It depends on the week, of course, but any look at the top 100 most watched football rookie card auctions on eBay is likely to include some of the hobby’s hottest names and some guys who played well before you were born (unless you’re a guy who remembers the single-bar facemask).
Unlike baseball, trading cards featuring pro football players really didn’t become a regular part of our childhood autumns until the late 1940s. Collecting and investing in football cards didn’t come of age until much later. For years, they were undervalued. Some say they still are, but the current era’s serial numbered and autograph cards combined with skyrocketing interest are turning modern cards into highly desirable investments.
It could be said that the game’s current stars are changing the landscape. Quarterbacks who can run and pass; linebackers with the speed of a DB and tight ends who run like receivers. It’s an exciting time to be a fan of current NFL trading cards but there’s a lot of interest in Hall of Fame rookie cards, too. Undervalued for years, higher grade examples of the all-time greats are now seeing a lot of interest from those who understand how tough it is to find cards that have sharp corners, no print defects and are well-centered. 
Typically, those players have a far smaller number of different rookie cards–most all prior to 1989 have just one.
So whether you’re into Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson, Jerry Rice and Joe Montana or Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, there are plenty of opportunities to get into the game. As always, if you’re making a significant investment, buying a graded card that’s been authenticated and encapsulated by PSA, SGC or BGS is the way to go.
Check out the live list of the 100 ‘most watched’ football rookie cards up for auction right now.
To see all of the hottest football cards up for bid, click here.
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