

Series 1: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Derek Jeter (multi-RC) (HOF) – 158 – View on eBay!
Billy Wagner (HOF) – 209 – View on eBay!

Traded:
Paul Konerko – 139 – View on eBay!

One more essential rookie card for baseball card collectors:
1994 Upper Deck SP Alex Rodriguez – 15 – View on eBay!

Best 1995 Topps Rookies Cards

Series 1:

Series 2:

Traded:
Carlos Beltran UER – 18T – View on eBay!
Mariano Rivera (dual RC) (HOF) – 130T – View on eBay!

Best 1996 Topps Rookies Cards

Not really much to write home about from the 1996 Topps rookie card group.

Best 1997 Topps Rookies Cards

Series 1:
Lance Berkman (dual RC) – 246 – View on eBay!’
Mariano Rivera (first solo card) (HOF) -256 – View on eBay!
David Ortiz (HOF) (multi-RC) – 257 – View on eBay!

Series 2:

Best 1998 Topps Rookies Cards

Series 1:
Adrian Beltre (HOF) / Aaron Boone (multi-RC) – 254 – View on eBay!
Kerry Wood (multi-RC) – 256 – View on eBay!
Roy Halladay (multi-RC) (HOF) – 264 – View on eBay!

Series 2:
Alex Rodriguez (first Topps card!) – 504 – View on eBay!
(Shout-out to viewer Edward Williams for sharing this!)

Best 1999 Topps Rookies Cards

Series 1:
Kerry Wood (first solo RC) – 20 – View on eBay!
Miguel Tejada – 352 – View on eBay!

Series 2:
John Rocker (multi-RC) – 429 – View on eBay!
Vernon Wells (multi-RC) – 436 – View on eBay!
Matt Holliday (multi-RC) – 442 – View on eBay!

Topps Traded:
CC Sabathia (HOF) – T33 – View on eBay!

Best Baseball Rookie Cards From 2000s

Baseball card collecting started to wane at this point, as superstars from the ’80s aged out, ’80s kids became parents, and other sports began to get more attention.

Quick Links: 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s

Best 2000 Topps Rookie Cards

Series 1:

Series 2:
Josh Hamilton (dual RC) – 449 – View on eBay!
Barry Zito / Ben Sheets (dual RC) – 451 – View on eBay!

Traded:
Brandon Phillips – T3 – View on eBay!
Alex Gordon – T21 – View on eBay!
Juan Pierre – T34 – View on eBay!
Francisco Rodriguez – T38 – View on eBay!
Miguel Cabrera – T40 – View on eBay!
Michael Young – T46 – View on eBay!
Adrian Gonzalez – T81 – View on eBay!

Best 2001 Topps Rookie Cards

Series 1:
Travis Hafner (multi-RC) – 371 – View on eBay!

Series 2:
Ichiro Suzuki (HOF) – 726 – View on eBay!
Jake Peavy – 728 – View on eBay!
Edwin Encarnacion (multi-RC) – 746 – View on eBay!

Traded:
Ichiro Suzuki / Albert Pujols (dual RC) – T99 – View on eBay!
Justin Morneau – T235 – View on eBay!
Jose Reyes – T242 – View on eBay!
Albert Pujols – T247 – View on eBay!

2001 Topps Ichiro Suzuki RC

Best 2002 Topps Rookie Cards

Series 1:
Jason Bay – 326 – View on eBay!

Series 2:
Joe Mauer (HOF Class of 2024!) – 622 – View on eBay!

Traded:
Mark Teixeira – T169 – View on eBay!
Jose Bautista – T180 – View on eBay!
Mark Prior – T231 – View on eBay!
Dontrelle Willis – T262 – View on eBay!

Best 2003 Topps Rookie Cards

Series 1:
Cliff Lee – 304 – View on eBay!
Alex Rios – 307 – View on eBay!
Kevin Youkilis – 311 – View on eBay!
Carl Crawford – 325 – View on eBay!

Series 2:
Cole Hamels – 671 – View on eBay!
Chase Utley (dual RC) – 682 – View on eBay!

Traded:
Adam Wainwright – T159 – View on eBay!
Hanley Ramirez – T181 – View on eBay!
Robinson Cano – T200 – View on eBay!

Best Rookie Cards From 2004 Topps Baseball

Series 1:
Yadier Molina – 324 – View on eBay!
Zack Greinke – 330 – View on eBay!

Series 2:

Traded:
Felix Hernandez – T144 – View on eBay!

Best 2005 Topps Rookie Cards

Series 1:
Ian Kinsler – 302 – View on eBay!
David Wright (dual RC) – 330 – View on eBay!

Series 2:
Billy Butler – 668 – View on eBay!
Justin Verlander – 677 – View on eBay!
Ryan Howard (dual RC) – 689 – View on eBay!

Updates and Highlights:
Nelson Cruz – UH206 – View on eBay!
Russell Martin – UH234 – View on eBay!
Matt Kemp – UH284 – View on eBay!
Carlos Gonzalez – UH298 – View on eBay!
Ryan Braun – UH313 – View on eBay!
Jacoby Ellsbury – UH317 – View on eBay!
Ryan Zimmerman – UH323 – View on eBay!
Andrew McCutchen – UH329 – View on eBay!

Best 2006 Topps Rookie Cards

Series 1:

Series 2:

Updates and Highlights:
Jon Lester – UH149 – View on eBay!

Best 2007 Topps Rookie Cards

Series 1:

Series 2:
Daisuke Matsuzaka – 630 – View on eBay!

Updates and Highlights:
Carlos Gomez – UH155 – View on eBay!
Tim Lincecum – UH158 – View on eBay!
Justin Upton – UH327 – View on eBay!

Best 2008 Topps Rookie Cards

Series 1:
Joey Votto – 319 – View on eBay!

Series 2:
Johnny Cueto – 476 – View on eBay!

Traded:
Evan Longoria – UH10 – View on eBay!
Jay Bruce – UH100 – View on eBay!
Chris Davis – UH231 – View on eBay!
Clayton Kershaw – UH240 – View on eBay!
Max Scherzer – UH280 – View on eBay!

Best 2009 Topps Rookie Cards

Series 1:
David Price – 35 – View on eBay!

Series 2:
Elvis Andrus – 591 – View on eBay!

Updates and Highlights:

Best Baseball Rookie Cards From 2010s

This decade started off with a bang, specifically in the 2011 Topps Update series, as a new age of superstars came up.

Quick Links: 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s

Best 2010 Topps Rookies Cards

Series 1:
Buster Posey – 2 – View on eBay!
Madison Bumgarner – 105 – View on eBay!
Michael Brantley – 270 – View on eBay!

Series 2:
Jason Heyward – 353 – View on eBay!

Update:
Mike Stanton (Giancarlo Stanton) – US50 – View on eBay!
Kenley Jansen – US114 – View on eBay!
Josh Donaldson – US172 – View on eBay!
Carlos Santana – US330 – View on eBay!

Best Rookie Cards From 2011 Topps Baseball

Series 1:
Mark Trumbo – 57 – View on eBay!
Chris Sale – 65 – View on eBay!
Aroldis Chapman – 110 – View on eBay!
Freddie Freeman – 145 – View on eBay!

Series 2:
Michael Pineda – 595 – View on eBay!
Brandon Belt – 605 – View on eBay!

Update:
Paul Goldschmidt – US47 – View on eBay!
Anthony Rizzo – US55 – View on eBay!
Jose Altuve – US132 – View on eBay!
Eric Hosmer – US155 – View on eBay!
Mike Trout – US175 – View on eBay!
J.D. Martinez – US186 – View on eBay!
Mike Moustakas – US192 – View on eBay!
D.J. LeMahieu – US205 – View on eBay!
Charlie Blackmon – US231 – View on eBay!
Brandon Crawford – US234 – View on eBay!
Kyle Seager – US308 – View on eBay!
Dee Gordon – US329 – View on eBay!

2011 Topps Mike Trout RC

Best 2012 Topps Rookies Cards

Series 1:

Series 2:
Yoenis Cespedes – 396 – View on eBay!
Nathan Eovaldi – 405 – View on eBay!
Yu Darvish – 660 – View on eBay!
Bryce Harper – 661 (short print) – View on eBay!

Update:
Patrick Corbin – US-16 – View on eBay!
Matt Harvey – US-23 – View on eBay!
Yasmani Grandal – US-104 – View on eBay!
Starling Marte – US-109 – View on eBay!
Bryce Harper – US-183 (true RC) – View on eBay!
Dallas Keuchel – US-188 – View on eBay!

Best 2013 Topps Rookies Cards

Series 1:
Manny Machado – 270 – View on eBay!

Series 2:
Jose Fernandez – 589 – View on eBay!

Update:
Anthony Rendon – US-8 – View on eBay!
Gerritt Cole – US-150 – View on eBay!
Marcell Ozuna – US-279 – View on eBay!
Yasiel Puig – US-250 – View on eBay!
Nolan Arenado – US-259 – View on eBay!
Marcell Ozuna – US-270 – View on eBay!
Christian Yelich – US-290 – View on eBay!
Kevin Gausman – US-274 – View on eBay!
Sonny Gray – US-277 – View on eBay!
Zack Wheeler – US-50 – View on eBay!

Best 2014 Topps Rookies Cards

Series 1:
Xander Bogaerts – 133 – View on eBay!
Nick Castellanos – 195 – View on eBay!

Series 2:
Jose Ramirez – 424 – View on eBay!
Marcus Semien – 429 – View on eBay!
Jose Abreu – 496 – View on eBay!
Masahiro Tanaka – 661 – View on eBay!

Update:
George Springer – US-10 – View on eBay!
Mookie Betts – US-26 – View on eBay!
Jacob deGrom – US-50 – View on eBay!
Eugenio Suarez – US-96 – View on eBay!
Marcus Stroman – US-197 – View on eBay!
Kevin Kiermaier – US-253 – View on eBay!
Robbie Ray – US-284 – View on eBay!

Best 2015 Topps Rookies Cards

Series 1:
Jorge Soler – 108 – View on eBay!
Joc Pederson – 192 – View on eBay!
Javier Baez – 315 – View on eBay!

Series 2:
Christian Walker – 549 – View on eBay!
Kris Bryant – 616 – View on eBay!

Update:
Carlos Correa – US174 – View on eBay!
Noah Syndergaard – US157 – View on eBay!
Byron Buxton – US25 – View on eBay!
Francisco Lindor – US82 – View on eBay!
J.T Realmuto – US398 – View on eBay!
Carlos Rodon – US324 – View on eBay!
Joey Gallo – US103 – View on eBay!

Best 2016 Topps Rookies Cards

Series 1:
Miguel Sano – 78 – View on eBay!
Corey Seager – 85 – View on eBay!
Kyle Schwarber – 66 – View on eBay!
Michael Conforto – 232 – View on eBay!
Trea Turner – 103 – View on eBay!
Ketel Marte – 73 – View on eBay!

Series 2:
Gary Sanchez – 675 – View on eBay!

Update:
Blake Snell – US67 – View on eBay!
Brandon Nimmo – US74 – View on eBay!
Edwin Diaz – US214 – View on eBay!
Trevor Story – US226 – View on eBay!
Willson Contreras – US266 – View on eBay!

Best 2017 Topps Rookies Cards

Series 1: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Dansby Swanson – 87 – View on eBay!
Aaron Judge – 287 – View on eBay!
Alex Bregman – 341 – View on eBay!
Tyler Glasnow – 349 – View on eBay!

Series 2: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Matt Olson – 476 – View on eBay!

Update: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Matt Chapman – US4 – View on eBay!
Cody Bellinger – US50 – View on eBay!
Jordan Montgomery – US91 – View on eBay!
Luis Castillo – US139 – View on eBay!
Yandy Díaz – US151 – View on eBay!

Best Rookie Cards From 2018 Topps Baseball

Series 1: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Rafael Devers – 18 – View on eBay!
Walker Buehler – 177 – View on eBay!
Rhys Hoskins – 259 – View on eBay!
Max Fried – 316 – View on eBay!

Series 2: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Sandy Alcantara – 594 – View on eBay!
Ronald Acuna Jr. – 698 – Bat Down SP – View on eBay!
Gleyber Torres – 699 SP – View on eBay!
Shohei Ohtani – 700 – View on eBay!

Update: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Shane Bieber – US198 – View on eBay!
Gleyber Torres – US200 (true RC) – View on eBay!
Ronald Acuna Jr. – US250 (true RC) – View on eBay!
Juan Soto – US300 – View on eBay!

Best 2019 Topps Rookies Cards

Series 1: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Kyle Tucker – 60 – View on eBay!
Pablo López – 51 – View on eBay!
Jeff McNeil – 281 – View on eBay!
Brandon Lowe – 114 – View on eBay!
Adolis Garcia – 227 – View on eBay!
Corbin Burnes – 94 – View on eBay!
Cedric Mullins – 318 – View on eBay!

Series 2: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Framber Valdez – 376 – View on eBay!
Fernando Tatis Jr. – 410 – View on eBay!
Pete Alonso – 475 – View on eBay!
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (No # short print) – View on eBay!

Update: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – US1 – View on eBay!
Josh Naylor – US43 – View on eBay!
Bryan Reynolds – US51 – View on eBay!
Austin Riley – US100 – View on eBay!
Will Smith – US199 – View on eBay!
Mike Yastrzemski – US245 – View on eBay!
Luis Arraez – US247 – View on eBay!

Best Baseball Rookie Cards From 2020s

The pandemic card-collecting boom brought in tons of new collectors and totally rejuvenated a hobby that started heating up already in the late 2010s.

Quick Links: 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s

Best 2020 Topps Rookies Cards

Series 1: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Bo Bichette – 78 – View on eBay!
Zac Gallen – 207 – View on eBay!
Randy Arozarena – 229 – View on eBay!
Yordan Alvarez – 276 – View on eBay!
Sean Murphy – 317 – View on eBay!
Dylan Cease – 326 – View on eBay!

Series 2: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Luis Robert – 392 – View on eBay!
Logan Webb – 514 View on eBay!

Update: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Devin Williams – U113 – View on eBay!

Best 2021 Topps Rookies Cards

Series 1: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Isaac Paredes – 65 – View on eBay!
Tarik Skubal – 92 – View on eBay!
Alec Bohm – 277 – View on eBay!
Joey Bart – 128 – View on eBay!
Ryan Mountcastle – 143 – View on eBay

Series 2: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
William Contreras – 390 – View on eBay!
Ke’Bryan Hayes – 644 – View on eBay!
Jazz Chisholm – 538 – View on eBay!

Update: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Jonathan India – US286 – View on eBay!

Best 2022 Topps Rookies Cards

2022 Topps Series 1: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Cal Raleigh – 277 – View on eBay!

2022 Topps Series 2: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Joe Ryan – 390 – View on eBay!
Spencer Strider – 509 – View on eBay!
Oneil Cruz – 537 – View on eBay!
Spencer Torkelson – 658 SP – View on eBay!
Julio Rodriguez – 659 SP – View on eBay!
Bobby Witt Jr. – 660 SP – View on eBay!

2022 Topps Update: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Spencer Torkelson – US20 – View on eBay!
C.J. Abrams – US34 – View on eBay!
Julio Rodriguez – US44 – View on eBay!
Bobby Witt Jr. – US100 – View on eBay!
Royce Lewis – US105 – View on eBay!
Hunter Greene – US160 – View on eBay!
George Kirby – US207 – View on eBay!
Jeremy Pena – US253 – View on eBay!
Seiya Suzuki – US250 – View on eBay!
Steven Kwan – US261 – View on eBay!
Nick Lodolo – US298 – View on eBay!

2022 Topps Julio Rodriguez RC

Best 2023 Topps Rookies Cards

2023 Topps Series 1: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Riley Greene – 31 – View on eBay!
Brett Baty – 89 – View on eBay!
Hunter Brown – 111 – View on eBay!
Gunnar Henderson – 206 – View on eBay!
Michael Harris II – 226 – View on eBay!
Adley Rutschman – 250 – View on eBay!

2023 Topps Series 2: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Kodai Senga – 362 – View on eBay!
Logan O’Hoppe – 363 – View on eBay!
Max Meyer – 388 – View on eBay!
Corbin Carroll – 401 – View on eBay!
Anthony Volpe – 460 – View on eBay!
Josh Jung – 529 – View on eBay!
Ezequiel Tovar – 651 – View on eBay!
Francisco Alvarez – 644 – View on eBay!

2023 Topps Update Best Rookie Cards: (View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
Tanner Bibee – US168 – View on eBay!
Bryce Miller – US178 – View on eBay!
Mason Miller – US15 – View on eBay!
Zach Neto – US98 – View on eBay!
Eury Perez – US139 – View on eBay!
Grayson Rodriguez – US50 – View on eBay!

Best 2024 Topps Rookies Cards

2024 Topps Series 1:
(View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
(View JUMBO box pricing on eBay, with 1 guaranteed auto!)

Here’s my article on the 5 Best Rookies To Target From 2024 Topps Series 1 Baseball!
Endy Rodriguez – 3 – View on eBay!
Nolan Schanuel – 53 – View on eBay!
Jasson Dominguez – 60 – View on eBay!
Sal Frelick – 76 – View on eBay!
Curtis Mead – 82 – View on eBay!
Elly De La Cruz – 141 – View on eBay!
Zack Gelof – 166 – View on eBay!
Christian Encarnacion-Strand – 219 – View on eBay!
Ronny Mauricio – 224 – View on eBay!
Marco Luciano – 232 – View on eBay!
Colton Cowser – 257 – View on eBay!
Evan Carter – 280 – View on eBay!
Henry Davis – 295 – View on eBay!

2024 Topps Series 2:
(View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
(View JUMBO box pricing on eBay, with 1 guaranteed auto!)

Here’s my article on the 11 Best Rookie Cards From 2024 Topps Series 2 Baseball!
Heston Kjerstad – 394 – View on eBay!
Pete Crow-Armstrong – 407 – View on eBay!
Shota Imanaga – 442 – View on eBay!
Jordan Lawlar – 451 – View on eBay!
Masyn Winn – 480 – View on eBay!
Noelvi Marte – 548 – View on eBay!
Yoshinobu Yamamoto – 553 – View on eBay!
Junior Caminero – 628 – View on eBay!
Kyle Harrison – 667 – View on eBay!
Wilyer Abreu – 672 – View on eBay!
Jung Hoo-Lee – 691 – View on eBay!
SP – Jackson Chourio – 698 SP – View on eBay!
SP – Jackson Merrill – 699 SP – View on eBay!
SP – Wyatt Langford – 700 SP – View on eBay!

2024 Topps Update:
View hobby box pricing on eBay!

View JUMBO box pricing on eBay!

Here’s my article on the 11 Best Rookie Cards From 2024 Topps Update!
Jonatan Clase – US35 – View on eBay!
Jared Jones – US49 – View on eBay!
Jackson Holliday – US50 – View on eBay!
Colt Keith – US73 – View on eBay!
Paul Skenes – US100 – View on eBay!
Wyatt Langford – US151 – View on eBay!
Jack Leiter – US156 – View on eBay!
Jackson Merrill – US210 – View on eBay!
Andy Pages – US221 – View on eBay!
Jackson Chourio – US240 – View on eBay!
Kyle Manzardo – US262 – View on eBay!

