Who's rookie card has the most potential?

frankhardy

Who's rookie card has the most potential (best investment) of any active player? I am thinking Alex Rodriguez or Albert Pujols (any autographed version). What are your thoughts?

julen23

Anybody smart enough to get by the new steroid policy.

Julen

frankhardy

So, I take it that Palmeiro wouldn't fit that category!

VintageJeff

The problem with modern rookies is how in the world out of all their various rookies do you pick the one that will be wanted by most collectors years and years from now? With such a wide variety of rookies if somebody wants an AROD rookie they will have unlimited choices therefore lowering the demand for an individual card and in turn keeping prices low.

Stone193

Frank
Do you mean short term investment with a quick flip? Or do you mean holding a card for 10+ years?

I agree that Pujols and Arod will be money in the bank if you got in cheap on their better RC's. Having said that, what amount of appreciation is hard to say.

Some cards get such a quick rush in value that it's hard to see them going way higher?

RC's have such an ebb and flow - I have no longer even looked at them that way since I have tons of RC failures in stacks of 50!LOL

I remember when there was a major debate/argument over Cole Hamels auto cards - I want to say it was Beachbum who was trying to corner the market? Very risky business?

I think any of the auto RC's of performers are great to collect and if they go up? Well, that's definitely great also. I never know when I'm going to need a kidney.

I like Jeter also BTW - not popular with a lot of people.

mike

joestalin

pujols and arod?? Their cards are already saturated. Pujols can only come down. The guy must hit .325 and 40 homers a year
just to live up to the hype.

There is a line around 99, where non-autoed rookies actually are worth something, and graded rookies even more. After 99 rookie
cards do get complex. A set you really have to watch out for is 99 topps traded...every card in the set has an autographed
version and many times there were damaged in the box. These are not considered true rc's bu bring good money.

Bowman Chrome dominates now. There are few examples of a guys best rc coming from a set other than topps. The gold refractors
are the key cards. Potential?? How about these guys:

Felix Hernandez (will start Thursday)
Delmon Young
Rickie Weeks
Robinson Cano (Yankee factor)
Zack Duke (ROY??)

Kevin

frankhardy

joestalin,

I respect your opinion, but I don't agree on Pujols. I think that each year he keeps putting up these kinds of numbers, the more he will go up. I have seen this the last two years. I do think that if he has an off year, that he will come down slightly though.

mike,

I am mainly talking about holding it for 10 plus years. With ARod, I guess his two biggest are the SP and the Leaf Limited. I the 1994 Leaf Limited in a PSA 9. I got it out of a pack from a unopened box that I got in the purchase of an entire collection. Earlier this year, I decided that I wanted a Pujols auto from his rookie year. I bought PSA 9 Finest Auto for $200. They are now going for $350 to $400. But, I am mainly speaking of holding on to cards for an extended period. Those two are just examples.

Stone193

Frank
You got in cheap and they are in your collection and may reward you down the road if needed.

Nice pick ups! I don't have a Pujols auto RC - wish I did.

Kevin
I can't argue with your list and I like Rich Harden also. But as I said, my RC spec days are behind me.

mike

stown

As mentioned on another thread, I've already wasted major $ on rookie investment hoarding... But if you are looking for potential (ie somewhat undiscovered with significant upside), I personally like Willy Taveras

MajorDanby

ARod is probably the best bet at this point. trying to gamble on young prospects is too high a risk (my last and final rookie gamble was brandon phillips...although he still has the chance to become a good player, weve seen in his recent stint with the indians that he may not be as good as everyone thought he was). ARod has several rookies....and they are more or less overproduced. But, so are bonds' rookies.....and look what happened there. If you want a more safe bet to invest on a rookie card of a current active player...go with ARod.

Stingray

What about someone who is close to retiring, like Greg Maddux or Roger Clemens. Are there cards at the max right now or is there room for a little or alot of movent in pricing say 10-15 years from now? I do not know the current pricing on their rookie cards, but just taking a look in a different direction.

Stingray

Boopotts

The great sleeper is Andruw Jones. He's going to finish his career with monstrous power numbers, given that he's been productive for so long and came in to the league at a young age. His Bowman's Best Refractor is IMO still undervalued.

donnnster

Stingray-

I have seen maddux cards slowly settle down of late. They were at their peak right before his 300th win. One of his rarer cards, his 1987 leaf, has 40 psa 10s out of 1500+ submissions(2.7%). Of course I bought this card at the peak when it was around 300 bucks! I then picked another one up a few months ago for around 70 dollars!(SMR 230). I recently saw 4sharpcorners selling one(didnt sell at 199 with BIN 299). I may be biased because I'm a maddux collector, but I feel that as he climbs up on the charts on the career wins and eventually enters the HOF, more people will gain interest in his cards.

Boopots, thats a pretty good call on Andruw Jones. He is one of the best center fielders I have ever seen. If he can keep a run of several good offensive seasons like this year, his cards should definitely benefit.

joestalin

While I agree that Pujols looks very good for the future this thread is about players rookie cards. There is very little room for
increase in Pujols BC AU RC. It exploded last year and has been hovering at the same value. I really don't think either that
or the Arod SP can go much higher.

