Favre Rookie Card Resurgence? |
|
|
|
Tuesday, 06 October 2009 |
 He's back. Did you sell your Brett Favre rookie cards too early?
Brett Favre rookie cards were among the hottest in the marketplace in the mid-1990s. As he approached the NFL's touchdown pass record in 2007 and continued his incredible--and still intact--consecutive games streak--they spiked again.
Then came the retirement.
A year in New York didn't impact sales much, but now that Favre has the Minnesota Vikings off to a 4-0 start and seems to have not lost a thing, sales on eBay, not to mention stores in Minnesota, are inching up again.
The emphasis though, is on "inching". Part of that could be continued buyer confusion over which card to buy. Like so many other players from the 1990s and beyond, Favre has multiple rookie cards. Thankfully for collectors on limited budgets, there aren't any "autographed rookie cards" or "1 of 1 memorabilia rookie cards".
Collectors know that the Topps Stadium Club cards became the ones most commonly associated with "Favre rookie card". There again, though, it's 'which one?'
He first appeared on the TSC issue in 1991, as a rookie with the Atlanta Falcons. The '91 issue isn't hard to find, although some crimping on the edges can create slight condition issues that limit the number of ultra high grade cards available. His 1991 Stadium Club rookie card has been selling in the $80-100 range in a BGS 9.5 holder. PSA 9's have sold recently for $40-60, not all that much different from what they were a few years ago. PSA 10s and SGC 98s run $100-150.
The rare 1991 Stadium Club 'Super Bowl' Favre rookie is unquestionably the most rare Favre rookie card. Issued in packs as part of a Super Bowl promotion in the early 90s, the cards were only available to fans who found them at the site. Only around 300 exist. They're a relative bargain, considering the new buzz around Favre, trading in the $300-500 range.
 In '92, Favre was part of the third series Stadium Club issue and it's much tougher to find than the '91. It's his first appearance as a Packer in a mainstream set and the card runs about 1/3 higher on the market. While the value, popularity and scarcity obviously don't compare, it's a similar to the 1951 Bowman-1952 Topps Mickey Mantle "rookie card" debate.
While Favre is now showing up in Vikings colors and his first autographed insert cards are expected this month, Favre rookie cards may be the smart play in the long run. He'll add at least one more chapter to his remarkable career and even though the ongoing soap opera became tiresome, he's still a 'must watch' type of player destined for Canton as one of the most electrifying quarterbacks ever. Favre's appearance on early 90s cardboard is almost a throwback to a time when you could grab ahold of a player's entire portfolio of rookie cards without going broke.
You still can.
Favre rookie cards on eBay |
Read 4,000+ More Stories 