Also, we looked at all the rookies from the three Topps flagship series from 2024 together as a whole to rank the 15 Best 2024 Topps Rookie Cards: RC Power Rankings!

Best Rookie Cards from 2024 Topps - Paul Skenes

Best 2025 Topps Rookies Cards

2025 Topps Series 1:
(View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
(View JUMBO box pricing on eBay, with 1 guaranteed auto!)

Here’s my article on the 15 Best Rookies From 2025 Topps Series 1 Baseball!
Orelvis Martinez – 18 – View on eBay!
Coby Mayo – 20 – View on eBay!
Jhonkensy Noel Card No. 24 – View on eBay!
Dylan Crews – 74 – View on eBay!
Jace Jung – 80 – View on eBay!
Spencer Schwellenbach – 103 – View on eBay!
Connor Norby – 132 – View on eBay!
James Wood – 181 – View on eBay!
Rhett Lowder – 205 – View on eBay!
Rece Hinds – 217 – View on eBay!
Adrian Del Castillo – 226 – View on eBay!
Justyn-Henry Malloy – 269 – View on eBay!
Jacob Wilson – 314 – View on eBay!
Brooks Lee – 317 – View on eBay!
Ben Rice – 337 – View on eBay!

2025 Topps Series 2:
(View hobby box pricing on eBay!)  
(View JUMBO box pricing on eBay, with 1 guaranteed auto!)

Roki Sasaki – 558 – View on eBay!
Luisangel Acuña – 524 – View on eBay!
Kevin Alcántara – 578 – View on eBay!
Jackson Jobe – 490 – View on eBay!
Thomas Saggese – 463 – View on eBay! 
Hyeseong Kim –  573 – View on eBay!
Kumar Rocker – 408 – View on eBay!
Griffin Conine – 447 – View on eBay!

2025 Topps Update — Release Date Oct. 29, 2025
(View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
(View JUMBO box pricing on eBay, with 1 guaranteed auto!)

Here’s my article on the 15 Best Rookies From 2025 Topps Update Baseball!
Kristian Campbell – US1 – View on eBay!
Agustín Ramírez – US11 – View on eBay!
Luke Keaschall – US16 – View on eBay!
Dalton Rushing – US38 – View on eBay!
Drake Baldwin – US87 – View on eBay!
Marcelo Mayer – US105 – View on eBay!
Robert Hassell III – US109 – View on eBay!
Mick Abel – US127 – View on eBay!
Cade Horton – US140 – View on eBay!
Caleb Durbin – US170 – View on eBay!
Daylen Lile – US172 – View on eBay!
Matt Shaw – US200 – View on eBay!
Nick Kurtz – US201 – View on eBay!
Max Muncy – US250 – View on eBay!
Moisés Ballesteros – US262 – View on eBay!
Chandler Simpson – US277 – View on eBay!
Cam Smith – US298 – View on eBay!

Best 2026 Topps Rookies Cards

2026 Topps Series 1 — Release Date Feb. 11, 2026
(View hobby box pricing on eBay!)
(View JUMBO box pricing on eBay, with 1 guaranteed auto!)

Here’s my article on the 13 Best Rookies From 2025 Topps Series 1 Baseball!

Jacob Misiorowski – 10 – View on eBay!
Payton Tolle – 15 – View on eBay!
Carson Williams – 25 – View on eBay!
Samuel Basallo – 104 – View on eBay!
Cam Schlittler – 111 – View on eBay!
Cole Young – 129 – View on eBay!
Jac Caglianone – 138 – View on eBay!
Colson Montgomery – 157 – View on eBay!
Roman Anthony – 189 – View on eBay!
Kyle Teel – 201 – View on eBay!
Nolan McLean – 214 – View on eBay!
Bubba Chandler – 283 – View on eBay!
Chase Burns – 312 – View on eBay!
Jhostynxon Garcia – 316 – View on eBay!

2026 Topps Series 2 — Here’s my article on the Best Rookie Cards From Series 2!

Sal Stewart — 372 — View on eBay!
Bryce Eldridge — 406 — View on eBay!
Kazuma Okamoto — 443 — View on eBay!
Chase DeLauter — 458 — View on eBay!
Connelly Early — 501 — View on eBay!
Munetaka Murakami – 503 — View on eBay!
Tatsuya Imai — 513 — View on eBay!
Carter Jensen – 530 — View on eBay!
Brandon Sproat — 534 — View on eBay!
George Valera — 603 — View on eBay!
Trey Yesavage — 620 — View on eBay!
Harry Ford — 659 — View on eBay!

Quick Links: 1940-49 | 1950-59 | 1960-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-09 | 2010-19 | 2020-

More Baseball:

Best Basketball Rookie Cards | Best Football Rookie Cards | Best Hockey Rookie Cards

As I mentioned at the start of this article, this is going to be an often updated page. Some rookie cards will be removed as players decline in value to their baseball team, and some rookie cards will be added as they bloom later than we expected. Either way, feel free to comment below and share some of the players you think are the best baseball rookie cards by year from each Topps baseball set.

The post Best MLB Rookie Cards From Each Year! first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> https://davidgonos.com/who-are-the-best-rookies-from-each-topps-baseball-set/feed/ 0 65 Tips For New Card Collectors (and Veterans!) https://davidgonos.com/tips-for-new-card-collectors/ https://davidgonos.com/tips-for-new-card-collectors/#respond Mon, 24 Aug 2026 08:00:16 +0000 https://davidgonos.com/?p=36623 We created these tips for new card collectors hoping to save them both time and money in this hobby, which can be pretty difficult to understand at times.

The post 65 Tips For New Card Collectors (and Veterans!) first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> Sometimes, we forget that there are new card collectors every single day. Can you imagine stepping into this sports card collecting hobby right now? Or even stepping back into it after not collecting baseball cards for a couple decades? Things are crazy!

We wanted to do a quick hit list of tips for new card collectors that will at least get them started on their way. In reality, experience in buying cards you like (and finding out which cards you don’t like), is part of growing as a sports card collector. But my hope is that this list of tips for new card collectors will at least be able to save some money!

Here we go…

65 Tips For New Card Collectors!

1. Inserts aren’t as cool as you’d think. Short prints are big deals, but you have to figure out that they are short prints (image variations, design variation, etc.)

2. Collect Hall of Famers, Rookie Cards, Superstars, and All-Stars in that order.

3. Rookie cards, autos or numbered cards of players from big market teams often have higher values because more people try to collect them.

4. An error card doesn’t automatically make it valuable — it’s erroneous to think any other way.

5. Chromium cards are generally more sought after than paper cards — we’re talking about Topps Chrome in baseball, Panini Prizm Silver or Holo cards in football and basketball. Patrick Imhoff will tell us the hockey Chromium equivalent in the comments!

6. Get into auctions that end at weird times, like Wednesday morning at 9am.

7. Getting a card graded equal to the decade is generally a good thing. ‘50s = 5, ‘60s =6, 80s = 8, etc.

8. Think of Vintage cards as blue-chip stocks and ultra-modern cards as penny stocks — not that they’re worth less, just that they’re incredibly volatile. If Nolan Ryan needs TJS, it won’t affect his cards and Frank Robinson isn’t going to get arrested for sexual assault.

9. Buying raw vintage cards on eBay can be troublesome because many people trim or alter older cards. Think about buying graded instead — even if it’s a lower grade, at least you know it’s authentic and not trimmed.

10. Collecting Future HOF is smart.

11. Collecting Current HOF is even smarter.

12. Age makes a big difference in baseball prospect collectability. One rookie might be 4 years older than another rookie — so they have four fewer years to accumulate counting stats that might get them into in the HOF.

13. Pitchers aren’t that collectable.

14. Catchers are often less collectable than pitchers. (Look at the top catchers right now: William Contreras, Adley and Will Smith under $5 combined!

15. There are thick sleeves and thick top loaders for thick cards — and you can send thick cards in for grading in a thick top loader, you don’t have to squeeze into a card saver.

16. PSA 8 modern cards are generally similar in value as raw cards.

17. PSA 10 modern cards used to be worth much more, but there are so many cards out there now, you can get most cards cheaper than a few years ago.

18. A major miscut is more of a novelty than a valuable card. — for instance, look at this card Chris Goff asked me about — not always valuable unless a major card.

Tips For New Card Collectors

19. Scarcity sometimes trumps everything. A 1/1 is one of a kind, don’t worry about getting it graded if you’re trying to sell it.

20. Joining a break can be fun and exhilarating, but your chances of making your money back are pretty low.

21. Buying wax (packs or boxes of cards) can be fun and exhilarating, but your chances of making your money back are pretty low.

22. Buying singles can be boring, but at least you get the cards you want.

23. Die-cut cards are cool, but difficult to get good grades on because of all the corners!

24. Low-Numbered rookie parallels and autographed rookie cards are generally what everyone is seeking.

25. If you ever ship cards to someone, always secure them with either a toploader and blue tape across the top (not scotch tape) or a cardsaver with cardboard support.

26. Buy the best grade for the oldest card of the player you like. If you can’t afford their rookie card, check out some of the best 2nd-year baseball cards ever.

27. Cards with players in their college jerseys are worth less than the same player in his pro jersey.

28. Panini’s flagship product is Prizm, which are the true rookie cards for basketball and football, but Prizm Draft Picks are college cards, as is Bowman U from Topps.

29. Breakers often must buy product they don’t want, so they can keep buying the product they do want. You don’t have to, though.

30. Rookie Patch Auto is what everyone wants for rookie cards. RPA – The 3 main features!

31. PSA 10 cards are generally worth 3 to 4x more than PSA 9s.

32. Defense is not very collectable: Pitchers, Shot blockers, Sack artists, Goaltenders. Collectors don’t want low scores.

33. Unlicensed cards aren’t as good as licensed. But if you want autos for your PC, you can get great deals on unlicensed cards.

34. Silver Prizm and Holo are the same things, and the way you know the cards from Prizm, Optic, Select and Mosaic are Silvers is that on the back, it will say Prizm in a spot where it doesn’t say it on other cards.

35. Grades below 4 can often mean there is a tear, crease or mark on the card.

36. 1st Bowman cards of stars are big deals — most other base Bowman cards are not — except if they are rookie cards of international signees.

37. You can find the 1st Bowman cards (AKA Bowman 1st cards) for the Top 100 MLB Prospects.

38. Graded card rankings in resale value: 1-PSA, 2-SGC, 3-Beckett, 4-CGC, everything else.

39. Beckett is not the top-shelf company you once remembered it as.

40. CGC grading company is mostly a big deal for TCG cards because they also grade comic books, coins and currency.

41. If you have trouble putting cards in sleeves, snip the top corner of a sleeve to make it easier.

42. There are cheap, medium and premium cards for each sport.

43. SGC grades 9.5, but PSA doesn’t — which means an SGC 9.5 could either be a PSA 9 or a PSA 10.

44. Rookie Debut cards aren’t as cool/valuable as true rookie cards.

45. Grading is based on CCES: Centering, Corners, Edges and Surface

46. Your cards from the ’80s and ’90s are probably not in the condition you think they are. If they aren’t already in top-loaders, then they definitely aren’t in great condition.

47. Your cards from the ’80s and ’90s are probably not as valuable as you think they are.

48. It can be difficult to get rid of commons in a way you feel good about. Find a young collector, and make his day with free cards — but don’t stick around to see his disappointment that you didn’t give him all Luka and Shohei rookie cards.

49. SGC has built a great reputation as the best at grading vintage cards, so buying vintage SGC is a great thing.

50. You don’t have to buy things everyone else wants. There are advantages to buying less popular players, grades or sets, including lower prices and more availability.

51. There are many, many, many different products released in each sport, throughout the year. Try some to figure out what you like, but try not to buy everything.

52. Help a young collector appreciate putting complete sets together and you will save him a lot of money in his lifetime.

53. Sell cards you don’t want as quickly as possible.

54. Rookie cards of players who already changed teams usually lose a little luster compared to RCs of homegrown stars.

55. The only people selling a card for 100% comps are card show dealers, local card shops, or social media sellers. You and I have to pay eBay fees if we sell to consumers, and if we try to sell to a store, we’re not going to get anything above 80% comps, and often quite less than that.

56. Rookie Cards that come out of packs are generally a bigger deal than cards you can buy singularly, like Topps Now, Topps Living or Topps Throwback cards.

57. Sell cards you don’t want to fund cards you do want.

58. Colored cards that match the player’s team jersey are more collectable!

59. Numbered cards that match the player’s jersey number is even more collectable!

60. Auctions usually mean cheaper prices, whereas BIN means more expensive – a convenience tax.

61. Explain to your significant other that your money wasn’t wasted on cards – THESE act as a savings account for when you are desperate for money. UNLESS YOU HAVE NOTHING BUT WANDER FRANCO CARDS.

62. Find every good rookie worth collecting from every year in every sport in these articles:

63. You can’t collect everything. Give yourself time to get some of the things you want. You have the rest of your life — and there are new rookies every single year in every single sport.

64. If I said a tip you didn’t understand, comment below and I’ll expound on it.

65. Read the comments below from my very smart viewers for even more great tips!

I hope these tips for new card collectors help you understand the hobby a little bit better! Please leave some comments below if I can help you out in any other way!

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]]> https://davidgonos.com/tips-for-new-card-collectors/feed/ 0 Ranking the 11 Best 2026 Topps Football Rookie Cards https://davidgonos.com/best-2026-topps-football-rookie-cards/ https://davidgonos.com/best-2026-topps-football-rookie-cards/#respond Sat, 22 Aug 2026 13:28:44 +0000 https://davidgonos.com/?p=36960 Improving your sports card collection while on a budget means you need to pick up the best 2026 Topps football rookie cards when they’re still cheap.

The post Ranking the 11 Best 2026 Topps Football Rookie Cards first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> We’re all still getting used to Fanaticss/Topps having the NFL license again, but grabbing the best 2026 Topps Football rookie cards is a great way to build a better football card collection on a budget.

These rankings are meant to help you both this year, if you are thinking about buying hobby boxes or retail products and selling the hits, and for the future, as you build your awesome football card collection.

Whether you are a new football card collector, a grizzled veteran or a Comeback Collector, you likely know that quarterbacks rule this hobby, more so than any other position in sports. With that in mind, look back over the past few seasons at the top QBs to collect, and you see that there are some middle-round hits and some early round busts. But the entire rookie card class still depends on the quarterback.

Most of the sports card links on this page will take you to eBay. That means I will get a commission on the sales from this page.

11 Best 2026 Topps Football Rookie Cards

Remember that quarterbacks, scarcity and upside usually drive the football card collecting market, but a few elite non-QB playmakers and unique personalities can gain attention, too.

1. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Las Vegas Raiders

What’s not to like here? Heisman winner. National Champion on one of the biggest sleeper teams ever. No. 1 Overall Pick. Great personality matched with top-notch skills, with Tom Brady as an advisor. Yes, please!

2026 Topps Football Fernando Mendoza 301 - Best 2026 Topps Football Rookie Cards

2. Ty Simpson, QB, L.A. Rams

There’s a huge dropoff after Mendoza, but the Rams were excited to grab Simpson in the first round, and he could be Matthew Stafford’s heir apparent in an awesome offense. The upside is great, considering others will likely be clamoring for cards of young wide receivers and Cardinals RB Jeremiyah Love.

2026 Topps Ty Simpson - Best 2026 Topps Football Rookie Cards

3. Carnell Tate, WR, Tennessee Titans

Tate has a chance to develop with sophomore QB Cam Ward in Nashville, which could reap great dividends in a Troy Aikman-Michael Irvin way. Tate combines great speed with high-level route-running, which makes him a target quarterbacks enjoy throwing to.

2026 Topps Football Carnell Tate - Best 2026 Topps Football Rookie Cards

4. Jordyn Tyson, WR, New Orleans Saints

New Saints head coach Kellen Moore is offensive minded, as a former NFL quarterback himself, and Tyson should be second-year QB Tyler Shough’s favorite target. Tyson is hurt to start the season, but don’t underestimate his rookie card’s value in the coming years.

5. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Arizona Cardinals

The problem is we’ve heard about other generational tailback a few too many times in recent years. What we’ve learned is that guys like Saquon Barkley, Ashton Jeanty and Bijan Robinson can be great, but they might need some years under their belt, surrounded by the right teammates, in the right offense, to become hobby favorites.

2026 Topps Jeremiyah Love

6. Makai Lemon, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles moved on from A.J. Brown, but could Lemon become their Amon-Ra St. Brown? A tough guy that finds open space and breaks tackles? The Eagles are perennial contenders, which could mean the USC product should have a high card profile.

7. Jadarian Price, RB, Seattle Seahawks

The guy replacing the Super Bowl MVP on a Super Bowl-winning team is going to get a lot of attention. Thankfully, Price can be explosive, which bodes well for collectors, but he might not be the main back in Seattle in his first year.

8. Carson Beck, QB, Arizona Cardinals

This sleepy-eyed signal-caller heads to the desert to start his pro career after leading pro-style offenses at Georgia and Miami. He’s a big cat that can lead an offense with his arm more than his legs, which portends to a longer NFL career than many dual-threat guys. There’s not a lot keeping him out of the starting lineup in Arizona, and being tied to Marvin Harrison and Love can’t be a bad thing.

9. Kenyon Sadiq, TE, N.Y. Jets

Great rookie tight ends are few and far between, but Sadiq has Kyle Pitts abilities, with Evan Engram speed. It’s tough to buy into a tight end, much less a rookie Jets player, but Sadiq could become an offensive star.

10. Drew Allar, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

If Aaron Rodgers gets hurt (see Jets), the 6-foot-5 Allar might get the call under center in the Steel City. From Penn State to Pittsburgh? He’s a hometown hobby favorite if there ever was one!

11. KC Concepcion, WR, Cleveland Browns

My man can fly, but his skills look more like a deep threat than a high-volume receiver. Plus… Cleveland.

12. Sonny Styles, LB, Washington Commanders

13. Cade Klubnik, QB, N.Y. Jets

14. David Bailey, DE, N.Y. Jets

15. Arvell Reese, LB, N.Y. Giants

Are you ready to buy some 2026 Topps Football boxes in hopes of tracking down some of these great 2026 rookie cards?

If you like adding rookie cards of Hall of Famers and All-Pros over the past seven decades, then check out our post on the Best Football Rookie Cards ever!

Whether you are ripping a jumbo box or some blaster packs, finding any parallels of the 11 Best 2026 Topps Football Rookie Cards is a good thing! Let us know who you think should be ranked higher or lower!

The post Ranking the 11 Best 2026 Topps Football Rookie Cards first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> https://davidgonos.com/best-2026-topps-football-rookie-cards/feed/ 0 9 Amazing Facts About 1982 Topps Cal Ripken Jr. Rookie Card https://davidgonos.com/1982-topps-cal-ripken-jr-rookie-card/ https://davidgonos.com/1982-topps-cal-ripken-jr-rookie-card/#respond Sat, 22 Aug 2026 12:29:03 +0000 https://davidgonos.com/?p=36918 Discover the story behind Cal Ripken Jr.’s 1982 Topps rookie card and how it launched his legendary 2,632-game Iron Man streak.

