Buying Rookie Cards - How to Choose

Long before most of us started to buy, sell and trade baseball cards, "The Rookie Card" was a players most desirable card to have. Before autographed cards, game used memorabilia cards and numbered insert cards were produced, The rookie card was the collectors most prized possession. When we talk to card collectors about collecting today, the rookie card still seems to top want lists for both vintage and current players. You would be hard pressed to find a Ruth, Mantle or Jackie Robinson card that would be valued higher or more desirable than a mint rookie card. There is a certain desire when collecting most things to want to own the first of something and with baseball card collecting it's the players first card, his "Rookie Card."

Pre 1981 there was usually only 1 Rookie Card for your favorite new player because Topps was the main producer of baseball cards. Roberto Clemente Rookie Card:1955 Topps. George Brett Rookie Card: 1975 Topps, etc.

In 2008 there will be many rookie cards for each new player. How do you choose which to put in your collection? Naturally we are all guided by our availability of funds so that will help us to choose which rookie cards we are able to purchase.

If we go back to 2001 and look at a future Hall of Famer like Albert Pujols we find that he has many rookie cards ranging in value from $20 to $15,000. Value is dependent upon different factors including brand, limited numbered cards,autographed cards and of course graded cards.. An Albert Pujols Topps rookie card may be $50.00 however an Pujols Bowman chrome rookie card that was issued autographed might trade for more than $10,000 in a PSA 10 holder It's all about supply and demand fueled by ultimate condition in a graded holder.

So which cards should you buy?

For the 22 years I've been in business I have always made the same recommendation when it comes to choosing what rookie cards to buy. Buy the best you can afford and also a card that appeals to you visually. Eye appeal is an important factor when collecting so make that one of your considerations when choosing. A baseball players rookie card will most likely appreciate based on supply and demand coupled to his recent and past performance and popularity. The best keeps getting better so buy the best you can afford to buy. However it doesn't make sense to put all your apples in one basket when you have a large pool of rookie cards to choose from. If you like David Wright and Alex Rodriguez then try to spread your current budget so you can acquire both cards. You'll have to do some homework but it pays off in the long run so do your research and ask questions before you start buying blindly.

Rookie Cards will always be in demand and will surely gain popularity as a players career continues to get better as he heads towards stardom.

Scott Allen is owner of Southbay Baseball Cards (a family owned business since 1986) and avid lifetime collector of vintage and modern sports cards as well as memorabilia.

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