Deion “Prime Time” Sanders is currently in his second prime as a hot ticket in the sports card world.
A popular star in the late 1980s and early 90s as a dual-sport star, he’s now the hottest football coach in the country. A 2-0 start at the University of Colorado with his confident nature in tow, Sanders is making headlines once again. The Hall of Fame football player who also played 641 Major League Baseball games turned his attention to college coaching in 2020 at Jackson State and three years there earned him a shot with the Buffaloes.
With a seemingly sky high trajectory and budding young football players wanting to be part of his program, Sanders could be in the spotlight for the long haul and collectors and football fans have jumped all over his 24-year-old rookie cards.
Since the beginning of the month, over 7,600 Sanders baseball and football cards have sold on eBay alone.
The crème de la crème of Sanders rookie cards is the posed shot from 1989 Score Football where he is featured in his Atlanta Falcons gear. Sellers have taken advantage of the hot market to list hundreds of them in recent weeks. Nearly 300 have sold on eBay this month. PSA 9 copies have jumped above $80 while some 10s have stretched past $1,000.
A PSA authenticated autograph version of that same card sold for over $2,400 on Sept. 14. These numbers are staggeringly high considering what those same cards sold for mere months ago. In 2022, the average sold price for the PSA 10 Score Sanders card was $502, meaning the card has nearly doubled since he took over the Colorado program.
As of this week, 8,715 Score Sanders cards have been graded by PSA, with 904 graded 10–just over ten percent.
Another very popular Sanders rookie card is the 1989 Topps Traded card showing him in full Falcons uniform waiting for a kick. 
He also appears in the 1989 Topps Traded baseball set, dressed in New York Yankees garb as a 21-year-old outfielder.
Both the 1989 Topps football and baseball cards graded 10 have been selling in the $150-$200 range, not including the rarer Tiffany versions of the baseball card. In 2022, the standard Topps Update Sanders cards both routinely sold for $40-$70. They’re both plentiful enough to where collectors can still own ungraded copies for a pretty low cost. The PSA Population Report for the baseball card is just over a 23 percent gem mint rate while the football version is just over 33 percent.
Collectors like David C. Andersen on Twitter have shared some of their favorite Sanders cards and recent pickups, like the 1992 Upper Deck “Prime Times Two” card that celebrates his football and baseball prowess on the same card.
If you grew up in the 90’s, you know that “Prime Time” Deion Sanders was one of the biggest stars of the era. This 1992 Upper Deck SP insert celebrating Sanders success as a two sport athlete was one of my favorite cards as a kid. Glad to add this PSA 9 slab to the collection. pic.twitter.com/yOYX4TqGEs
— David C. Andersen (@DavidCAndersen) April 18, 2022
Here a few of my personal favorite Sanders cards spanning his playing and post-playing career.
1989 Pro Set Football
Yes, Pro Set was a junk wax era symbol but there are some phenomenal rookies in that first issue and today, the design has become a bit of a classic. Leaf even brought it back for various releases over the last couple of years. The 1989 Pro Set card features Sanders in his Florida State uniform on the front and him sporting his trademarked shades on the back.
PSA 10 versions of this card have sold for upwards for $150 in recent days but again, raw examples can still be had for under $10.
1993 Topps Finest Baseball Refractor
1993 was the first year of Topps Finest, and the Sanders card in the set can be an absolute gold mine in mint condition. It’s hard to find a better looking Sanders card dating back to his playing days and an eBay check reveals only a few available as collectors have been snapping them up.
As far as modern Deion Sanders cards go, it’s hard to go wrong with the Panini Absolute Kaboom! insert from 2001. The comic book style and simple yet eye-popping design have made it a favorite among collectors. Expect to pay at least a few hundred dollars for one.
Below is an ongoing list of the most watched Deion Sanders card auctions on eBay.
Related Stories:
1989 Score Football: Debut Set Loaded with Great Rookies
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Quinn Early Q&A: Seeing His Rookie Card for First Time, Steelers Fandom, Martial Arts Journey and Being a Stuntman
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Notes: Bowman U NOW Football Features Colorado Shades, Harrison Jr., More