The post 9 Amazing Facts About 1982 Topps Cal Ripken Jr. Rookie Card first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> Before Cal Ripken Jr. earned the nickname “The Iron Man” by playing in an unmatched 2,632 consecutive games, his legendary streak began with one humble piece of cardboard — the 1982 Topps Baltimore Orioles Future Stars #21.

This true rookie card didn’t just mark the start of Ripken’s career; it became a symbol of endurance and excellence.

As we do, we dive into what makes this card so special, uncover a few fascinating details even longtime collectors might not know, and show exactly why it’s a must-have for any serious baseball card collector.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, as I am a part of the eBay Partner Network and Amazon Associates. If you purchase things through these links, our site receives a commission  — thank you!

9 Amazing Things You Didn’t Know About 1982 Topps Cal Ripken Jr. Rookie Card

You might know a few of these things – and some of these aren’t necessarily just about the piece of cardboard, but we still think these are some pretty great facts!

1. These 3 Guys Never Played Together!

The three fellas on this card (Cal Ripken Jr., SS Bob Bonner and P Jeff Schneider) never played a single MLB game together!

Bonner and Schneider combined to play in 72 big league games — just 2 percent of the 3,001 games that Cal played!

1982 Topps Orioles Future Stars #21 - 9 Amazing Facts You Didn't Know 1982 Topps Cal Ripken Jr. Rookie Card back

1982 Topps Orioles Future Stars – Cal Ripken Jr. Rookie Card #21 – View on eBay!

2. Ripken Starts Cardboard Career as a Third Baseman

The Orioles legend started his amazing career at third base to start the 1982 MLB season, which is how Topps listed him on this rookie card. They listed Bob Bonner as the future star at shortstop in Baltimore, but Ripken ended up moving one spot over to replace aging star Mark Belanger, who had won 8 Gold Gloves at the position.

3. No All-Star Rookie Cup For Ripken!

For whatever reason, Topps didn’t print their famous All-Star Rookie Cup logos on cards from 1979 through 1985. Had they produced them in 1982, Ripken Jr. would have had an All-Star Rookie Cup trophy in both his 1982 AND his 1983 cards, since he was named Topps All-Star Rookie shortstop twice (1981 and 1982).

The only other player to ever be named to TWO Topps All-Star Rookie Teams? Another Orioles slugger: Ryan Mountcastle (2020 and 2021).

Topps All-Star Rookie Cup - 2022 Topps Ryan Mountcastle

2021 Topps Ryan Mountcastle Rookie Card #143 – View on eBay!

4. 1982 Topps Cal Ripken Jr.: The Last Triple-Panel RC For a Looong Time!

After two decades of multi-panel rookie stars/prospects cards, starting back in 1962, Topps inexplicably bailed on this format after Ripken’s 1982 Topps set. They wouldn’t return to that triple-panel format until 1997, with a card featuring prospects Derrek Lee and Paul Konerko, who would go on to become All-Stars.

The years Topps had triple-panel rookie stars started in 1969, and went to 1973, until starting up again from 1979 through 1982. That means Ripken was ONE YEAR away from just having a solo rookie card, like Wade Boggs, Ryne Sandberg and Tony Gwynn had in 1983.

1997 Topps Paul Konerko Derrek Lee 489 - 1982 Topps Cal Ripken Jr. 21
1997 Topps Paul Konerko Derrek Lee RC #489 – View on eBay!

5. Minor Becomes a Major Replacement

Ryan Minor was the man who would eventually be penciled into the lineup in Ripken’s place on Sept. 20, 1998, ending the Hall-of-Famer’s streak at 2,632 games in a row. But Minor, who died after a battle with cancer in 2023, was actually an amazing athlete himself! He starred for the Oklahoma Sooners basketball team (1995 Big Eight Player of the Year!), and the Sixers drafted him in the second round of the 1996 NBA Draft, one of the greatest drafts in NBA history! Philly released him before the season started, though.

Years later, Minor would serve as a minor-league coach for future Orioles shortstop/third baseman Manny Machado!

Minor’s basketball cards are limited to ones with him in his Sooners uniform, like this 1996 Score Board card.

1996 Score Board Ryan Minor #17
1996 Score Board Ryan Minor #17 – View on eBay!

6. Topps Tried to Jinx Ripken!

Ripken broke Lou Gehrig’s MLB record of 2,130 consecutive games played on Sept. 6, 1995. But three years earlier, Topps got confident Ripken wouldn’t pull a hammy or something before breaking that record. Topps created a 1992 Topps Cal Ripken Jr. card with a photo of him posing in front of Gehrig’s monument at Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park.

It’s a good thing Ripken didn’t catch the flu over those next 5 years.

1992 Topps Cal Ripken Jr, #40 - 9 Things You Didn't Know
1992 Topps Cal Ripken Jr, #40 – View on eBay!

7. Much More Plentiful Than 1982 Topps Traded Cal Ripken Jr. #98T

In 1981, Topps started the tradition of creating a Traded set, basically as a response to the arrival of Donruss and Fleer.

The 132-card 1982 Topps Traded set showed traded players on their new teams and notable first-year rookies, but it was sold only as a complete set by dealers, so there aren’t a ton of copies around.

As of early 2026, he 1982 Topps Orioles Future Stars #21 card has been graded by PSA 43,416 times, compared to just 18,219 slabs of the 1992 Topps Traded Ripken card. If you’re investing, the Traded card is the way to go – but it will cost you about 6x more.

1982 Topps Traded Cal Ripken Jr. #98T - 9 Things You Didn't Know
1982 Topps Traded Cal Ripken Jr. #98T – View on eBay!

Bonus Baseball Card Fact!

This one is more about the 1982 Topps Traded Cal Ripken Jr. #98T card, but it was too good to leave on the cutting room floor.

A forum poster called “Fergie23” did some research into the gem rate of this 1982 Topps Traded Ripken card. He discovered that, by tracking the PSA certification numbers, online card shop “4 Sharp Corners” might be responsible for at least 187 of these 98T cards getting graded by PSA. They all have consecutive cert numbers!

Fergie23 found that 60 of those cards submitted received a PSA 10, which means over 14% of the 418 gem-mint slabs came on this one submission!

(This forum post went up in 2012, when just 8,000 of these cards were submitted to PSA, with just 155 PSA 10s. That means 4SC was possibly holding nearly 20% of all the gem-mint #98T slabs at that time!)

8. Iron Man? Soft Corners!?!

With over 40,000 cards slabbed, the 1982 Topps Orioles Future Stars #21 ranks ninth all-time in baseball cards graded by PSA.

Topps improved their quality control, especially with Donruss and Fleer stealing some of the market share starting in 1981. But the 1982 Topps set is still a generally tough set to grade, and 10s are close to impossible, as the gem-rate on this card is just 1.3%! Among the top-25 baseball cards graded by PSA, the only cards with lower gem rates than Ripken’s RC are the rookie cards of Rickey Henderson, Mark McGwire and Roger Clemens.

9. Cal Ripken Jr.: ‘Iron Man’ Had a Sequel!

The 501 consecutive games played by Ripken Jr. AFTER he broke Lou Gehrig’s record of 2,130, also ranks among the top-30 longest streaks in Major League Baseball!

Braves 1B Matt Olson is the active leader playing in over 800 consecutive games, and he’ll likely finish the season ranked in the top-10 in MLB history!

1987 Topps Matt Olson 467 - Cal Ripken Jr.
2017 Topps Matt Olson #467 – View on eBay!

“9 Amazing Facts You Didn’t Know” Series

The “9 Amazing Facts” Series is always fun! Here are the other iconic sports cards that have gotten the 9AF treatment!

I hope these 9 amazing facts about Cal Ripken Jr.’s rookie card helped you appreciate this card juuuuuust a little bit more! Let us know which fact jumped out to you as the most interesting!

The post 9 Amazing Facts About 1982 Topps Cal Ripken Jr. Rookie Card first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> https://davidgonos.com/1982-topps-cal-ripken-jr-rookie-card/feed/ 0 Best NFL Rookie Cards From Each Year! https://davidgonos.com/best-football-rookie-cards-from-every-nfl-year/ https://davidgonos.com/best-football-rookie-cards-from-every-nfl-year/#respond Fri, 21 Aug 2026 10:00:00 +0000 https://davidgonos.com/?p=16269 Tracking down the best football rookie cards from every year wasn’t easy – but we did it! Bookmark this article to know all the great NFL rookie cards!

The post Best NFL Rookie Cards From Each Year! first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> Sports card collectors need to know what the best football rookie cards are, so they can improve their collection, and make it one of the greatest NFL huddles ever made! We’ve already looked back over the past 70-plus years to track down the top cards from the other sports:

Best Baseball Rookie Cards | Best Basketball Rookie Cards | Best Hockey Rookie Cards

Those articles rank among my most popular on this site, as collectors understand what a tremendous sports card collecting tool these bookmarked articles can be! I use each of these articles myself, as I try to upgrade my sports card collection. I’ll be using this one, too, as I still need many of the best football rookie cards from Topps and Panini (and more), so that my collection can become something I’m even more proud of.

I used PSA’s card values, along with the listings on both CardboardConnection.com and DACardWorld.com to find the best football rookie cards worth owning. I also try to denote whether that person is already in the Pro Football Hall of Fame or not.

Best Football Rookie Cards By Year

This article will be updated throughout the years as some player’s ascend in value and some decline. The most recent seasons will have a higher number of rookies to collect because we’re still waiting to see if they will fulfill their promise. As the seasons wear on, I’ll remove the rookies that have fallen by the wayside. This is all about the best baseball rookie cards from each year.

This only includes flagship sets, like Topps, Prizm and Upper Deck. I won’t be referring to Topps Chrome, Finest, Fleer Ultra, Mosaic or any series like that. (Prizm became the flagship of Panini in 2012, so there are a few years when they weren’t the top set in football, despite Panini owning the license.)

Quick Links To Each Decade

Or you can just scroll through the entire list below until you see something jump out at you!

Card images provided by BuySportsCards.com. Names in bold indicate the three best cards from that set.

Most of the sports card links on this page will take you to eBay. That means I will get a commission on the sales from this page. If you end up buying from these links, I personally thank you for supporting my website! Even if you don’t buy anything, thank you for reading my article! Enjoy!

Best Football Rookie Cards From the 1950s

Quick Links: 1956-59 | 1960-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-09 | 2010-19 | 2020-

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1956 Topps Football

Roosevelt Brown (HOF) No. 41 – View on eBay!
Joe Schmidt (HOF) No. 44 – View on eBay!
Bill George (HOF) No. 47 – View on eBay!
Lenny Moore (HOF) No. 60 – View on eBay!
Stan Jones (HOF) No. 71 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1957 Topps Football

Gino Marchetti (1st Topps Card) No. 5 – View on eBay!
Jack Butler (HOF) No. 15 – View on eBay!
Yale Lary (HOF) No. 68 – View on eBay!
Dick “Night Train” Lane (HOF) No. 85 – View on eBay!
Raymond Berry (HOF) No. 94 – View on eBay!
Earl Morrall (HOF) No. 104 – View on eBay!
Bart Starr (HOF) No. 119 – View on eBay!
Tom McDonald (HOF) No. 124 – View on eBay!
Johnny Unitas (HOF) No. 138 – View on eBay!
Paul Hornung (Heisman, No. 1 Pick, HOF) No. 151 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1958 Topps Football

Jim Brown (HOF) No. 62 – View on eBay!
Sonny Jurgensen (HOF) No. 90 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards Jim Brown

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1959 Topps Football

Sam Huff (HOF) No. 51 – View on eBay!
Alex Karras (HOF) No. 103 – View on eBay!
Jerry Kramer (HOF) No. 116 – View on eBay!
Jim Parker (HOF) No. 132 – View on eBay!
Bobby Mitchell (HOF) No. 140 – View on eBay!
Jim Taylor (HOF) No. 155 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1960s

Quick Links: 1956-59 | 1960-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-09 | 2010-19 | 2020-

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1960 Topps Football

Forrest Gregg (HOF) No. 56 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1961 Topps Football

Henry (Hank) Jordan (HOF) No. 45 – View on eBay!
Don Maynard (HOF) No. 150 – View on eBay!
Jim Otto (HOF) No. 182 – View on eBay!
Tom Flores (HOF) No. 186 – View on eBay!
Johnny Robinson (HOF) No. 139 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1962 Topps Football

Mike Ditka (HOF) No. 17 – View on eBay!
Ernie Davis (Heisman, No. 1 Pick) No. 36 – View on eBay!
Fuzzy Thurston No. 69 – View on eBay!
Roman Gabriel (No. 1 AFL Pick) No. 88 – View on eBay!
Fran Tarkenton (HOF) No. 90 – View on eBay!
Billy Kilmer No. 151 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1963 Topps Football

Deacon Jones (HOF) No. 44 – View on eBay!
Bob Lilly (HOF) No. 82 – View on eBay!
Willie Wood (HOF) No. 95 – View on eBay!
Ray Nitschke (HOF) No. 96 – View on eBay!
Jim Marshall No. 107 – View on eBay!
Larry Wilson (HOF) No. 155 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1964 Topps Football

Daryle Lamonica No. 31 – View on eBay!
Bobby Bell (HOF) No. 90 – View on eBay!
Buck Buchanan (No. 1 AFL Pick) HOF) No. 92 – View on eBay!
Len Dawson (HOF) No 96 – View on eBay!
John Hadl No. 159 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1964 Philadelphia Football

John Mackey (HOF) No. 3 – View on eBay!
Herb Adderley (HOF) No. 71 – View on eBay!
Willie Davis (HOF) No. 72 – View on eBay!
Merlin Olsen (HOF) No. 91 – View on eBay!
Mick Tingelhoff (HOF) No. 110 – View on eBay!
Irv Cross No. 131 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1965 Topps Football

Topps produced “Tall Boys” for this specific football season, measuring 2-1/2” by 5 inches, which makes them difficult to get raw in good grades because they don’t fit normal card-collecting boxes from the past 60 years. They’re absolutely beautiful cards, but you’ll want to buy these graded if possible.

Willie Brown (HOF) No. 46 – View on eBay!
Winston Hill (HOF) No. 116 – View on eBay!
Joe Namath (No. 1 AFL Pick, HOF) No. 122 – View on eBay!
Fred Biletnikoff (HOF) No.133 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1965 Philadelphia Football

Paul Warfield (HOF) No. 41 – View on eBay!
Mel Renfro (HOF) No. 53 – View on eBay!
Carl Eller (HOF) No. 105 – View on eBay!
Paul Krause (HOF) No. 189 – View on eBay!
Charley Taylor (HOF) No. 195 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1966 Topps Football

Otis Taylor No. 75 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1966 Philadelphia Football

Dick Butkus (HOF) No. 31 – View on eBay!
Gale Sayers (HOF) No. 38 – View on eBay!
Gene Hickerson (HOF) No. 45 – View on eBay!
Bob Hayes (HOF) No. 58 – View on eBay!
Chuck Howley No. 59 – View on eBay!
Bob Brown (HOF) No. 134 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1967 Topps Football

There aren’t really any notable rookie cards from this set.

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1967 Philadelphia Football

Tommy Nobis (No. 1 Pick) No. 7 – View on eBay!
LeRoy Kelly (HOF) No. 43 – View on eBay!
Dan Reeves (HOF) No. 58 – View on eBay!
Dave Robinson (HOF) No. 80 – View on eBay!
Jackie Smith (HOF) No. 165 – View on eBay!
Dave Wilcox (HOF) No. 178 – View on eBay!
Chris Hanburger (HOF) No. 183 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1968 Topps Football

Jim Hart No. 60 – View on eBay!
Jim Nance No. 72 – View on eBay!
Craig Morton No. 155 – View on eBay!
Floyd Little (HOF) No. 173 – View on eBay!
Bob Griese (HOF) No. 196 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1969 Topps Football

Brian Piccolo No. 26 – View on eBay!
Dick Anderson No. 59 – View on eBay!
Larry Csonka (HOF) No. 120 – View on eBay!
Mike Curtis No. 229 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From the 1970s

Quick Links: 1956-59 | 1960-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-09 | 2010-19 | 2020-

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1970 Topps Football

Larry Brown No. 24 – View on eBay!
Jan Stenerud (HOF) No. 25 – View on eBay!
Elvin Bethea (HOF) No. 43 – View on eBay!
Alan Page (HOF) No. 59 – View on eBay!
Lem Barney (HOF) No. 75 – View on eBay!
O.J. Simpson (Heisman, No. 1 Pick, HOF) No. 90 – View on eBay!
Bubba Smith (No. 1 Pick 1967) No. 114 – View on eBay!
Tom Mack (HOF) No. 151 – View on eBay!
Claude Humphrey (HOF) No. 156 – View on eBay!
Fred Dryer No. 247 – View on eBay!
Calvin Hill No. 260 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1971 Topps Football

Marty Schottenheimer No. 3 – View on eBay!
Mercury Morris No. 91 – View on eBay!
Ken Houston (HOF) No. 113 – View on eBay!
Willie Lanier (HOF) No. 114 – View on eBay!
Terry Bradshaw (No. 1 Pick, HOF) No. 156 – View on eBay!
Preston Pearson No. 177 – View on eBay!
Jim Kiick No. 186 – View on eBay!
Roger Wehril (HOF) No. 188 – View on eBay!
Charlie Sanders (HOF) No. 210 – View on eBay!
Jake Scott No. 211 – View on eBay!
“Mean” Joe Greene (HOF) No. 245 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1972 Topps Football

John Riggins (HOF) No. 13 – View on eBay!
Archie Manning No. 55 – View on eBay!
Jim Plunkett (Heisman, No. 1 Pick) No. 65 – View on eBay!
Ted Hendricks (HOF) No. 93 – View on eBay!
Ron Yary (No. 1 Pick, HOF) No. 104 – View on eBay!
Lyle Alzado No. 106 – View on eBay!
Emmitt Thomas (HOF) No. 157 – View on eBay!
Gene Upshaw (HOF) No. 186 – View on eBay!
Roger Staubach (Heisman, HOF) No. 200 – View on eBay!
Larry Little (HOF) No. 240 – View on eBay!
Charlie Joiner (HOF) No. 244 – View on eBay!
Steve Spurrier (Heisman) No. 291 – View on eBay!
Rayfield Wright (HOF) No. 316 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1973 Topps Football

Ken Anderson No. 34 – View on eBay!
Art Shell (HOF) No. 77 – View on eBay!
Franco Harris (HOF) No. 89 – View on eBay!
Jack Ham (HOF) No. 115 – View on eBay!
Curley Culp (HOF) No. 167 – View on eBay!
Jack Tatum No. 288 – View on eBay!
Dan Dierdorf (HOF) No. 322 – View on eBay!
Ken Stabler (HOF) No. 487 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1974 Topps Football

Ahmad Rashad No. 105 – View on eBay!
Harold Carmichael (HOF) No. 121 – View on eBay!
John Matuszak No. 148 – View on eBay!
Joe Delamielleure (HOF) No. 183 – View on eBay!
Ray Guy (HOF) No. 219 – View on eBay!
John Hannah (HOF) No. 383 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1975 Topps Football

Mel Blount (HOF) No. 12 – View on eBay!
Rocky Bleier No. 39 – View on eBay!
Drew Pearson (HOF) No. 65 – View on eBay!
Lynn Swann (HOF) No. 282 – View on eBay!
Dan Fouts (HOF) No. 367 – View on eBay!
Joe Theismann No. 416 – View on eBay!
Cliff Harris (HOF) No. 490 – View on eBay!
Cliff Branch (HOF) No. 524 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1976 Topps Football

Steve Bartkowski (No. 1 Pick) No. 35 – View on eBay!
Walter Payton (HOF) No. 148 – View on eBay!
Randy White (HOF) No. 158 – View on eBay!
Jack Lambert (HOF) No. 220 – View on eBay!
Robert Brazile (HOF) No. 424 – View on eBay!
Ron Jaworski No. 426 – View on eBay!
Ed “Too Tall” Jones No. 427 – View on eBay!
Brian Sipe No. 516 – View on eBay!