I think you have to look at other factors besides who is on the card:

Distribution of the product (retail only,mass produced,issued in box sets....)
Numbering (make a huge difference in post year 2000 issues)
Brand Name bowman will always win over donruss and fleer..SP products are always strong too
condition...used to be the most important thing, but now not really..there are still some sets where this is an issue (UD UV, Topps Traded..foil sets)

Kevin

Boopotts

"Boopots, thats a pretty good call on Andruw Jones. He is one of the best center fielders I have ever seen. If he can keep a run of several good offensive seasons like this year, his cards should definitely benefit."

Other things about Andruw:

1) he's entering his 'power years' (as is A-Rod, and that's scary) so he could put up some huge stats in the next 8 years or so.

2) He just turned 28 this year. He's 130 HR's behind A-Rod, but A-Rod is two years older. And as we all know anything can happen.

3) He's played at least 150 games a year since he became a full time player.

4) He has 280 something career home runs. So he's a lock for 500, and probably will get to 600. Of course, the 64,000 question is whether he was on 'roids, since this could screw up his joints. But that's the risk you run with everyone. And given his output this year it looks like he probably wasn't.

EagleEyeKid

Boopots, thats a pretty good call on Andruw Jones

I absolutely agree with this one, and he only has 2 rookie cards.
Bowman & Bowman's Best but the refractor Bowman's Best parallel would be the best investment. His cards are very undervalued IMO compared to AROD or Pujols. If he stays healthy, he should end up with over 700+ homers.

SoFLPhillyFan

<< <i>The great sleeper is Andruw Jones. He's going to finish his career with monstrous power numbers, given that he's been productive for so long and came in to the league at a young age. His Bowman's Best Refractor is IMO still undervalued. >>



I agree after looking at his Bowman's Best and Refractor sales over the last month. Missed out on buying one lot of 10 PSA9s by 5 bucks. The one problem with him is his cold streaks in the 2nd half.

Ryan Howard is also a good bet now IMO. He will surely be on the roster for the Phils next year after they get rid of Thome. 2001(?) UD Prospect Premieres is one of his earliest cards.

I have also bought some Clint Barmes of the Rockies, and Iguchi of the Chisox.

As for prospects I like Eric Haberer in the Cards system, Justin Verlander with the Tigers.

In football I have some weight in Reggie Brown (Donruss Elite RC and auto), WR with the Eagles. I think he will make an impact this year and maybe get ROY.

Also in football I see Jason White from Oklahoma. Thought he went with the Titans but don't see him there now. A perfect fit after McNair retires.

joestalin

SoFL

Those are some nice prospects. Howard's best card is 03 Bo Best AU, his only signed rookie card. Verlander will have a slew of rookie
cards, he also has had an auto in the USA set, that sold very well for a long time.

As far as Jason White..I didn't think he made any team. I have a limited auto of his from UD Rookie if you need it

Kevin

SoFLPhillyFan

Yeah, it's weird. I saw White's Elite card with the Titans logo and figured he went with them, but he's not even listed on their free agent signings.

The only reason I like him is if he is with the Titans, with McNair at the end and Fisher being a good QB coach.

White Elite RC

Boopotts

"As for prospects I like Eric Haberer in the Cards system, Justin Verlander with the Tigers."

There is nothing worse than throwing sports card money at a pitcher. In the past 20 years exactly three pitchers have had a significant long term hobby impact (over five years, say); and two of them have won 300+ games.

NickM

joestalin - remember that the supply of Pujols Bowman Chrome rookies NOT numbered 5/500 or 005/500 is steadily decreasing.

Nick

frankhardy

I am really not talking about "speculating" on a bunch of first or second year players. I am mainly talking about players that are pretty established stars.

I also am not particularly talking about buying up 100's of a certain card.

I am mainly talking about ONE PLAYER, and ONE CARD.

ajw

<< <i>

<< <i>
Ryan Howard is also a good bet now IMO. He will surely be on the roster for the Phils next year after they get rid of Thome. 2001(?) UD Prospect Premieres is one of his earliest cards.
>>



I'd be wary of inveting in Ryan Howard cards. The guy is already 26 years old, and it's nearly impossible to find a HOF calber player that broke into the majors at 25 or 26. In fact, most of them are established in the majors and performing at a very high level by age 22 or so.

If you do invest in Howard cards, I'd look to dump them after any run up in value in the next 24 months or so. If you hold them any longer, you'll miss the peak.

CopperJJ

I agree with JS about Pujols. I think to keep his cards going up, he is going to have to continue to put the mac daddy numbers up and keep em up. They will probably stay level if he stays steady for the next few years. The only Donruss Elite Card I ever got rid of was a 2001 Pujols non-auto, made good $$$ on it then, but would make better on it now. If I had it now I'd submit to PSA and keep it. Oh well, If I had all the cards I ever had ie: 86 Fleer MJ... wish my cousin in KY would come off his 3 unopened boxes of 86 Fller Bkb.

Now i'm just ramblin

rbdjr1

Michelle Wie?

What year will she have a rookie card?

rbd