Barry Bonds rookie

austinchau

Which one is Barry Bonds best rookie? his topps traded or his Donruss?

Austin

VitoCo1972

<< <i>Which one is Barry Bonds best rookie? his topps traded or his Donruss?

Austin >>



I'm partial to the Fleer Update. That and the Topps Traded are what I would go with.

Joewoowoo

Topps Traded Tiffany is the rc most people go for .

skilow

The Donruss Opening Day error

rube26105

too bad nobody wants any of em lol,i just sent a 86 fleeer update to somebody with cards, i snuck it in there with em

MajorDanby

<< <i>his topps traded or his Donruss? >>



between the two, ive seen most people go after the traded version. some consider that it's a pre rookie and his donruss card his real rookie.

[EDIT for grammar]

digicat

<< <i>some consider that his pre rookie and his donruss card his real rookie. >>



I never heard of that. The Topps Traded, Fleer Update, and Donruss Rookies cards are all end-of-year "update" sets.

MajorDanby

it's largely because of production dates, more inline with the beckett version of rookie definitions than anything else. I personally believe, and as you stated most people also feel, the end of the year products go along with the 87 productions as his rookie cards.

digicat

There's a cut-off point where folks stopped making a distinction between Update rookies and base-set rookies though, when was that?

Was it 1990?

E.g.
Folks consider Bonds 1986 and 1987 cards to be "rookie cards"

Folks consider Nomar Garciaparra's rookie card to be his 1992 Topps Traded card, and none other.



The distinction seems to be coming back again though.

Ryan Howard has a 2001 Upper Deck Prospect Premiers card and no other cards until 2003, yet many folks consider his 2003 cards to be "rookie cards" also.

fuj

<< <i>There's a cut-off point where folks stopped making a distinction between Update rookies and base-set rookies though, when was that?

Was it 1990?

E.g.
Folks consider Bonds 1986 and 1987 cards to be "rookie cards"

Folks consider Nomar Garciaparra's rookie card to be his 1992 Topps Traded card, and none other.



The distinction seems to be coming back again though.

Ryan Howard has a 2001 Upper Deck Prospect Premiers card and no other cards until 2003, yet many folks consider his 2003 cards to be "rookie cards" also. >>



This is a GREAT question. With respect to Bonds, his 1987 Fleer was LONG considered his best RC for at least the first 10 years of his career. Now the 86 update sets are carrying more weight with collectors - why? I assume it's because the 86 updates were issued earlier and collectors are just gravitating towards the earliest possible card issue. While I don't have a strong opinion on this, it just seems strange that this shift occurred so far into his playing career and long after the cards were issued.

I'm not sure how the 2001 Ryan Howard card was issued, but it sure seems to me like that should be the true RC. It sounds almost like the Pedro Martinez situation. Pedro's only true RC is from the 91 UD Final Edition set (which had very little value due to overproduction). I recall his 92 Bowman and/or the 92 Leaf Gold as the cards everyone chased but now those seem to have been cast aside in favor of the 91 UD RC.

So I guess the question I have is: Are collectors going for just the oldest card produced of a player? If that is the case, why the disagreement over the Ryan Howard RC?

MajorDanby

A lot of collectors followed Beckett's definition of rookie for quite some time (mid 80's, early to mid 90's). Beckett did hold a lot of clout back then with their price guides and top ten lists, so when collectors saw the "RC" designation next to a card listing, they automatically assumed that was the standard rookie card for the player. That's why Bonds 87 Fleer was the most sought after and, correct me if i am wrong, the highest priced of Bonds 86 and 87 cards (according to Beckett and not including the tiffany sets).

Nowadays, Beckett doesnt have that much sway and a lot of collectors are gravitating towards their own definitions of rookie cards...especially in the pre war sector of the hobby. This is compounded by the increasing number of companies issuing sets. As you guys have already mentioned, a lot of collectors (and this is validated with actual market prices) are (or were, when bonds was hot) hording the pre 87 cards, labeling them bonds' true rookie. This is also true for ripken, clemens and other cards.

I feel the rookie definition is murky in the pre war and in the modern sectors. With only one real company (Topps) issuing cards, rookie cards are more or less defined in the post war sector (although, you'll find a lot of collectors labeling oddball and team issue cards as real rookie cards).

Im not so sure about the modern sector, at least post 97 (i stopped collecting modern cards at that time). Someone with more knowledge of how companies issue cards of players (if contracts are involved, if there is an industry wide agreement not to issue a card of a player until he reaches a certain level at pro ball, etc) should have more input. Talking to some who collect modern rookies, theyve had varying conditions of what is a rookie card...earliest issue....once they're under MLB's contract with baseball card issuance....cards produced when player has debuted at major league level....and so forth.

Rookie card definitions in 19th century and pre war cards are tough because there were few "companies" issuing cards....and did so sporadically (especially in the 30's and 40's). The 80's to probably the early 90's, there were 5-6 companies issuing cards, but the whole update/traded sets made things complicated. Now, with so many companies issuing cards, it's hard to get a handle on what is considered a player's rookie card.

nitrous

Opening Day Error Rookie if your looking for the most dificult to aquire..I have yet to see one for sale

bman90278

<< <i> too bad nobody wants any of em lol,i just sent a 86 fleeer update to somebody with cards, i snuck it in there with em >>



Aint that true Rube. Check out this AMAZING Barry Bonds collection I noticed this morning on craigslist. I hope the seller is dying for the money,

Amazing Barry Bonds Collection Linky

rube26105

i got a whole pile of bonds slabbed stuff here, its the only thing i get 10's on
that aint funny-
yeah it is