1976 Topps Walter Payton Best Football Rookie Cards

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1977 Topps Football

Lee Roy Selmon (No. 1 Pick, HOF) No. 29 – View on eBay!
Mike Haynes (HOF) No. 50 – View on eBay!
Jim Zorn No. 65 – View on eBay!
Mike Webster (HOF) No. 99 – View on eBay!
Harry Carson (HOF) No. 146 – View on eBay!
Steve Largent (HOF) No. 177 – View on eBay!
Archie Griffin (2-Time Heisman) No. 269 – View on eBay!
Dave Casper (HOF) No. 380 – View on eBay!
Vince Papale No. 397 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1978 Topps Football

Fred Dean (HOF) No. 217 – View on eBay!
Tom Jackson No. 240 – View on eBay!
Joe Klecko (HOF) No. 287 – View on eBay!
Tony Dorsett (Heisman, HOF) No. 315 – View on eBay!
John Stallworth (HOF) No. 320 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1979 Topps Football

Doug Williams No. 48 – View on eBay!
Ozzie Newsome (HOF) No. 308 – View on eBay!
James Lofton (HOF) No. 310 – View on eBay!
Earl Campbell (Heisman, No. 1 Pick, HOF) No. 390 – View on eBay!
Donnie Shell (HOF) No. 411 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From the 1980s

Quick Links: 1956-59 | 1960-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-09 | 2010-19 | 2020-

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1980 Topps Football

Ottis Anderson No. 170 – View on eBay!
Phil Simms No. 225 – View on eBay!
Clay Matthews No. 418 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1981 Topps Football

Billy Sims (Heisman, No. 1 Pick) No. 100 – View on eBay!
Kellen Winslow (HOF) No. 150 – View on eBay!
Art Monk (HOF) No. 194 – View on eBay!
Joe Montana (HOF) No. 216 – View on eBay!
Dan Hampton (HOF) No. 316 – View on eBay!
Mark Gastineau No. 342 – View on eBay!
Dwight Clark No. 422 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards 1981 Topps Joe Montana

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1982 Topps Football

Cris Collinsworth No. 44 – View on eBay!
Anthony Munoz (HOF) No. 51 – View on eBay!
Lawrence Taylor (HOF) No. 434 – View on eBay!
Lawrence Taylor In Action (HOF) No. 435 – View on eBay!
Ronnie Lott (HOF) No. 486 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1983 Topps Football

Jim McMahon No. 33 – View on eBay!
Mike Singletary (HOF) No. 38 – View on eBay!
Joe Jacoby No. 190 – View on eBay!
Marcus Allen (Heisman, HOF) No. 294 – View on eBay!
Kenny Easley (HOF) No. 384 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1984 Topps Football

John Elway (HOF) No. 63 – View on eBay!
Howie Long (HOF) No. 111 – View on eBay!
Mark Duper No. 120 – View on eBay!
Dan Marino (HOF) No. 123 – View on eBay!
Dan Marino Instant Replay (HOF) No. 124 – View on eBay!
Dwight Stephenson (HOF) No. 129 – View on eBay!
Andre Tippett (HOF) No. 143 – View on eBay!
Curt Warner No. 198 – View on eBay!
Jim Covert (HOF) No. 222 – View on eBay!
Eric Dickerson (HOF) No. 280 – View on eBay!
Eric Dickerson Instant Replay (HOF) No. 281 – View on eBay!
Jackie Slater (HOF) No. 286 – View on eBay!
Morten Anderson (HOF) No. 300 – View on eBay!
Rickey Jackson (HOF) No. 303 – View on eBay!
Roger Craig No. 353 – View on eBay!
Darrell Green (HOF) No. 380 – View on eBay!
Russ Grimm (HOF) No. 381 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards

Best USFL Rookie Cards From 1984 Topps Football

Check out my article on what Topps could have done if they combined the NFL and USFL cards into one set!

Jim Kelly (HOF) No. 36 – View on eBay!
Steve Young (HOF) No. 52 – View on eBay!
Reggie White (HOF) No. 58 – View on eBay!
Anthony Carter No. 59 – View on eBay!
Herschel Walker (Heisman) No. 74 – View on eBay!
Marcus Dupree No. 76 – View on eBay!
Mike Rozier (Heisman) No. 109 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1985 Topps Football

Richard Dent (HOF) No. 24 – View on eBay!
Steve McMichael No. 32 – View on eBay!
Jeff Kemp No. 83 – View on eBay!
Warren Moon (HOF) No. 251 – View on eBay!
Mike Munchak (HOF) No. 253 – View on eBay!
Mark Clayton No. 308 – View on eBay!
Irving Fryar (No. 1 Pick) No. 325 – View on eBay!

Best USFL Rookie Cards From 1985 Topps Football

Sam Mills (HOF) No. 19 – View on eBay!
Gary Clark No. 49 – View on eBay!
Doug Flutie (Heisman) No. 80 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1986 Topps Football

Jay Hilgenberg No. 17 – View on eBay!
William “The Refrigerator” Perry No. 20 – View on eBay!
Wilber Marshall No. 25 – View on eBay!
Mark Bavaro No. 144 – View on eBay!
Jerry Rice (HOF) No. 161 – View on eBay! – Check out this article on “9 Amazing Facts” about this Jerry Rice rookie card you didn’t know!
Bernie Kosar No. 187 – View on eBay!
Boomer Esiason No. 255 – View on eBay!
Reggie White (HOF) No. 275 – 1st Topps Card – View on eBay!
Steve Young (HOF) No. 374 – 1st Topps Card – View on eBay!
Andre Reed (HOF) No. 388 – View on eBay!
Bruce Smith (No. 1 Pick, HOF) No. 389 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1987 Topps Football

Doug Flutie (Heisman) No. 45 – 1st Topps Card – View on eBay!
Charles Haley (HOF) No. 125 – View on eBay!
Gary Zimmerman (HOF) No. 207 – View on eBay!
Herschel Walker (HOF) No. 264 — 1st Topps Card – View on eBay!
Randall Cunningham No. 296 – View on eBay!
Jim Kelly (HOF) No. 362 — 1st Topps Card – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1988 Topps Football

Brian Bosworth No. 144 – View on eBay!
Chris Doleman (HOF) No. 157 – View on eBay!
Cornelius Bennett No. 230 – View on eBay!
Kevin Greene (HOF) No. 300 – View on eBay!
Bo Jackson No. 327 – 1st Topps Football Card – View on eBay!
Vinny Testaverde No. 352 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1989 Topps Football

Thurman Thomas (HOF) No. 45 – View on eBay!
Cris Carter (HOF) No. 121 – View on eBay!
Tim Brown (Heisman, HOF) No. 265 – View on eBay!
Rod Woodson (HOF) No. 323 – View on eBay!
Michael Irvin (HOF) No. 383 – View on eBay!

1989 Topps Traded:
Tim McDonald No. 21T – View on eBay!
Deion Sanders (HOF) No. 30T – View on eBay!
Steve Atwater (HOF) No. 52T – View on eBay!
Randall McDaniel (HOF) No. 54T – View on eBay!
Steve Tasker No. 65T – View on eBay!
Troy Aikman (HOF) No. 70T – View on eBay!
Barry Sanders (HOF) No. 83T – View on eBay!
Derrick Thomas No. 90T – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From the 1990s

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Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1990 Topps Football

Brent Jones No. 14 – View on eBay!
Junior Seau (HOF) No. 381 – View on eBay!
Cortez Kennedy No. 334 – View on eBay!

1990 Topps Traded:
Emmitt Smith (HOF) No. 27 – View on eBay!
Rodney Hampton No. 48 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1991 Topps Stadium Club Football

(There were no great rookie cards among the regular Topps issue, so we went with Topps Stadium Club instead.)
Brett Favre (misspelling of “Brett Farve” was an uncorrected error on the card) (HOF) No. 94 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1992 Topps Football

There aren’t really any notable rookie cards from this set.

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1993 Topps Football

Drew Bledsoe No. 130 – View on eBay!
Jerome Bettis (HOF) No. 166 – View on eBay!
John Lynch (HOF) (Multi-RC) No. 230 – View on eBay!
Michael Strahan (HOF) (Multi-RC) No. 275 – View on eBay!
Willie Roaf (HOF) No. 441 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1994 Topps Football

Bryant Young (HOF) No. 356 – View on eBay!
Willie McGinest No. 74 – View on eBay!
Trent Dilfer No. 407 – View on eBay!
Larry Allen (HOF) No. 441 – View on eBay!
Marshall Faulk (HOF) No. 445 – View on eBay!
Isaac Bruce (HOF) No. 448 – View on eBay!
Kevin Mawae (HOF) No. 592 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1995 Topps Football

Steve McNair No. 430 – View on eBay!
Kerry Collins No. 224 – View on eBay!
Tony Boselli (HOF) No. 222 – View on eBay!
Warren Sapp (HOF) No. 229 – View on eBay!
Rashaan Salaam No. 233 – View on eBay!
Kordell Stewart No. 428 – View on eBay!
1995 Upper Deck: Joey Galloway No. 8 – View on eBay!
1995 Upper Deck: Derrick Brooks (HOF) No. 21 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1996 Topps Football

Terrell Davis (HOF) No. 48 – View on eBay!
Ty Law (HOF) No. 363 – View on eBay!
Mike Alstott No. 419 – View on eBay!
Simeon Rice No. 425 – View on eBay!
Marvin Harrison (HOF) No. 426 – View on eBay!
Keyshawn Johnson (No. 1 Pick) No. 430 – View on eBay!
Eddie George (Heisman) No. 435 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1997 Topps Football

Rodney Harrison No. 87 – View on eBay!
Ray Lewis (HOF) No. 239 – View on eBay!
Orlando Pace (HOF) No. 400 – View on eBay!
Walter Jones (HOF) No. 403 – View on eBay!
Tony Gonzalez (HOF) No. 414 – View on eBay!
Warrick Dunn No. 415 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards

Best Football Rookie Cards From 1998 Topps Football

Jason Taylor (HOF) No. 138 – View on eBay!
Fred Taylor No. 339 – View on eBay!
Hines Ward No. 341 – View on eBay!
Ahman Green No. 350 – View on eBay!
Randy Moss (HOF) No. 352 – View on eBay!
Charles Woodson (Heisman, HOF) No. 356 – View on eBay!
Peyton Manning (No. 1 Pick, HOF) No. 360 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 1999 Topps Football

Ricky Williams (Heisman) No. 329 – View on eBay!
Daunte Culpepper No. 330 – View on eBay!
Edgerrin James (HOF) No. 339 – View on eBay!
Donovan McNabb No. 341 – View on eBay!
Torry Holt No. 343 – View on eBay!
Champ Bailey (HOF) No. 354 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From the 2000s

Quick Links: 1956-59 | 1960-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-09 | 2010-19 | 2020-

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2000 Topps Football

Kurt Warner (HOF) No. 1 – View on eBay!
Shaun Alexander No. 371 – View on eBay!
Brian Urlacher (HOF) No. 383 – View on eBay!
Plaxico Burress No. 386 – View on eBay!

Here’s a non-Topps card that is essential to any football card collection:

2000 Bowman Tom Brady No. 236 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2001 Topps Football

Michael Vick (No. 1 Pick) No. 311 – View on eBay!
Steve Smith (Panthers WR) No. 321 – View on eBay!
Drew Brees No. 328 – View on eBay!
Reggie Wayne No. 344 – View on eBay!
LaDainian Tomlinson (HOF) No. 350 – View on eBay!
Richard Seymour (HOF) No. 360 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2002 Topps Football

Tom Brady (1st Topps Card) No. 248 – View on eBay!
Dwight Freeney No. 316 – View on eBay!
Clinton Portis No. 326 – View on eBay!
Ed Reed (HOF) No. 353 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From 2003 Topps Football

Carson Palmer (Heisman, No. 1 Pick) No. 311 – View on eBay!
Terrell Suggs No. 314 – View on eBay!
Anquan Boldin No. 348 – View on eBay!
Nate Burleson No. 363 – View on eBay!
Larry Johnson No. 365 – View on eBay!
Jason Witten No. 372 – View on eBay!
Andre Johnson No. 380 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2004 Topps Football

Ben Roethlisberger No. 311 – View on eBay!
Sean Taylor No. 347 – View on eBay!
Eli Manning (No. 1 Pick) No. 350 – View on eBay!
Larry Fitzgerald No. 360 – View on eBay!
Phillip Rivers No. 375 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2005 Topps Football

Troy Polamalu (HOF) No. 174 – View on eBay!
Reggie Bush (vacated Heisman) No. 359 – View on eBay!
DeMarcus Ware (HOF) No. 375 – View on eBay!
Frank Gore No. 418 – View on eBay!
Aaron Rodgers No. 431 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2006 Topps Football

Maurice Jones-Drew No. 377 – View on eBay!
Brandon Marshall No. 485 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2007 Topps Football

Adrian Peterson No. 301 – View on eBay!
Marshawn Lynch No. 302 – View on eBay!
Greg Olsen No. 338 – View on eBay!
Darrelle Revis (HOF) No. 374 – View on eBay!
Calvin Johnson (HOF) No. 320 – View on eBay!
Joe Thomas (HOF) No. 392 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2008 Topps Football

Matt Ryan No. 331 – View on eBay!
Joe Flacco No. 335 – View on eBay!
Chris Johnson No. 351 – View on eBay!
Ray Rice No. 352 – View on eBay!
Matt Forte No. 356 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2009 Topps Football

Panini got the league and player union licenses to make trading cards for the NFL in 2009. But Topps was still making football cards too, at this point. Both card manufacturers would own NFL licenses from 2009 to 2016, so we’re going to stay with Topps for our rookie card choices for a few more years.

LeSean McCoy No. 400 – View on eBay!
Matthew Stafford (No. 1 Pick) No. 430 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From the 2010s

Quick Links: 1956-59 | 1960-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-09 | 2010-19 | 2020-

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2010 Topps Football

Jason Pierre-Paul No. 23 – View on eBay!
Rob Gronkowski No. 148 – View on eBay!
Trent Williams No. 225 – View on eBay!
Jimmy Graham No. 265 – View on eBay!
Demaryius Thomas No. 275 – View on eBay!
Sam Bradford (Heisman, No. 1 Pick) No. 300 – View on eBay!
Ndamukong Suh No. 360 – View on eBay!
Gerald McCoy No. 410 – View on eBay!
Dez Bryant No. 425 – View on eBay!
Tim Tebow (Heisman) No. 440 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From 2011 Topps Football\

A.J. Green No. 151 – View on eBay!
Cam Newton (Heisman, No. 1 Pick) No. 200 – View on eBay!
Patrick Peterson No. 267 – View on eBay!
J.J. Watt No. 331 – View on eBay!
Julio Jones No. 350 – View on eBay!
Colin Kaepernick No. 413 – View on eBay!
Von Miller No. 427 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2012 Topps Football

While both Topps and Panini were still creating cards, 2012 was the first year Panini produced what would become their flagship set: Panini Prizm. But we’re sticking with Topps for this list through 2016.

Chandler Jones No. 76 – View on eBay!
Ryan Tannehill No. 134 – View on eBay!
Andrew Luck (No. 1 Pick) No. 140 – View on eBay!
Kam Chancellor No. 157 – View on eBay!
Russell Wilson (Passing – Stands Visible) No. 165 – View on eBay!
Lavonte David No. 257 – View on eBay!
Kirk Cousins No. 326 – View on eBay!
Robert Griffin III (Heisman) No. 340 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From 2013 Topps Football

Travis Kelce No. 31 – View on eBay!
Geno Smith No. 126 – View on eBay!
DeAndre Hopkins No. 155 – View on eBay!
Le’Veon Bell No. 403 – View on eBay!
Keenan Allen No. 435 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2014 Topps Football

Davante Adams No. 337 – View on eBay!
Odell Beckham Jr. No. 355 – View on eBay!
Mike Evans No. 387 – View on eBay!
Aaron Donald No. 424 – View on eBay!
Johnny Manziel (Heisman) No. 429 – View on eBay!
Jimmy Garoppolo No. 432 – View on eBay!
Derek Carr No. 438 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2015 Topps Football

Todd Gurley No. 422 – View on eBay!
Melvin Gordon No. 423 – View on eBay!
Amari Cooper No. 451 – View on eBay!
Stefon Diggs No. 452 – View on eBay!
Tyler Lockett No. 462 – View on eBay!
Jameis Winston (Heisman) No. 500 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2016 Panini Prizm Football

Panini got the sole license to produce football cards with NFL logos and player names in 2016, which meant Topps wouldn’t have a football product for the first time since 1955. Prizm is a chromium card that feels like a Topps Chrome card. When we refer to Prizm cards, we’re only referring to base cards, like the rest of this article, but the Prizm Silver cards are more desirable, and they have the same card number.

Jared Goff (No. 1 Pick) No. 208 – View on eBay!
Joey Bosa No. 228 – View on eBay!
Michael Thomas No. 230 – View on eBay!
Dak Prescott No. 231 – View on eBay!
Ezekiel Elliott No. 238 – View on eBay!
Jalen Ramsey No. 291 – View on eBay!
Tyreek Hill No. 296 – View on eBay!
Derrick Henry No. 298 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From 2017 Panini Prizm Football

(View hobby box pricing on eBay!)

(View blaster box pricing on eBay!)

Cooper Kupp No. 203 – View on eBay!
T.J. Watt No. 216 – View on eBay!
James Conner No. 225 – View on eBay!
Myles Garrett (No. 1 Pick) – No. 242 – View on eBay!
Chris Godwin No. 243 – View on eBay!
Christian McCaffrey No. 249 – View on eBay!
Joe Mixon No. 261 – View on eBay!
Patrick Mahomes No. 269 – View on eBay!
Deshaun Watson No. 279 – View on eBay!
Alvin Kamara No. 291 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2018 Panini Prizm Football

(View hobby box pricing on eBay!)

Baker Mayfield (No. 1 Pick) No. 201 – View on eBay!
Saquon Barkley No. 202 – View on eBay!
Josh Allen No. 205 – View on eBay!
D.J. Moore No. 207 – View on eBay!
Calvin Ridley No. 209 – View on eBay!
Lamar Jackson No. 212 – View on eBay!
Nick Chubb No. 213 – View on eBay!
Dallas Goedert No. 299 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2019 Panini Prizm Football

(View hobby box pricing on eBay!)

