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Aaron Rodgers Rookie Cards a Wise Buy? |
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Wednesday, 14 October 2009 |
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He may have lost the first round of the duel with former tutor Brett Favre, but Aaron Rodgers seems on a course for big-time NFL success. Is it a smart move to invest in his rookie cards?
Green Bay Packers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers has some pros and cons as a target for your sports memorabilia investment dollar. He plays a glamor position for one of the game's greatest franchises. He is a very talented player, but not yet on the elite level. Rodgers first full season as a starter was for a 6-10 Packers team. The losing season had little to do with Rodgers, but quarterbacks are eventually measured by wins and losses.
The upside of a player like Rodgers at this moment might be more in line with Dan Fouts, a Hall of Fame quarterback for sure but not a great of the game like Joe Montana, John Elway or Brett Favre.
 One obstacle for Rodgers is the shadow cast by his predecessor at quarterback for the Packers. Right or wrong he will always be measured against Brett Favre. This is a comparison he is destined to lose for a variety of reasons. Favre was a swashbuckling hero who won a Super Bowl and played every game injured or not. Now that he's resurrected his career in Minnesota and may be on yet another strong team, Favre's legend grows despite the constant naysayers.
Yet Rodgers has many similar qualities. He's a quiet leader, but also tough and may have more respect from his teammates than Favre did at his age. Rodgers is smart, makes good decisions and can run a little, meaning he's not dull by any stretch.
If you are sold on Aaron Rodgers as the real deal, there are some good choices for rookie cards. Just remember that the current football card market is much different than in years past. Inserts, autographed cards and game worn swatch cards dominate today's market. The days of a base set rookie card having real long-term value or serious appreciation prospects may be gone. This poses some problems for the collector. With numerous rookie cards to choose from you really never know which one will be best over the long run.
Among the cards to consider: The 2005 Exquisite RC Autographed patch card. It is visually pleasing and offers both swatches of his game worn jersey and his verified autograph. It is limited to 199 copies.
If you are looking for a premier type Aaron Rodgers autographed rookie card you have three nice choices:
2005 Playoff Absolute Autographed – limited to a print run of 249 cards.
2005 Topps Finest Rookie Autographed – limited to a print run of 299 cards.
2005 Upper Deck Ultimate RC Autographed – limited to a print run of 25 cards.
All are still relatively affordable.
The best Aaron Rodgers cards available, of course, are short prints with both an autograph and swatch from one of his game worn jerseys.
The 2005 SP Authentic Patch/autograph card was limited to 99 copies and sells in the $500 price range. A similar card the 2005 Exquisite Dual Patch/autograph had 199 printed and is a bit cheaper in the $325 range.
Another approach to Rodgers investment is to go with bulk instead of gems. The 2005 Upper Deck rookie card sells for a couple bucks right now as a single. You can buy large lots of this card for less than a dollar a piece on eBay. You can, in fact, buy one of these large lots now and make a profit simply by selling them individually on eBay or at shows once Rodgers begins putting up consistently strong numbers on a successful team. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that a few Pro Bowl seasons and a Super Bowl trip would not put this card into the $5 or higher price range. If it achieves this level you can make much more money selling this card in huge quantities than you can investing in the more higher priced varieties. In this hobby a $1 card becomes a $5 card much easier than a $100 card becomes a $500 card.
Rodgers lost the early part of his career sitting on the bench, did not have prime star quality coming into the league from college and plays in the shadow of one of the game's greats. But as Mike Holmgren once told Reggie White as he recruited the late, great defensive end, "Reggie you can go anywhere and be a star. Come to Green Bay and you'll be a legend."
Aaron Rodgers cards for sale now |
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