Kyler Murray (No. 1 Pick) No. 301 – View on eBay!
Daniel Jones No. 302 – View on eBay!
Nick Bosa No. 311 – View on eBay!
DK Metcalf No. 343 – View on eBay!
Terry McLaurin No. 353 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards From the 2020s

Quick Links: 1956-59 | 1960-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-09 | 2010-19 | 2020-

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2020 Panini Prizm Football

(View hobby box pricing on eBay!)

Brandon Aiyuk No. 301 – View on eBay!
Joe Burrow (No. 1 Pick) No. 307 – View on eBay!
Antoine Winfield Jr. No. 322 – View on eBay!
Justin Herbert No. 325 – View on eBay!
Jonathan Taylor No. 332 – View on eBay!
CeeDee Lamb No. 334 – View on eBay!
Tua Tagovailoa No. 339 – View on eBay!
Jalen Hurts No. 343 – View on eBay!
D’Andre Swift No. 358 – View on eBay!
Jordan Love No. 363 – View on eBay!
Chase Young No. 383 – View on eBay!
Justin Jefferson No. 398 – View on eBay!

Best Football Rookie Cards

Best Football Rookie Cards From 2021 Panini Prizm Football

(View hobby box pricing on eBay!)

Trevor Lawrence (No. 1 Pick) No. 331 – View on eBay!
Justin Fields No. 334 – View on eBay!
DeVonta Smith No. 335 – View on eBay!
Ja’Marr Chase No. 337 – View on eBay!
Jaylen Waddle No. 338 – View on eBay!
Kyle Pitts No. 341 – View on eBay!
Amon-Ra St. Brown No. 358 – View on eBay!
Micah Parsons No. 382 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2022 Panini Prizm Football

(View hobby box pricing on eBay!)

Kenny Pickett No. 301 – View on eBay!
Desmond Ridder No. 302 – View on eBay!
Sam Howell No. 306 – View on eBay!
Drake London No. 308 – View on eBay!
Garrett Wilson No. 309 – View on eBay!
Chris Olave No. 310 – View on eBay!
Breece Hall No. 317 – View on eBay!
George Pickens No. 329 – View on eBay!
Aidan Hutchinson No. 340 – View on eBay!
Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner No. 341 – View on eBay!
Isiah Pacheco No. 352 – View on eBay!
Brock Purdy No. 353 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2023 Panini Prizm Football

C.J. Stroud – 102 – View on eBay!
Anthony Richardson – 104 – View on eBay!
Bryce Young (No. 1 Pick) – 101– View on eBay!
Will Levis – 103 – View on eBay!
Bijan Robinson – 115 – View on eBay!
De’Von Achane – 365 – View on eBay!
Jahmyr Gibbs – 331 – View on eBay!
Zay Flowers – 143 – View on eBay!
Puka Nacua – 197 – View on eBay!
Brock Purdy – 353 – View on eBay!
Jordan Addison – 368 – View on eBay!
Jaxson Smith-Njigba – 390 – View on eBay!
Tank Dell – 341 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2024 Panini Prizm Football

Caleb Williams 301 – View on eBay!
Bo Nix 309 – View on eBay!
Brian Thomas Jr. 314 – View on eBay!
2024 Prizm Brock Bowers No. 315 – View on eBay!
Bucky Irving 316 – View on eBay!
Cooper DeJean 321 – View on eBay!
Drake Maye 329 – View on eBay!
2024 Prizm Jared Verse No. 341 – View on eBay!
2024 Prizm Jayden Daniels No. 347 – View on eBay!
2024 Prizm Ladd McConkey No. 365 – View on eBay!
Malik Nabers 370 – View on eBay!
MarShawn Lloyd 374 – View on eBay!
Marvin Harrison Jr. 374 – View on eBay!
Michael Penix Jr. 375 – View on eBay!
Ricky Pearsall 383 – View on eBay!
Roman Wilson 384 – View on eBay!
Rome Odunze 385 – View on eBay!
Spencer Rattler 388 – View on eBay!
Xavier Legette 398 – View on eBay!
Xavier Worthy 399 – View on eBay!
J.J. McCarthy 400 – View on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2025 Panini Prizm Football

Cam Ward (No. 1 pick) 352 – Current prices on eBay! 
Ashton Jeanty 325 – Current prices on eBay!
Jaxson Dart – Current prices on eBay!
Omarion Hampton 355 – Current prices on eBay!
Tyler Shough 327 – Current prices on eBay!
Travis Hunter (Heisman) 301 – Current prices on eBay!
Tetairoa McMillan 311 – Current prices on eBay!
TreVeyon Henderson – 343 – Current prices on eBay!
R.J. Harvey 303 – Current prices on eBay!
Emeka Egbuka 351 – Current prices on eBay!
Tyler Warren 339 – Current prices on eBay!
Colston Loveland 319 – Current prices on eBay!
Quinshon Judkins 313 – Current prices on eBay!
Cam Skattebo 363 – Current prices on eBay!
Shedeur Sanders 302 – Current prices on eBay!

Best NFL Rookie Cards From 2026 Topps Football

Here’s my article ranking the best 2026 Topps Football rookie cards to collect!

Fernando Mendoza 301 – Current prices on eBay!
Ty Simpson 302 – Current prices on eBay!
Drew Allar 304 – Current prices on eBay!
Carson Beck 305 – Current prices on eBay!
Cade Klubnik 306 – Current prices on eBay!
Jeremiyah Love 309 – Current prices on eBay!
Jadarian Price 310 – Current prices on eBay!
Carnell Tate 318 – Current prices on eBay!
Makai Lemon 319 – Current prices on eBay!
Jordyn Tyson 320 – Current prices on eBay!
KC Concepcion 323 – Current prices on eBay!
Kenyon Sadiq 338 – Current prices on eBay!
David Bailey 343 – Current prices on eBay!
Arvell Reese 346 – Current prices on eBay!
Sonny Styles 347 – Current prices on eBay!

Quick Links: 1956-59 | 1960-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-09 | 2010-19 | 2020-

Those are the best football rookie cards in all the land! Don’t forget to check out these other articles, too:

Best Baseball Rookie Cards | Best Basketball Rookie Cards | Best Hockey Rookie Cards

If I missed one of the best football rookie cards, please let me know by commenting below!

The post Best NFL Rookie Cards From Each Year! first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> https://davidgonos.com/best-football-rookie-cards-from-every-nfl-year/feed/ 0 12 Best 2026 Topps Series 2 Rookie Cards To Collect https://davidgonos.com/best-2026-topps-series-2-rookie-cards/ https://davidgonos.com/best-2026-topps-series-2-rookie-cards/#respond Wed, 27 May 2026 21:03:11 +0000 https://davidgonos.com/?p=36948 Looking for the best 2026 Topps Series 2 rookie cards? Here are the top rookie names to chase, collect, and watch in this flagship baseball release.

The post 12 Best 2026 Topps Series 2 Rookie Cards To Collect first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> Many years in recent past, we have been unimpressed with Series 2. But this year is different, which is why the nine best 2026 Topps Series 2 rookie cards are worth taking a deeper look at.

Every year, Topps Series 2 gives collectors a new wave of rookies to chase, but the 2026 edition feels especially interesting because it arrives after the first quarter of the season has already started to reshape the hobby conversation. By this point, some rookies have already built momentum, some have cooled off, and a few late-arriving names suddenly become the cards everyone wants.

That’s what makes 2026 Topps Series 2 such an important release. It’s not just about filling out the flagship checklist — it’s often where collectors find the most relevant rookie cards of the moment, especially for players who were missing from Series 1 or who earned their spot after Opening Day.

For budget collectors, set builders, and flippers alike, 2026 Topps Series 2 is a practical place to hunt for real upside without immediately jumping into higher-priced Chrome or Bowman markets.

Remember, though, that Series 2 has generally been the least productive set of the three flagship releases, with Topps Update leading the charge. As we’ve noted in our list of the “Rookie Cards of the Top 100 Players Right Now,” there are far fewer players among the Top 100 whose rookie cards come from Series 2 than any other set.

We ranked the 14 Best 2026 Topps Series 1 rookie cards earlier this year. We’ve already seen how players like Nolan McLean, Jacob Misiorowski, Cam Schlittler, Colson Montgomery, and Samuel Basallo are paying off, and now it’s time to turn our attention to Series 2!

You can also watch our video on the best rookie cards from 2026 Topps Series 2 here!

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, as I am a part of the eBay Partner Network and Amazon Associates. If you purchase things through these links, our site receives a commission — thank you!

12 Best 2026 Topps Series 2 Rookie Cards To Collect

There were an astounding 71 rookie cards produced for 2026 Topps Series 1, but there are just 51 rookie cards in 2026 Topps Series 2. However, there are FOUR short-print rookie cards we need to pay attention to, and we discuss those at the end.

1. Sal Stewart, 1B/3B, Cincinnati Reds – Age: 22

You have to love a rookie with the nickname, “Salbert,” given to him by his teammates, referring to Albert Pujols! After NL Rookie of the Month honors in April, as one of the best run producers in the majors, this Italian stallion is struggling in May — but I like a lot about him! His age, his charisma (great interview) and his exit velocities!

Young, productive, multi-position hitters tend to hold collector interest better than most single-position bats, especially when they are already contributing in the majors.

2. Trey Yesavage, SP, Toronto Blue Jays – Age: 22

Yesavage struck out 12 batters in Game 5 of the 2025 World Series, which certainly could portend future postseason superstardom. We’re already talking about the first pitcher to play for every full-season affiliate (from Class to Triple-A) and pitch in the World Series! Many consider him a favorite to win the 2026 American League Rookie of the Year award.

The 6-foot-4 right-hander is a serious young pitcher with real buzz, yet pitching cards usually need either dominant MLB results or a Cy Young-type arc to keep climbing consistently.

It feels like we’ve been waiting on Yesavage’s RC for years! We finally get it, after a stellar 2025 postseason, and a bum shoulder this spring, Trey is Yesavage again! Is he the new Justin Verlander? Jays fans (and his RC holders) hope so.

3. Bryce Eldridge, 1B, San Francisco Giants – Age: 21

This youngest player on this list is a literal Giant in San Francisco, standing 6-foot-7! The size and power brings Aaron Judge comparisons, but that’s unfair for now. Eldridge is just 21 years old, and he shined last year in his short stint. He was a former two-way player, pitching and hitting, but he’s concentrating solely on hitting now — which we’re all very happy about! But his fielding is a little behind, which is also OK by us.

4. Munetaka Murakami, 1B, Chicago White Sox – Age: 26

Moon bombs! You know Topps is planning something fun there at some point, maybe with a Home Moon Advantage card? A surprising add by the White Sox, but a smart one, so far! He is among the American League leaders in homers and RBI, but he’s 26 years old already unfortunately. And his moon bombs will likely return to earth later this year.

Murakami probably has the highest pure star power in the group, but at 1B the hobby can be less forgiving unless he keeps producing huge numbers year after year.

2026 Topps Series 2 Munetaka Murakami - 2026 Topps Series 2

5. Carter Jensen, C, Kansas City Royals – Age: 22

Jensen’s offense has collectors excited, with great power, high exit velocities and a strong build, some are even comparing him to his mentor, Salvador Perez. Just 22 years old!

6. Chase DeLauter, OF, Cleveland Guardians – Age: 24

DeLauter was a first-round pick in 2022, but injuries slowed his ascension a bit before he became just the sixth player in the modern era to debut in the MLB Playoffs last year. My man then smashed four home runs in his first 3 regular-season games this year, tying Trevor Story. He fits nicely in the lineup between leadoff man Steven Kwan and All-Star 3B Jose Ramirez.

DeLauter is an appealing long-term bet because the tools and on-base profile are strong, but he still has more development risk than some of these other fellas.

7. Harry Ford, C, Washington Nationals – Age: 23

More of a hitter than a slugger, Ford joins the Nationals after an offseason trade from Seattle. He should man the tools of ignorance for the Nats for the next decade.

8. Connelly Early, SP, Boston Red Sox – Age: 24

Is it too early to be impressed by Connelly!?! He keeps runners off home plate, but we’re likely looking at a middle-of-the-rotation guy.

9. Kazuma Okamoto, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays – Age: 29

After struggling to start his MLB career, Okamoto moved back in the batter’s box 6″, which allowed him to post a 1.108 OPS in his next 18 games! He’s on the short list of possible AL ROYs, but he turns 30 years old in June!

10. George Valera, OF, Cleveland Guardians – Age: 25

Once a top-100 MLB prospect, injuries and strikeouts have limited Valera’s progression a bit.

11. Brandon Sproat, SP, Milwaukee Brewers – Age: 25

Seeing work as a starter and bullpen arm, Sproat should eventually settle in as a middle-of-the-rotation guy.

12.. Tatsuya Imai, SP, Houston Astros – Age: 28

Imai fits the same broad pitcher risk bucket, which is why he lands last for collectability even if the stuff is impressive. Expensive international signee, struggled early on – they didn’t know what they should do with him at one point. He came on recently, though, as he was the starting pitcher for that combined Astros no-hitter in May. He has drawn comparisons to Mariners RHP Luis Castillo and Mets Kodai Senga. At 28, though, not much of a card prospect.

2026 Topps Series 2 Tatsuya Imai

Don’t forget about the great 2026 Topps Series 2 Short-Print Rookie Cards, too!

Card No. 697 SP – Kevin McGonigle, SS/3B, Detroit Tigers – View on eBay!

Card No. 698 SP – JJ Wetherholt, 2B, St. Louis Cardinals – View on eBay!

Card No. 699 SP – Carson Benge, OF, N.Y. Mets – View on eBay!

Card No. 700 SP – Justin Crawford, OF, Philadelphia Phillies – View on eBay!

The best 2026 Topps Series 2 rookie cards won’t just be the ones with the flashiest names — they’ll be the cards that combine early performance, hobby buzz, and the kind of flagship appeal that makes them easy to collect, grade, and track over time.

If you’re building a set, hunting singles, or planning which rookies deserve your attention this summer, Series 2 is one of the smartest places to focus. The key is to stay selective, watch how the market reacts, and remember that the best rookie card isn’t always the most expensive one — it’s often the one that has the clearest path to lasting hobby demand.

Don’t forget to check out our rankings of the 12 Best 2026 Topps Series 1 rookie cards that we posted earlier this year.

Which of the best 2026 Topps Series 2 rookie cards are you going to chase? Which ones do you think I should’ve ranked higher? Let’s hear it in the comments!

The post 12 Best 2026 Topps Series 2 Rookie Cards To Collect first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> https://davidgonos.com/best-2026-topps-series-2-rookie-cards/feed/ 0 9 Amazing Facts About 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Card #311 https://davidgonos.com/1952-topps-mickey-mantle-card-311/ https://davidgonos.com/1952-topps-mickey-mantle-card-311/#respond Wed, 20 May 2026 08:08:40 +0000 https://davidgonos.com/?p=36935 One of the most iconic baseball cards ever, the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card has many stories surrounding the legendary piece of cardboard.

The post 9 Amazing Facts About 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Card #311 first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> Take a trip back in time, nearly 75 years, and imagine pulling a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 card out of a pack.

Would you ever think this simple piece of cardboard would become the most iconic baseball card in the hobby for generations?

We’re celebrating that 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 rookie card, as “The Mick” was the face of a generation and one of the greatest switch-hitters in baseball history. We’re looking back at this legendary piece of cardboard and giving it the “9 Amazing Things” treatment, like we’ve done with other iconic sports cards.

Mantle’s combination of power, charisma, and Yankees dominance helped turn this card into the gold standard for collectors, a symbol of both baseball greatness and hobby mythology.

1952 Topps Mickey Mantle 311 - 9 Amazing Facts

1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311: Top Shelf

For more than 70 years, Mantle has stood as one of baseball’s biggest names, blending towering power, rare switch-hitting brilliance, and Yankees mystique into a legend that still resonates with collectors today. He wasn’t just a great player; he was a force of nature, a centerpiece of a dynasty, and the man behind the card that many collectors still dream about owning.

Every baseball card collector out there hopes to have at least one Mickey Mantle card in their collection. But owning a PSA graded copy of this 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card is about as rare as owning a work of art created by Claude Monet.

Either way, Mantle or Monet, it’s going to cost you a lot of “mo-ney!”

“9 Amazing Facts You Didn’t Know” Series

The “9 Amazing Facts” Series is always fun! Here are the other iconic sports cards that have gotten the 9AF treatment!

9 Amazing Facts You Didn’t Know About 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Card #311 Rookie Card

You might know a few of these facts, but not all of them! We still think these are pretty great!

1. Mantle is Just 1% of All PSA-Graded 1952 Cards

Despite 300,000+ cards being graded by PSA from the 1952 set, only about 3,000 graded copies of the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 card exist. By comparison, there are more than 4x that number of graded Mantle cards from the 1957 Topps set. The 1952 Mantle is the rarest Mantle base card in PSA’s catalog, including his five Bowman issues.

The 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle #253 card has over 4,250 copies graded by PSA, which is 30% more slabs than the 1952 copy.

1952 Topps PSA Population Report

2. Many of These Cards Sleep with the Fishes

That scarcity is what helps drive the value on this iconic piece of cardboard.

You likely know this part of the ’52 Mantle legend: Since the High Series of 1952 Topps was printed so late in the season, it didn’t sell well because kids were already moving on to other things. So, many of the cases of 1952 Topps high-series packs went unsold and sat in a warehouse.

Sy Berger, co-designer of the 1952 Topps set, would later say they needed room in the warehouse in 1960, so they loaded up over 400 cases of the High-Number series onto a garbage barge. The cards were then dumped into New York’s East River.

Fanatics would pay tribute to this legend by creating the 2022 Topps X Naturel set, which was a 52-card set of reimagined cards with a nautical theme, and a modern checklist.

3. More Expensive Than Mantle’s True Rookie Card

Even though the 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle is considered his true rookie card, the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 is generally the more expensive card to own, and by a wide margin in most grades.

That comes down to a mix of hobby demand, iconic Topps branding, the card’s place as the crown jewel of the legendary 1952 Topps set, and the massive mystique surrounding the high-number series.

In other words, the Bowman rookie is hugely valuable and historically important, but the 1952 Topps Mantle is the card that became the true hobby grail — the one collectors chase first, and the one that usually commands the bigger price tag.

  • 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle #253 PSA 2 Price: $15,000 (sold in April 2026)
  • 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA 2 Price: $53,000 (sold in July 2025)

4. Just Red Backs For Mantle’s ’52 Card

The 1952 Topps Baseball set is famous for a lot of reasons, but one of the most interesting is the back variation found on many of the cards. In the early part of the set, Topps was still experimenting with the design, so the first series of cards originally appeared with black text on the back.

Later, Topps switched to red text and made other design improvements, which is why the first 80 cards can be found with either black backs or red backs. Since Mickey Mantle was issued as a high-series card, the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 only comes with a red-back variation.

1952 Topps Mickey Mantle 311 red back

5. “Mr. Mint” Connection

Many high-quality 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle cards can be traced back to Alan “Mr. Mint” Rosen, a famous card dealer who bought many from original owners.

In 1986, Rosen bought more than 65 of the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle cards in great condition from a former Topps delivery truck driver who had them in his attic, along with thousands of other high quality vintage cards.

Some might feel like he’d work for Backyard Breaks if he was still alive today.

However, in 1991, Rosen sold the Mantle in the best condition he had, for $57,500.

Thirty years later, that card would grade as an SGC 9.5, and sell for much, much more.

1952 Topps Mickey Mantle 311 SGC 9.5

6. Record-Setting Sale

That SGC 9.5 copy of the 1952 Mantle sold for $12.6 million in August 2022, setting a record for the most expensive sports item sold, at the time. That record has since been broken by the sale of the Upper Deck Dual Logoman autos of Michael Jordan / Kobe Bryant in the summer of 2025.

However, the inflation-adjusted price bumps to $13,862,292, which ranks higher than the MJ/Kobe card – and all other sports cards.

A heavily damaged copy of the 1952 Topps Mantle, graded SGA Authentic, with pink marker scribbles over his name, still sold for $17,400 on Sept. 4, 2025.

1952 Topps Mickey Mantle SGC A

7. A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Parallel Universe!

While there might not be a black-back variation for this Mantle card, there are apparently two variations of the red backs!

An article by CGC Cards explains that Mantle’s 1952 card was printed on a sheet of 100 cards, and Mantle’s card (#311) was the first of the 1952 High Series (#311 to 407). Since there were fewer than 100 cards in the series, they double-printed the Mantle, placing it twice on the 100-card sheet.

Since Photoshop didn’t exist back then, Topps had to manually copy the card, meaning they physically cut and pasted the second design, making it not exactly the same as the first design.

There are a few distinct differences between these variations:

  • Type 1 has a sharp, upward curve on the “E” in Mantle, no missing blue pixels by his eyebrow, and specific stitching on the ball.
  • The Type 2 card has the opposite characteristics as Type 1.
  • Also, on Type 1, the box around the Yankees logo is solid, as opposed to jagged (Type 2).
  • Finally, there’s a missing pixel on the rounded corner on the bottom left of the card’s border on Type 1 cards, but the pixel is filled in on Type 2 cards.

Either way, both types of Mickey Mantle cards are valuable!

8. Gem-Mint Trio

The card is widely considered the most iconic baseball card in the world, with three PSA 10 examples believed to be worth roughly $40 million each. Recently, one of these PSA 10 Mantles was transported under police escort.

I do the same thing with my 2020 Randy Arozarena rookie card! It’s cool… whatever.

9. Topps Posthumously Reissued 19 Mantle Cards in 1996

Mantle died on August 13, 1995, so Topps released a tribute set in their flagship and Finest sets. They reprinted 19 of Mantle’s base cards from each year in his career, from 1951-1969, which includes reprints of Bowman cards in 1951, 1954 and 1955, when he had a contract with Bowman (a brand bought by Topps in 1956). There are no Bowman card reprints for his 1952 or 1953 years, since Topps reprinted theirs instead.

It’s one of the coolest reprint insert sets you will ever see, and you can buy all 19 cards for a total of less than $75, which makes them a really good buy.

Many of these reprints are graded at PSA and SGC, so if you have a favorite of his, check out eBay! I just love flipping through each card, which even has the back reprinted on each one.

These Topps flagship inserts came 1:6 packs in 1996 Topps Series 1 retail packs, while all 19 Topps Finest reprints were randomly inserted in 1:12 Series 2retail packs. (The refractors were 1:144 retail packs!)

They also had a Mickey Mantle Commemorative card in the regular flagship set at No. 7 on the checklist.

1996 Topps Mickey Mantle Reprint Inserts

Cool Bonus Mickey Mantle Card Fact:

Mantle earned the nickname “The Commerce Comet” from his high school days in Commerce, Oklahoma. But with the way his cards became the chase cards of the first 17 years of Topps baseball cards existence, he turned into a commerce comet for their bottom line, too!

In 2009, Topps created a replica letter patch set, and collectors could collect the “C-O-M-M-E-R-C-E C-O-M-E-T”. The patches, of course, were R-E-P-L-I-C-A-S.

“9 Amazing Facts You Didn’t Know” Series

The “9 Amazing Facts” Series is always fun! Here are the other iconic sports cards that have gotten the 9AF treatment!

I hope these 9 amazing facts helped you appreciate this 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card juuuuuust a little bit more! Let us know which one jumped out to you as the most interesting!

The post 9 Amazing Facts About 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Card #311 first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> https://davidgonos.com/1952-topps-mickey-mantle-card-311/feed/ 0 Best NHL Rookie Cards From Each Year! https://davidgonos.com/best-hockey-rookie-cards/ https://davidgonos.com/best-hockey-rookie-cards/#respond Wed, 06 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000 https://davidgonos.com/?p=16533 Adding the best hockey rookie cards to your sports card collection is like adding ice to your favorite cocktail! The arrival of Connor Bedard in 2023-24 Upper Deck Series 2 and Macklin Celebrini in 2024-25 Upper Deck Series 2 cards signals a new hobby high not seen since Connor McDavid or Sidney Crosby joined the...

The post Best NHL Rookie Cards From Each Year! first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> Adding the best hockey rookie cards to your sports card collection is like adding ice to your favorite cocktail!

The arrival of Connor Bedard in 2023-24 Upper Deck Series 2 and Macklin Celebrini in 2024-25 Upper Deck Series 2 cards signals a new hobby high not seen since Connor McDavid or Sidney Crosby joined the NHL! (Patrick Imhoff details in this article where you can buy different Connor Bedard rookie cards.) But Bedard’s arrival has everyone wanting to go back in time to track down other stellar hockey rookie cards, like Crosby, McDavid, and even Wayne Gretzky!

If this is your first trip to this website, then welcome! We’re all about tracking down the best rookie cards from all sports, and now we’re sharing the best hockey rookie cards!

We went through all the hockey card sets dating all the way back to the 1951 Parkhurst set, including many sets produced by companies like Topps, O-Pee-Chee, Pro Set, Score, and finally Upper Deck. We found all the best hockey rookie cards of Hall-of-Famers and NHL All-Stars that roamed the ice over the past eight decades.

I used PSA’s card values to find many of these, and I used several other sources to track down the best hockey rookie cards. This is obviously a subjective list, but it’s also a living and dynamic list, which means – I can change it! So please contact me with players whose cards you think should be among the best hockey rookie cards, and I’ll check them out!

Best Hockey Rookie Cards – Starting Back in 1951

Most of the sports card links on this page will take you to eBay. That means I will get a commission on the sales from this page. If you end up buying from these links, I personally thank you for supporting my website! Even if you don’t buy anything, thank you for reading my article! Enjoy!

I will update this article frequently, as some players ascend in value and some decline. The most recent seasons will have a higher number of rookies to collect because we’re still waiting to see if they will fulfill their promise. As the seasons wear on, I’ll remove the rookies that have fallen by the wayside.

My website is free to use, so I use affiliate links with companies like eBay to help support it. By clicking on the links below, you can help support this site – and I thank you very much!

Quick Links To Each Decade

Or you can just scroll through the entire list below until you see something jump out at you!

Card images provided by BuySportsCards.com.

Best Hockey Rookie Cards From 1950s

We can call this the Golden Age of Hockey Card collecting.

Quick Links: 1950-59 | 1960-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-09 | 2010-19 | 2020-

1951 Parkhurst

Butch Bouchard (HOF) 3 – View on eBay!
Maurice Richard (HOF) 4 – View on eBay!
Bert Olmstead (HOF) 5 – View on eBay!
Tom Johnson (HOF) 7 – View on eBay!
Doug Harvey (HOF) 10 – View on eBay!
Boom Boom Geoffrion (HOF) 14 – View on eBay!
Bill Quackenbush (HOF) 26 – View on eBay!
Bill Gadsby (HOF) 37 – View on eBay!
Harry Lumley (HOF) 47 – View on eBay!
Doug Bentley (HOF) 48 – View on eBay!
Bill Mosienko (HOF) 49 – View on eBay!
Red Kelly (HOF) 55 – View on eBay!
Ted Lindsay (HOF) 56 – View on eBay!
Terry Sawchuk (HOF) 61 – View on eBay!
Alex Delvecchio (HOF) 63 – View on eBay!
Gordie Howe (HOF) 66 – View on eBay!
Marcel Pronovost (HOF) 68 – View on eBay!
Harry Watson (HOF) 70 – View on eBay!
Howie Meeker (HOF) 72 – View on eBay!
Fern Flaman (HOF) 80 – View on eBay!
Max Bentley (HOF) 81 – View on eBay!
Teeder Kennedy (HOF) 86 – View on eBay!
Allan Stanley (HOF) 94 – View on eBay!
Edgar Laprade (HOF) 96 – View on eBay!
Chuck Rayner (HOF) 104 – View on eBay!

1952 Parkhurst

Dickie Moore (HOF) 10 – View on eBay!
Leo Boivin (HOF) 34 – View on eBay!
George Armstrong (HOF) 54 – View on eBay!
Tim Horton (HOF) 58 – View on eBay!

1953 Parkhurst

Al Arbour (HOF) (has photo of Bill Dineen) 37 – View on eBay!
Bill Dineen (has photo of Al Arbour) 38 – View on eBay!

1954 Parkhurst

Johnny Bower (HOF) 65 – View on eBay!

1954 Topps Best Hockey Rookie Cards

Gordie Howe (HOF, First Topps Card) 8 – View on eBay!

Topps produced hockey cards for the first time in 1954, but then they didn’t produce them again until 1957. For several years after that, until 1964, Topps produced NHL cards for U.S. teams, and Parkhurst produced hockey cards for the Canadian teams (except in 1960, when Parkhurst also created cards for Detroit Red Wings players.) In 1964, Topps then began to produce hockey cards for all NHL teams.

1954 Topps Gordie Howe - Best Hockey Rookie Cards Ever

1955 Parkhurst

Dick Duff (HOF) 18 – View on eBay!
Jacques Plante (HOF) 50 – View on eBay!
Bill Durnan (HOF) 63 – View on eBay!
Frank Selke (HOF) 68 – View on eBay!

1956 Parkhurst

There were no great hockey rookie cards of note in this set.

1957 Parkhurst

Henri Richard (HOF) M4 – View on eBay!
Bob Pulford (HOF) T4 – View on eBay!
Frank Mahovlich (HOF) T17 – View on eBay!

1957 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Johnny Bucyk (HOF) 10 – View on eBay!
Glenn Hall (HOF) 20 – View on eBay!
Pierre Pilote (HOF) 22 – View on eBay!
Norm Ullman (HOF) 46 – View on eBay!

1958 Parkhurst

There were no great hockey rookie cards of note in this set.

1958 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Bobby Hull (HOF) 66 – View on eBay!

1959 Parkhurst

Punch Imlach (HOF) 15 – View on eBay!

1959 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

There were no great hockey rookie cards of note in this set.

Best Hockey Rookie Cards From 1960s

This was the decade with players who we’ve come to know and love in 2000s, after they retired, making their old cards great pickups.

Quick Links: 1950-59 | 1960-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-09 | 2010-19 | 2020-

1960 Parkhurst

There were no great hockey rookie cards of note in this set.

1960 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Bill Hay (HOF) 6 – View on eBay!
Stan Mikita (HOF) 14 – View on eBay!

1961 Parkhurst

Dave Keon (HOF) 5 – View on eBay!

1961 Topps Best Hockey Rookie Cards

Ted Green (HOF) 2 – View on eBay!
Rudy Pilous (HOF) 23 – View on eBay!
Jean Ratelle (HOF) 60 – View on eBay!
Rod Gilbert (HOF) 62 – View on eBay!

1962 Parkhurst

There were no great hockey rookie cards of note in this set.

1962 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

There were no great hockey rookie cards of note in this set.

1963 Parkhurst

Jacques Laperriere (HOF) 27 – View on eBay!
Jacques Laperriere (HOF) 86 – View on eBay!

1963 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

There were no great hockey rookie cards of note in this set.

1964 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

There were no great rookie cards of note from this set.

1965 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Ed Giacomin (HOF) 21 – View on eBay!
Gerry Cheevers (HOF) 31 – View on eBay!
Yvan Cournoyer (HOF) 76 – View on eBay!
Phil Esposito (HOF) 116 – View on eBay!

1965 Topps Phil Esposito - Best Hockey Rookie Cards Ever

1966 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Emile Francis (HOF) 21 – View on eBay!
Harry Sinden (HOF) 31 – View on eBay!
Bobby Orr (HOF) 35 – View on eBay!

1967 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Jacques Lemaire (HOF) 3 – View on eBay!
Glen Sather (HOF) 38 – View on eBay!
Rogatien Vachon (HOF) 75 – View on eBay!

1968 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Bernie Parent (HOF) 89 – View on eBay!

1968 O-Pee-Chee

Bernie Parent (HOF) 89 – View on eBay!

1969 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Serge Savard (HOF) 4 – View on eBay!

Best Hockey Rookie Cards From 1970s

This era is really the last decade before national television in America started to love and adore the NHL.

Quick Links: 1950-59 | 1960-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-09 | 2010-19 | 2020-

1970 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Brad Park (HOF) 67 – View on eBay!
Gilbert Perreault (HOF) 131 – View on eBay!

1970 O-Pee-Chee Best Hockey Rookie Cards

Brad Park (HOF) 67 – View on eBay!
Gilbert Perreault (HOF) 131 – View on eBay!
Guy Lapointe (HOF) 177 – View on eBay!
Bobby Clarke (HOF) 195 – View on eBay!
Darryl Sittler (HOF) 218 – View on eBay!

1971 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Ken Dryden (HOF) 45 – View on eBay!

1971 O-Pee-Chee

Ken Dryden (HOF) 45 – View on eBay!
Marcel Dionne (HOF) 133 – View on eBay!
Guy LaFleur (HOF) 148 – View on eBay!
Craig Patrick (HOF) 184 – View on eBay!

1972 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

There were no great hockey rookie cards of note in this set.

1972 O-Pee-Chee

There were no great hockey rookie cards of note in this set.

1973 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Bill Barber (HOF) 81 – View on eBay!
Billy Smith (HOF) 162 – View on eBay!

1973 O-Pee-Chee

Bill Barber (HOF) 81 – View on eBay!
Billy Smith (HOF) 142 – View on eBay!
Larry Robinson (HOF) 237 – View on eBay!

1974 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Lanny McDonald (HOF) 168 – View on eBay!
Borje Salming (HOF) 180 – View on eBay!
Denis Potvin (HOF) 195 – View on eBay!
Scott Bowman (HOF) 261 – View on eBay!

1975 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Clark Gillies (HOF) 199 – View on eBay!

1976 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Bryan Trottier (HOF) 115 – View on eBay!

1976 O-Pee-Chee

Bryan Trottier (HOF) 115 – View on eBay!

1977 Topps, O-Pee-Chee NHL and O-Pee-Chee WHA

There really weren’t any rookie cards worth owning from these three sets.

1978 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Mike Bossy HL (HOF) 1 – View on eBay!
Mike Bossy (HOF) 115 – View on eBay!
Bernie Federko (HOF) 143 – View on eBay!
Doug Wilson (HOF) 168 – View on eBay!

1978 O-Pee-Chee

Mike Bossy HL (HOF) 1 – View on eBay!
Mike Bossy (HOF) 115 – View on eBay!
Bernie Federko (HOF) 143 – View on eBay!
Doug Wilson (HOF) 168 – View on eBay!

1979 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Wayne Gretzky (HOF) 18 – View on eBay!

1979 Topps Wayne Gretzky - Best Hockey Rookie Cards Ever

1979 O-Pee-Chee

Wayne Gretzky (HOF) 18 – OPC – View on eBay!
Wayne Gretzky (HOF) 18 – TOPPS – View on eBay!
Barry Melrose 386 – View on eBay!

Best Hockey Rookie Cards From 1980s

The arrival of Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux changed hockey — and hockey card collecting forever.

Quick Links: 1950-59 | 1960-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-09 | 2010-19 | 2020-

1980 O-Pee-Chee

Ray Bourque Record Breaker (HOF) 2 – View on eBay!
Michel Goulet (HOF) 67 – View on eBay!
Ray Bourque (HOF) 140 – View on eBay!
Mike Gartner (HOF) 195 – View on eBay!
Mark Messier (HOF) 289 – View on eBay!
Rod Langway (HOF) 344 – View on eBay!

1981 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Jarri Kurri (HOF) 18 – View on eBay!
Denis Savard (HOF) W75 – View on eBay!
Larry Murphy (HOF) W100 – View on eBay!
Dino Ciccarelli (HOF) W105 – View on eBay!

1981 O-Pee-Chee

Denis Savard (HOF) 63 – View on eBay!
Jarri Kurri (HOF) 107 – View on eBay!
Glenn Anderson (HOF) 108 – View on eBay!
Paul Coffey (HOF) 111 – View on eBay!
Kevin Lowe (HOF) 117 – View on eBay!
Larry Murphy (HOF) 148 – View on eBay!
Dino Ciccarelli (HOF) 161 – View on eBay!
Peter Stastny (HOF) 269 – View on eBay!

1982 O-Pee-Chee

Grant Fuhr (HOF) 105 – View on eBay!
Ron Francis (HOF) 123 – View on eBay!
Joe Mullen (HOF) 307 – View on eBay!
Dale Hawerchuk (HOF) 380 – View on eBay!

1983 O-Pee-Chee

Phil Housley (HOF) 65 – View on eBay!
Scott Stevens (HOF) 376 – View on eBay!

1984 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Steve Yzerman (HOF) 49 – View on eBay!

1984 O-Pee-Chee

Dave Andreychuk (HOF) 17 – View on eBay!
Steve Yzerman (HOF) 67 – View on eBay!
Pat LaFontaine (HOF) 129 – View on eBay!
Doug Gilmour (HOF) 185 – View on eBay!
Chris Chelios (HOF) 259 – View on eBay!
Cam Neely (HOF) 327 – View on eBay!
Steve Yzerman LDR (HOF) 385 – View on eBay!

1985 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Mario Lemieux (HOF) 9 – View on eBay!

1988 Topps Mario Lemieux - How To Collect Hockey Cards
1988 Topps Mario Lemieux

1985 O-Pee-Chee

Mario Lemieux (HOF) 9 – View on eBay!
Al MacInnis (HOF) 237 – View on eBay!
Mario Lemieux LDR (HOF) 262 – View on eBay!

1986 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

John Vanbiesbrouck (HOF) 9 – View on eBay!
Patrick Roy (HOF) 42 – View on eBay!
Wendel Clark (HOF) 149 – View on eBay!

1986 O-Pee-Chee

John Vanbiesbrouck (HOF) 9 – View on eBay!
Patrick Roy (HOF) 42 – View on eBay!
Wendel Clark (HOF) 149 – View on eBay!

1987 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Luc Robitaille (HOF) 42 – View on eBay!
Adam Oates (HOF) 123 – View on eBay!

1987 O-Pee-Chee

Luc Robitaille (HOF) 42 – View on eBay!
Adam Oates (HOF) 123 – View on eBay!
Ron Hextall (HOF) 169 – View on eBay!
Mike Vernon (HOF) 215 – View on eBay!

1988 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Brett Hull (HOF) 66 – View on eBay!
Brendan Shanahan (HOF) 122 – View on eBay!

1988 O-Pee-Chee

Joe Nieuwendyk (HOF) 16 – View on eBay!
Brett Hull (HOF) 66 – View on eBay!
Brendan Shanahan (HOF) 122 – View on eBay!
Pierre Turgeon 194 – View on eBay!

1989 Topps Best Hockey Rookie Cards

Joe Sakic (HOF) 113 – View on eBay!
Brian Leetch (HOF) 136 – View on eBay!

1989 O-Pee-Chee

Joe Sakic (HOF) 113 – View on eBay!
Brian Leetch (HOF) 136 – View on eBay!
Theoren Fleury (HOF) 232 – View on eBay!

Best Hockey Rookie Cards From 1990s

Cable television and the Internet enabled hockey card collectors a chance to get to know — and collect — the best hockey players of the day. Some might think of this as the Junk Wax Era, but it was a great time for Pittsburgh and Detroit fans, for sure!

Quick Links: 1950-59 | 1960-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-09 | 2010-19 | 2020-

1990 Pro Set Hockey

Mike Modano (HOF) 142 – View on eBay!
Sergei Fedorov (HOF) 604 – View on eBay!

1990 Score Canadian

Martin Brodeur (HOF) 439 – View on eBay!

1990 Score Rookie/Traded

Jaromir Jagr 70T – View on eBay!

1990 Score Traded Jaromir Jagr - Best Hockey Rookie Cards

1990 Topps Hockey Rookie Cards

Jeremy Roenick 7 – View on eBay!

1990 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards

The first hockey card set from Upper Deck brought us the inaugural edition of their Young Guns subset, which has now signaled the best hockey rookie cards most people want to collect year after year, over three decades later. In more recent years, Upper Deck started limiting how many Young Guns are available per box. While they’re still part of the base set, they are not as common as the rest of the set.

Ed Belfour (HOF) 55 – View on eBay!
Jeremy Roenick 63 – View on eBay!
Jaromir Jagr 356 – View on eBay!
Mats Sundin (HOF) 365
Felix Potvin 458
Sergei Fedorov (HOF) 525 – View on eBay!
Pavel Bure (HOF) 526

1990 O-Pee-Chee Premier

Sergei Fedorov (HOF) 30 – View on eBay!
Jaromir Jagr 50 – View on eBay!
Mike Modano (HOF) 74 – View on eBay!

1990 Score Hockey Rookie Cards

Eric Lindros Future Superstar 440 – View on eBay!

1991 Upper Deck

Eric Lindros 9 – View on eBay!
Teemu Selanne (HOF) 21 – View on eBay!
Dominik Hasek 335 – View on eBay!

1991 Parkhurst

Dominik Hasek (HOF) 263 – View on eBay!

1992 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards 

Paul Kariya 586 – View on eBay!
Chris Pronger 591 – View on eBay!

1993 Parkhurst

Martin Brodeur 380 – View on eBay!

1993 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards

 Chris Osgood 519 – View on eBay!

1994 Upper Deck SP Hockey Rookie Cards

Jarome Iginla 181 – View on eBay!

1995 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards

Saku Koivu 397 – View on eBay!

1996 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards

Joe Thornton 370 – View on eBay!
Patrick Marleau 384 – View on eBay!

1997 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards

Marian Hossa (HOF) 326 – View on eBay!

1998 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards

Martin St. Louis (HOF) 234 – View on eBay!

1999 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards

Jochen Hecht 116 – View on eBay!
Patrik Stefan 161 – View on eBay!
Roberto Luongo 163 – View on eBay!
Daniel Sedin 165 – View on eBay!
Henrik Sedin 166 – View on eBay!

Best Hockey Rookie Cards From 2000s

Upper Deck takes hockey card collecting into the new millennium!

Quick Links: 1950-59 | 1960-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-09 | 2010-19 | 2020-

2000 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Marian Gaborik 229 – View on eBay!
Rick DiPietro 411 – View on eBay!

2001 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Ilya Kovalchuk 211 – View on eBay!
Pavel Datsyuk 422 – View on eBay!

2001 Upper Deck Pavel Datsyuk

2002 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Rick Nash 232
Henrik Zetterberg 234
Tim Thomas 429
Jason Spezza 443

2003 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Patrice Bergeron 204
Brent Burns 221
Marc-Andre Fleury 234

2004 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Cammi Granato 199 – View on eBay!

2005 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Sidney Crosby 201 – View on eBay!
Corey Perry 204 – View on eBay!
Zach Parise 206 – View on eBay!
Henrik Lundqvist 216 – View on eBay!
Duncan Keith 230 – View on eBay!
Alexander Ovechkin 443 – View on eBay!
Ryan Getzlaf 452 – View on eBay!

2005 Upper Deck Sidney Crosby - Best Hockey Rookie Cards Ever

2006 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Phil Kessel 204 – View on eBay!
Anze Kopitar 216 – View on eBay!
Shea Weber 222 – View on eBay!
Kristopher Letang 240 – View on eBay!
Evgeni Malkin 486 – View on eBay!
Joe Pavelski 487 – View on eBay!

2007 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Patrick Kane 210 – View on eBay!
Carey Price 227 – View on eBay!
Nicklas Backstrom 249 – View on eBay!
Tuukka Rask 456 – View on eBay!
Jonathan Toews 462 – View on eBay!

2008 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Blake Wheeler 202 – View on eBay!
Drew Doughty 220 – View on eBay!
Claude Giroux 235 – View on eBay!
Alex Pietrangelo 241 – View on eBay!
Steven Stamkos 245 – View on eBay!

2009 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

John Tavares 201 – View on eBay!
Victor Hedman 202 – View on eBay!
Matt Duchene 203 – View on eBay!
Erik Karlsson 210 – View on eBay!
Jamie Benn 212 – View on eBay!
Brad Marchand 452 – View on eBay!
Logan Couture 487 – View on eBay!
John Carlson 497 – View on eBay!
Braden Holtby 499 – View on eBay!

Best Hockey Rookie Cards From 2010s

Modern hockey card collecting became all about the Young Guns!

Quick Links: 1950-59 | 1960-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-09 | 2010-19 | 2020-

2010 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Taylor Hall 219 – View on eBay!
Jordan Eberle 220 – View on eBay!
PK Subban 231 – View on eBay!
Sergei Bobrovsky 240 – View on eBay!
Tyler Seguin 456 – View on eBay!

2011 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 214 – View on eBay!
Mark Scheifele 248 – View on eBay!
Roman Josi 478 – View on eBay!

2012 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Chris Kreider 237 – View on eBay!
Mark Stone 239 – View on eBay!

2013 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Brock Nelson 204 – View on eBay!
Morgan Reilly 218 – View on eBay!
Jonathan Huberdeau 222 – View on eBay!
Vladimir Tarasenko 230 – View on eBay!
Nathan McKinnon 238 – View on eBay!
Filip Forsberg 451 – View on eBay!
Alexander Barkov 470 – View on eBay!
Nikita Kucherov 483 – View on eBay!
John Gibson 486 – View on eBay!

2014 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Sam Reinhart 206 – View on eBay!
Johnny Gaudreau 211 – View on eBay!
Leon Draisaitl 223 – View on eBay!
Jordan Binnington 469 – View on eBay!
Andrei Vasilevskiy 478 – View on eBay!
Bo Horvat 494 – View on eBay!
David Pastrnak 495 – View on eBay!

2014 Upper Deck Andrei Vasilevskiy

2015 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Connor McDavid 201 – View on eBay!
Mikko Rantanen 206 – View on eBay!
Connor Hellebuyck 214 – View on eBay!
Jared McCann 219 – View on eBay!
Dylan Larkin 228 – View on eBay!
Juuse Saros 464 – View on eBay!
Shea Theodore 495 – View on eBay!
Artemi Panarin 221 – View on eBay!
Jack Eichel 451 – View on eBay!

2015 Upper Deck Connor McDavid

2016 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Auston Matthews 201 – View on eBay!
Brayden Point 205 – View on eBay!
Sebastian Aho 210 – View on eBay!
Pavel Buchnevich #227 – View on eBay!
Matthew Tkachuk #231 – View on eBay!
Zach Hyman #222 – View on eBay!
William Nylander 249 – View on eBay!
Matthew Barzal 458 – View on eBay!
Tristan Jarry #466 – View on eBay!
Mitch Marner 468 – View on eBay!
Tyler Bertuzzi 471 – View on eBay!
Jake Guentzel #525 – View on eBay!

2017 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Niko Hischier 201 – View on eBay!
Jake Debrusk 212 – View on eBay!
Alex Dubrincat 221 – View on eBay!
Tage Thompson #228 – View on eBay!
Charles McAvoy 242 – View on eBay!
Brock Boeser 247 – View on eBay!
Adin Hill #454 – View on eBay!
Clayton Keller 477 – View on eBay!
Martin Necas #464 – View on eBay!

2018 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Rasmus Dahlin 201 – View on eBay!
Roope Hintz 202 – View on eBay!
Evan Bouchard 221 – View on eBay!
Troy Terry 239 – View on eBay!
Miro Heiskanen #246 – View on eBay!
Jesperi Kotkaniemi #249 – View on eBay!
Robert Thomas #472 – View on eBay!
Brady Tkachuk #499 – View on eBay!
Elias Pettersson – 248 – View on eBay!
Andrei Svechnikov 451 – View on eBay!
Casey Mittelstadt 453 – View on eBay!
Carter Hart 491 – View on eBay!

2019 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Jack Hughes 201 – View on eBay!
Ilya Mikhkeyev 210 – View on eBay!
Carter Verhaeghe 224 – View on eBay!
Adam Fox 228 – View on eBay!
Quinn Hughes 249 – View on eBay!
Nick Suzuki 471 – View on eBay!
Cale Makar 493 – View on eBay!

Best Hockey Rookie Cards From 2020s

The superstar legends from the 2000s start to give way to the phenoms coming up!

Quick Links: 1950-59 | 1960-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-09 | 2010-19 | 2020-

2020 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Alexis Lafreniere 201 – View on eBay!
Bowen Byram 205 – View on eBay!
Jason Robertson 235 – View on eBay!
Shane Pinto 246 – View on eBay!
Kirill Kaprizov 451 – View on eBay!
Tim Stutzle 482 – View on eBay!
Dylan Cozens 495 – View on eBay!
Ilya Sorokin – View on eBay!

2021 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Cole Caufield 201 – View on eBay!
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen 202 – View on eBay!
Trevor Zegras 232 – View on eBay!
Quinton Byfield 488 – View on eBay!
Spencer Knight 223 – View on eBay!
Jeremy Swayman 226 – View on eBay!
Mason McTavish 451 – View on eBay!
Moritz Seider 469 – View on eBay!
Lucas Raymond 464 – View on eBay!
Cole Sillinger 498 – View on eBay!
Dawson Mercer 459 – View on eBay!

2022 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Matt Boldy 201 – View on eBay!
Matty Beniers 213 – View on eBay!
Owen Power 228 – View on eBay!
Wyatt Johnson 459 – View on eBay!
Kent Johnson 209 – View on eBay!
Marco Rossi 243 – View on eBay!
Shane Wright 475 – View on eBay!
Juraj Slafkovsky 451 – View on eBay!

2023 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Mathew Coronato 201 – View on eBay!
Matthew Knies 222 – View on eBay!
Yaroslav Askarov 204 – View on eBay!
William Dufour 206 – View on eBay!
Owen Beck 214 – View on eBay!
Luke Hughes 248 – View on eBay!
Connor Bedard 451 – View on eBay!
Leo Carlsson 468 – View on eBay!
Zach Benson 474 – View on eBay!
Matthew Poitras 478 – View on eBay!
Connor Zary 496 – View on eBay!
Logan Cooley 701 – View on eBay!
Adam Fantilli 711 – View on eBay!

2023-24 Upper Deck Connor Bedard - Best Hockey Rookie Cards

2024 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Jesper Wallstedt – 202 – View on eBay!
Bradly Nadeau – 208 – View on eBay!
Cutter Gauthier – 212 – View on eBay!
Lane Hutson -229 – View on eBay!
Olen Zellweger – 236 – View on eBay!
Logan Stankoven – 244 – View on eBay!
Macklin Celebrini – 451 – View on eBay!
Maxim Tsyplakov – 463 – View on eBay!
Nikolai Kovalenko – 466 – View on eBay!
Rutger McGroarty – 474 – View on eBay!
Drew Commesso – 488 – View on eBay!
Seamus Casey – 489 – View on eBay!
Aleksei Kolosov – 490 – View on eBay!
Matvei Michkov – 492 – View on eBay!
Will Smith – 701 – View on eBay!
Jonathan Lekkerimaki – 706 – View on eBay! 
Sebastian Cossa – 708 – View on eBay!
Denton Mateychuk – 710 – View on eBay!
Fedor Svechkov – 724 – View on eBay! 
Jakub Dobes – 726 – View on eBay! 

2024 Upper Deck Macklin Celebrini - Best Hockey Rookie Cards

2025 Upper Deck Hockey Rookie Cards – Young Guns

Artyom Levshunov – 201 – View on eBay!
Gabe Perreault – 202 – View on eBay!
Ivan Demidov – 205 – View on eBay!
Jimmy Snuggerud – 207 – View on eBay! 
Dalibor Dvorsky – 226 – View on eBay!
Zayne Parekh – 236 – View on eBay!
Ryan Leonard – 238 – View on eBay!
Sam Rinzel – 248 – View on eBay!

Matthew Schaefer – 451 – View on eBay!
Danila Yurov – 452 – View on eBay!
Ben Kindel – 453 – View on eBay!
Alexander Nikishin – 461 – View on eBay!
Easton Cowan – 462 – View on eBay!
Sam Dickinson – 479 – View on eBay!
Axel Sandin-Pellikka – 484 – View on eBay!
Zeev Buium – 486 – View on eBay!
Michael Misa – 487 – View on eBay!

Beckett Sennecke – 701 – View on eBay!
Danii But – 708 – View on eBay!
Otto Stenberg – 711 – View on eBay!
Berkly Catton – 712 – View on eBay!
Jacob Fowler – 724 – View on eBay!
Nick Lardis – 731 – View on eBay!

Best Hockey Rookie Cards - 2025 Upper Deck Matthew Schaefer Young Guns

If you love rookie cards, here are some more articles tracking great cards from the past and present:

As I mentioned at the start of this article, we’ll be updating this page often. Some rookie cards will be removed as players decline in value, and some rookie cards will be added as they bloom later than expected. Either way, feel free to comment below and share some of the players you think should be among the best hockey rookie cards by year from each hockey card set.

The post Best NHL Rookie Cards From Each Year! first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> https://davidgonos.com/best-hockey-rookie-cards/feed/ 0 The Dandy Dozen! 12 Most Collectable VINTAGE Baseball Players https://davidgonos.com/dandy-dozen-vintage-baseball-players/ https://davidgonos.com/dandy-dozen-vintage-baseball-players/#respond Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:00:41 +0000 https://davidgonos.com/?p=36931 We list the 12 vintage players from the mid-20th century whose baseball cards are among the most collectable -- especially for budget-minded card collectors!

The post The Dandy Dozen! 12 Most Collectable VINTAGE Baseball Players first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> If you’re a sports card collector working with a limited budget, vintage baseball can feel intimidating fast. But the truth is, you don’t need to chase every grail card to build a meaningful collection — you just need to focus on the right players.

That’s the idea behind my Dandy Dozen rankings: 12 players from the vintage era, whose cards mostly land in the 1952 to 1972 range. Guys who are still worth collecting even if you’re not going after the rookie card or the highest-end version. These are the guys whose cardboard still matters, still holds collector demand, and still gives you a strong foundation for a vintage PC.

The Dandy Dozen is a series I created 3 years ago – and now I’m shuffling, re-ranking, and posting anew! Three eras – Vintage (1952-72), Modern (1973-1999) and Millennial (2000-Present) – in all four major sports!

The links on this page will take you to eBay, which means I will get a commission on the sales from this page. Thank you for your support!

The Dandy Dozen Vintage Baseball Players To Collect

These are the legends whose cardboard can anchor a vintage PC and give you a strong mix of star power, history, and collectability without needing to chase only the most expensive grails.

The Mount Rushmore Vintage Tier

1. Mickey Mantle, N.Y. Yankees – Cards From 1951 to 1969

1958 Topps Baseball Mickey Mantle All-Star, N.Y. Yankees #487
1958 Topps Mickey Mantle All-Star #487

Mickey Mantle is an easy No. 1 on this list. He’s the most collectible player in the history of sports cards, not just baseball, and his cards remain the gold standard for vintage card collectors. Young people might not know much about him, but they understand the reverence given to his cards.

Mantle’s place in the hobby is bigger than stats alone. He was the face of the Yankees during one of the most iconic eras in America, not just baseball. Similar to Michael Jordan, Mantle was as close to a living superhero, helping his team to two handfuls of championships.

Even if you never land a top-tier Mantle rookie, owning any Mantle card is a major win for a vintage collection. Thankfully, there are some cheaper under-$100 options for budget-minded Mantle collectors, like the 1957 Topps Yankees’ Power Hitters card or his classic Clutch HR card from 1965.

2. Jackie Robinson, Dodgers – Cards From 1948 to 1956

1956 Topps Jackie Robinson - Vintage Baseball Players
1956 Topps Jackie Robinson

In recent years, Jackie Robinson has become more collectable than any other player not named Mantle! But Jackie only has seven base cards between Bowman, Leaf and Topps between 1948 and 1956! That means with just five Topps cards, most of them are much too expensive for the average card collector.

But Robinson is legendary for multiple reasons, obviously headlined by the fact he helped break the color barrier in sports, all sports, and he did it with grace. He was a superstar athlete, starring at football and track with UCLA, before his professional baseball career.

From a personal perspective, one of my all-time favorite cards I own is a 1956 Topps Jackie Robinson SGC Authentic card. Just a beautiful card of a beautiful fella!

3. Willie Mays, Giants / Mets – Cards From 1951 to 1973

1972 Topps Willie Mays - Vintage Baseball Players

Willie Mays belongs right near the top of any vintage collection conversation. His cards stretch across multiple eras, giving collectors plenty of options, and he’s widely regarded as one of the greatest players ever.

What makes Mays especially appealing is that he checks every box: superstar talent, legendary career, strong hobby demand – and coast-to-coast awesomeness! He was great in the outfield, great at the plate, and a marvel on the basepaths.

It’s also important to think about him as a N.Y. Giants star, a San Francisco Giants star, and a N.Y. Mets star late in his career. (Fun sidenote: The Mets got their 0range and blue colors by combining the orange from the N.Y. Giants baseball team who left for San Francisco, and the Dodger blue when Brooklyn’s team moved to Los Angeles.

4. Hank Aaron, Braves – Cards From 1954 to 1976

1957 Topps Baseball Hank Aaron - Vintage Baseball Players
1957 Topps Baseball Hank Aaron

Hank Aaron is also one of the most important players in baseball history and one of the safest vintage names to collect. His career bridges the early 1950s through the mid-1970s, giving collectors a wide range of cards from which to choose. It also helps that he starred with the same team his entire career, but in two locations, Milwaukee and Atlanta, giving him a wide swath of fans rooting for him from the north to the south.

Hammerin’ Hank is also one of the biggest power hitters the game has ever seen, having owned the career home run record for about three decades, pushing the mighty Babe Ruth to second overall.

Interestingly, Hank Aaron was the last MLB player who played in the Negro Leagues. He’s historic for several reasons!

Mt Secondmore: The Next Best Set of Four

If we were going to construct a mini-Mt. Rushmore with the next four great players, here’s who we’d put on that one!

5. Roberto Clemente, Pirates – Cards From 1955 to 1973

1960 Topps Roberto Clemente
1960 Topps Roberto Clemente

Clemente is one of baseball’s most meaningful and respected legends. His career was great, his life was tragic, and his legacy remains enormous.

Clemente is also one of the most collectible Latin American players ever, and his 3,000-hit milestone only adds to his prestige. He sits atop Pittsburgh’s Mt. Rushmore of sports legends, right next to Terry Bradshaw, Mario Lemieux and Arnold Palmer.

Topps used “Bob Clemente” as his name from 1957 to 1969, which was a common, discriminatory, whitewashing practice in the media during that era – not cool. Thankfully, one of the greatest Latino athletes ever had “Roberto” on his final four base cards.

The 1973 Topps Roberto Clemente card was released after his death in a plane crash during a humanitarian mission, and it’s one of the more emotional cards in the hobby. It stands out for collectors who appreciate the history behind the cardboard.

6. Ted Williams, Red Sox – Cards From 1939 to 1959

1954 Topps Baseball Ted Williams

Ted Williams is one of the most respected names in baseball history, and his cards are some of the most sought-after in the hobby. Unfortunately, his early cards were abbreviated both because he went into military service during World War II and because no one produced cards between 1941 and 1948. Even when Bowman came on the scene in 1948, and Topps in 1952, Williams didn’t get cards because he was serving in the Marines as a fighter pilot in the Korean War!

Because Teddy Ballgame only has a handful of Topps cards, their availability to budget collectors is pretty difficult. His first Topps cards came in 1954 (thankfully, they gave him two!), but he’d leave Topps and sign with Fleer in 1959, and get his own set (which flopped, but some of those cards are still cool/cheap pickups!

Williams spans pre-war and post-war conversations, and any card of his carries real weight. Condition matters less here than with many other players — just having a Ted Williams card is the big deal!

7. Stan Musial, Cardinals – Cards From 1948 to 1963

1959 Topps Stan Musial

From the face of the Red Sox over to the face of the Cardinals, “Stan the Man” is a perfect example of a player whose cardboard story is just as interesting as his on-field career. He started with Bowman before eventually moving to Topps, so his first Topps card isn’t a true rookie card. But it’s still an excellent collecting target for those of us (me!) who like great-looking cards of awesome Hall-of-Famers with great stories and cheaper price tags!

(Actually, once his card contract with Bowman ran out, Musial was indifferent to cards, and didn’t sign another his deal with Topps for the 1958 Topps Baseball set. The only reason he signed a deal with Topps was if they promised to donate $1,500 to his favorite charity.)

Musial’s cards don’t get talked about as much as some of the bigger hobby names, but they should. He was one of the game’s all-time great hitters, and his first Topps issue is a great vintage card for collectors who want quality without chasing the most obvious names.

8. Sandy Koufax, Dodgers – Cards From 1955 to 1966

1960 Topps Sandy Koufax
1960 Topps Sandy Koufax

Sandy Koufax was nicknamed, “The Left Arm of God,” and he is one of the most fascinating collectors’ names on the list. He had a brilliant baseball career, winning three Cy Young Awards before he retired at the age 30 because of elbow arthritis that posed a risk of permanent disability.

What’s even more impressive is Koufax’s first three seasons were relatively non-descript, totaling just nine wins in 62 games (28 starts). But the next three years, from 1958 to 1960, Koufax emerged as a promising pitcher. He exploded into superstardom in 1961, averaging 21.5 wins through 1966, his final season. He struck out 300 or more batters three times in those final six years.

That short career makes his cards especially appealing because there just aren’t as many to choose from, making demand strong. On top of that, Koufax has the kind of legendary peak that collectors love, especially since he was a dominant pitcher on one of the era’s iconic teams.

Also of note, the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles just before Koufax brilliant seasons, and he became the first real West Coast superstar athlete!

Mt. Best-of-the-rest-more

Finally, we reveal the last four names (or is it five!?!) in our Dandy Dozen vintage players list. They’re still superstars, just not as legendary as the eight ahead of them.

9. Ernie Banks, Cubs – Cards From 1954 to 1971

1955 Topps Ernie Banks
1955 Topps Ernie Banks #28

Mr. Cub is one of the most beloved players in baseball history. Banks was a two-time MVP, a 500-home-run member, and one of the happiest personalities the game ever produced! Most of his cards show off his dazzling smile, giving him his other nickname, “Mr. Sunshine,” making his card collectors just as happy!

That personality matters in collecting. Banks was not only great on the field, but he was also widely liked and incredibly marketable, which makes his cards especially enjoyable to own. He’s one of those vintage legends who feels like a hobby favorite from every angle, including the fact he’s a member of the 500-HR club, a 14x All-Star and his No. 14 jersey was the first number ever retired by the Cubs.

10. Yogi Berra, Yankees/Mets – Cards From 1948 to 1965

1954 Topps Yogi Berra

Yogi Berra is one of the most collectible catchers in baseball history, which is saying something because catchers often get overlooked in the hobby. But Yogi was no ordinary catcher — he played on championship-level Yankees teams and was part of one of the most iconic sports dynasties ever.

Yogi also had personality for days, and that helped him become a favorite beyond the box score. His sayings made him memorable, but his career made him a legend. That combination keeps his cards highly desirable.

Pete Rose eventually broke Berra’s record for being involved in the most winning games in baseball history. Rose did it mostly as an outfielder and second baseman, but Berra did it behind the plate, wearing the “tools of ignorance,” and wrecking his knees daily.

Just like Yogi said, “Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical.”

11. Frank Robinson, Reds/Orioles/Dodgers/Angels/Indians – Cards From 1957 to 1974

1970 Topps Frank Robinson cards All-Star
1970 Topps Frank Robinson All-Star

Let me first go on record as saying I believe “The Judge” is severely underappreciated in the hobby. For budget-minded collectors wanting awesomeness at a good price, Robinson has plenty of available cards.

Robinson’s résumé is fantastic: 500 home runs, retired jersey numbers and statues built in his honor at three different major league stadiums! Dodgers, Indians and Orioles all appreciate what Robinson did for their ballclubs at different junctures, which appears to work against the future Hall of Famer.

When a player is loved that widely, it muddles memories, and card collectors find it tough to remember him specifically as the face of a franchise, like they do with every single player on this list above him.

For us sports card collectors with limited funds, he becomes an easy addition to a smart vintage collection.

12. Duke Snider, Dodgers – Cards From 1949 to 1964

1958 Topps Willie Mays Duke Snider Rival Fence Busters
1958 Topps Willie Mays Duke Snider “Rival Fence Busters”

Call me crazy, but I feel like “Edwin Donald Snider” just wouldn’t be as beloved as “Duke Snider.” No matter the name, Snider proved at the plate he’s one of the greatest sluggers to swing a bat, with over 400 homers and a lifetime batting average of .295.

“The Duke of Flatbush” is one of those vintage stars whose collectability comes from the full package: Hall of Fame talent, strong name recognition, and a classic Brooklyn Dodgers connection that never goes out of style.

Snider was an eight-time All-Star, helped lead the Dodgers to two World Series titles, and he hit more home runs than any other player in the 1950s, which gives his cards real staying power with both Dodgers fans and vintage collectors.

Snider’s cardboard also offers a lot of variety, since he appears across many early Bowman and Topps issues. Whether you are a high-end collector or someone working with a budget, you can target some key vintage singles from the middle of his career.

He’s in that sweet spot where his name is famous enough to matter, but his cards aren’t out of reach. That makes him a smart and satisfying vintage pickup.

‘Baker’s Dozen’ Bonus: 13. Bob Gibson, Cardinals – Cards From 1959 to 1975

Gibby is one of the most collectible pitchers of the vintage era because he combines elite performance, iconic intensity, and strong cardboard appeal. As a Cardinals legend, Hall of Famer, and one of the most dominant arms ever to take the mound, he gives collectors a star who is both historically important and still accessible across a wide range of issues, from key rookie-era cards to more budget-friendly vintage options.

Gibson’s historical 1968 season came with an insane 1.12 ERA (before they lowered the mound five inches), helped him with his first of two Cy Young Awards. His accomplishments and that fierce on-field persona add to his cardboard mystique, which is the kind of profile that keeps a player’s cards desirable over time.

Didn’t Make the Cut!

Here’s who didn’t make the list for various reasons:

  • Too Vintage: Ty Cobb, Joe DiMaggio, Josh Gibson, Lou Gehrig, Satchel Paige, Babe Ruth, and obvious tobacco stars like Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Honus Wagner and the like. These players are obviously ultra collectable, but they’re from a different era, with far fewer baseball cards created of them.
  • Just Missed: Roy Campanella, Don Drysdale, Bob Feller, Al Kaline, Harmon Killebrew, Eddie Matthews, Juan Marichal, and Warren Spahn.

Save Your Complaints!

Brooks Robinson, Carl Yastrzemski and Pete Rose are listed next on The Dandy Dozen “Modern” List!

Al Kaline is absolutely not a “less collectible” star, as he has a true cornerstone rookie in 1954 Topps, plus major vintage issues that collectors chase. His career was more about longevity than top-12 vintage card excellence. While he was an 18x All-Star, he never won an MVP award, and he missed joining the 400-HR club by one home run.

Finally, Mr. Tiger just wasn’t the marketable star most of these other guys were, so his non-rookie cards kind of fade into the background. With that said, Kaline’s one of the most reliable stars from the era, and his cards are a smart place for budget-minded collectors to look.

The Dandy Dozen Details!

That’s The Dandy Dozen list of vintage baseball players whose cards you should collect. This list isn’t about chasing the most expensive card possible. It’s about identifying the players whose cards still matter, still carry demand, and still make sense for collectors who want to build smart.

That’s the whole point of the Happy Hobby approach: Collect what you love, love what you collect — build a better sports card collection with a real-world budget. And if you’re keeping score, this is just the first of several Dandy Dozen lists coming your way.

Next up, I’ll take the same approach with the Modern era players from 1972 through 1999, followed by the Millennial group from 2000 to today, so we can round out the whole collecting roadmap across baseball’s different generations. Then, we’ll turn our attention to football, basketball and hockey cards!

Let us know in the comments which players you think got the short end of The Dandy Dozen stick!

The post The Dandy Dozen! 12 Most Collectable VINTAGE Baseball Players first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> https://davidgonos.com/dandy-dozen-vintage-baseball-players/feed/ 0 Best WNBA Rookie Cards Ever From Every Season! https://davidgonos.com/best-wnba-rookie-cards-ever/ https://davidgonos.com/best-wnba-rookie-cards-ever/#respond Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:04:09 +0000 https://davidgonos.com/?p=36905 Getting the best WNBA rookie cards ever, from each WNBA season, is a smart way to improve your sports card collection before these cards get even hotter.

The post Best WNBA Rookie Cards Ever From Every Season! first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

]]> Obtaining the best WNBA rookie cards looks to be smart move on improving your sports card collection. The WNBA trading card market has never been hotter.

What began in 1997 with Pinnacle Inside’s “cards in a can” has evolved into one of the most exciting niches in the hobby — thanks to new stars like Caitlin Clark and Breanna Stewart capturing global attention.

Over the past few seasons, WNBA rookie cards have exploded in popularity, with record-breaking sales and a surge of new collectors driving demand. Clark alone has over 100,000 graded cards, including the most valuable sports card in women’s sports, and her presence has doubled the average price of league-licensed cards since her 2024 rookie year.

With the new collective bargaining agreement signed, it appears that we will have a 2026 WNBA season, which is nice, considering it’s the 30th anniversary of when the league was founded on April 24, 1996. (The first game wasn’t played until June 21, 1997).

Whether you’ve been collecting since Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoopes debuted or you’re just discovering WNBA cards through Panini Prizm, this guide breaks down the best WNBA rookie cards from every season. We list rookie cards of the original legends who built the league to the new generation defining its future.

Best WNBA Rookie Cards Ever From Every Year

Most of the sports card links on this page will take you to eBay. That means I will get a commission on the sales from this page. If you end up buying from these links, I personally thank you for supporting my website! Even if you don’t buy anything, thank you for reading my article! Enjoy!

Bolded players indicate one of the best three from that year.

1997 Pinnacle WNBA Rookie Cards

Lisa Leslie – Card No. 1 – First WNBA Card Ever – View on eBay!
Cynthia Cooper – Card No. 2 – View on eBay!
Rebecca Lobo – Card No. 3 – View on eBay!
Tina Thompson (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No.13 – View on eBay!
Sheryl Swoopes – Card No. 26 – View on eBay!
Teresa Weatherspoon – Card No. 36 – View on eBay!

1997 Pinnacle Lisa Leslie - Best WNBA Rookie Cards Ever

1998 Pinnacle WNBA Rookie Cards

Nikki McCray – Card No. 48 – View on eBay!

1999 Hoops WNBA Rookie Cards

Natalie Williams – Card No. 103 – View on eBay!
Chamique Holdsclaw (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. 105 – View on eBay!
Yolanda Griffith – Card No. 106 – View on eBay!
Dawn Staley – Card No. 106 – View on eBay!
Jennifer Azzi – Card No. 119 – View on eBay!

2000 Fleer Ultra WNBA Rookie Cards

Becky Hammon – Card No. 21 – View on eBay!

2001 Fleer Ultra WNBA Rookie Cards

Jackie Stiles (HOF) – Card No. 125 – View on eBay!
Tamika Catchings – Card No. 127 – View on eBay!
Lauren Jackson (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. 129 – View on eBay!

2002 Fleer Ultra WNBA Rookie Cards

Sue Bird (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. 101 – View on eBay!
Swin Cash – Card No. 102 – View on eBay!

2003 Fleer Ultra WNBA Rookie Cards

Teresa Edwards – Card No. 117 – View on eBay!

2004 Fleer Ultra WNBA Rookie Cards

Diana Taurasi (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. 91 – View on eBay!
Lindsay Whalen – Card No. 94 – View on eBay!

2005 Rittenhouse WNBA Rookie Cards

There weren’t any real impact rookies from this season.

2006 Rittenhouse WNBA Rookie Cards

Cappie Pondexter – Card No. RC2 – View on eBay!

2007 Rittenhouse WNBA Rookie Cards

There weren’t any real impact rookies from this season.

2008 Rittenhouse WNBA Rookie Cards

Candace Parker (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. R1 – View on eBay!
Sylvia Fowles – Card No. R2 – View on eBay!

2009 Rittenhouse WNBA Rookie Cards

Angel McCoughtry – Card No. RC10 – View on eBay!

The Best WNBA Rookie Cards of 2020s

2010 Rittenhouse WNBA Rookies Rookie Cards

Tina Charles (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. R1 – View on eBay!

2011 Rittenhouse WNBA Rookies Rookie Cards

Maya Moore (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. R1 – View on eBay!
Courtney Vandersloot – Card No. R3 – View on eBay!

2012 Rittenhouse WNBA Rookie Cards

Nnemkadi Ogwumike (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. R1 – View on eBay!

2013 Rittenhouse WNBA Rookie Cards

Elena Della Donne – Card No. 12 – View on eBay!
Brittney Griner (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. 61 – View on eBay!
Kahleah Copper – Card No. 105 – View on eBay!

2014 Rittenhouse WNBA Rookie Cards

Chelsea Gray – Card No. 20 – View on eBay!
Chiney Ogwumike – Card No. 21 – View on eBay!

2015 Rittenhouse WNBA Rookie Cards

Jewell Lloyd (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. 79 – View on eBay!
Natasha Cloud – Card No. 97 – View on eBay!

2016 Rittenhouse WNBA Rookie Cards

Jonquel Jones – Card No. 25 – View on eBay!
Breanna Stewart (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. 95 – View on eBay!

2017 Rittenhouse WNBA Rookie Cards

Brittney Sykes – Card No. 2 – View on eBay!
Alisha Gray – Card No. 26 – View on eBay!
Kelsey Plum (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. 87 – View on eBay!

2018 Rittenhouse WNBA Rookie Cards

Kelsey Mitchell – Card No. 43 – View on eBay!
A’Ja Wilson (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. 48 – View on eBay!

2018 Rittenhouse Aja Wilson - Best WNBA Rookie Cards Ever

2019 Donruss WNBA Rookie Cards

Jackie Young (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. 90 – View on eBay!
Arike Ogunbowale – Card No. 93 – View on eBay!
Napheesa Collier – Card No. 95 – View on eBay!

2020 Prizm WNBA Rookie Cards

Sabrina Ionescu (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. 89 – View on eBay!
Satou Sabally – Card No. 90 – View on eBay!

2020 Prizm WNBA Sabrina Ionescu - Best WNBA Rookie Cards Ever

2021 Prizm WNBA Rookie Cards

Sophie Cunningham – Card No. 82 – View on eBay!

2022 Prizm WNBA Rookie Cards

Rhyne Howard (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. 181 – View on eBay!
Lexie Hull – Card No. 186 – View on eBay!

2023 Prizm WNBA Rookie Cards

Aliyah Boston (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. 133 – View on eBay!

2024 Prizm WNBA Rookie Cards

Angel Reese – Card No. 10 – View on eBay!
Caitlin Clark (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. 22 – View on eBay!
Rickea Jackson – Card No. 60 – View on eBay!
Aaliyah Edwards – Card No. 70 – View on eBay!
Nika Mühl – Card No. 75 – View on eBay!
Kamilla Cardoso – Card No. 93 – View on eBay!
Cameron Brink – Card No. 127 – View on eBay!

2024 Prizm WNBA Caitlin Clark - Best WNBA Rookie Cards Ever

Best 2025 Prizm WNBA Rookie Cards

Hailey Van Lith – Card No. 2 – View on eBay!
Paige Bueckers (No. 1 Overall Pick) – Card No. 5 – View on eBay!
Kiki Iriafen – Card No. 72 – View on eBay!
Aneesa Morrow – Card No. 79 – View on eBay!
Georgia Amoore – Card No. 103 – View on eBay!
Dominique Malonga – Card No. 116 – View on eBay!
Sonia Citron – Card No. 122 – View on eBay!
Saniya Rivers – Card No. 131 – View on eBay!

2025 Prizm WNBA Paige Bueckers - Best WNBA Rookie Cards Ever

Don’t forget to check out our other articles based on the greatest rookie cards from every year:

Let us know in the comments if we missed one of the best WNBA rookie cards on this list – or if you think someone should be removed!

The post Best WNBA Rookie Cards Ever From Every Season! first appeared on Happy Hobby - DavidGonos.com.

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