What are the 100 Greatest Rookie Cards of All Time?

jordangretzkyfan

I thought it would be fun to pose this question to the forum. I attempted to create a list of the 100 greatest athletes of all-time on their most iconic rookie card. Sort of a 'bucket list' of cardboard immortals on their best rookie. This list has been a few months in the making for me. There are many obvious cards that must make this list, but it started to get really hard once I had about 80 cards on the list to finalize the last 20. I think one could make a case for another 10-15 cards or so, but alas my goal was to keep this to the top 100.

The point was not to capture the most expensive cards, but to compile a list of the 100 greatest athletes to ever play their respective sport. Then once I had the 100 best ever, I captured their best rookie. This list includes baseball, basketball, football, hockey, golf, boxing and the Olympics. I am defining 'rookie' as a mainstream issued card depicting the player on a professional team in the players first year of issue (i.e. no minor league cards).

So with that, here are the cards that just missed my list:

1938 Goudy Bob Feller
1948 Leaf Satchel Paige
1948 Bowman Yogi Berra
1949 Bowman Duke Snider
1955 Topps Harmon Killebrew
1957 Topps Brooks Robinson
1957 Topps Bob Cousy
1933 Sport Kings Red Grange
1950 Bowman Y.A. Tittle
1958 Topps Bobby Hull
1948 Leaf Joe Louis
1951 Topps Ringside Rocky Marciano

I already know what you are thinking, if these didn't make the cut then I must be an idiot. One last note before we get to the list...I created this list void of speculation on if players used PED's or not. You will see a few on this list that have been associated with PED's, but my opinion is that these few on the list are still among the best to ever play. Feel free to disagree, but I wanted to share my position on it as you view the list. So here is my list of the 100 greatest players of all-time and their best rookie. These are sorted by sport.

Top 100 All-Time Greatest Rookie Cards

1) 1909 T-206 Christy Mathewson
2) 1909 T-206 Walter Johnson
3) 1909 T-206 Cy Young
4) 1909 T-206 Honus Wagner
5) 1909 T-206 Ty Cobb
6) 1909 T-206 Tris Speaker
7) 1909 American Caramel E90-1 Joe Jackson
8) 1916 M-101-5 Babe Ruth
9) 1932 US Caramel Lou Gehrig
10) 1932 US Caramel Rogers Hornsby
11) 1933 Goudey Jimmy Foxx
12) 1933 Goudey Mel Ott
13) 1938 Goudey Joe Dimaggio
14) 1939 Play Ball Ted Williams
15) 1948 Leaf Stan Musial
16) 1948 Leaf Warren Spahn
17) 1948 Leaf Jackie Robinson
18) 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle
19) 1951 Bowman Willie Mays
20) 1954 Topps Hank Aaron
21) 1954 Topps Ernie Banks
22) 1954 Topps Al Kaline
23) 1955 Topps Roberto Clemente
24) 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax
25) 1957 Topps Frank Robinson
26) 1959 Topps Bob Gibson
27) 1960 Topps Carl Yastremski
28) 1963 Topps Pete Rose
29) 1965 Topps Steve Carlton
30) 1967 Topps Rod Carew
31) 1967 Topps Tom Seaver
32) 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan
33) 1968 Topps Johnny Bench
34) 1969 Topps Reggie Jackson
35) 1973 Topps Mike Schmidt
36) 1975 Topps George Brett
37) 1978 Topps Eddie Murray
38) 1978 Topps Paul Molitor
39) 1979 Topps Ozzie Smith
40) 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson
41) 1982 Topps Traded Cal Ripken
42) 1983 Topps Tony Gwynn
43) 1984 Fleer Update Roger Clemens
44) 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany Barry Bonds
45) 1987 Donruss Greg Maddux
46) 1989 Bowman Tiffany Ken Griffey, Jr.
47) 1989 Topps Tiffany Randy Johnson
48) 1993 SP Derek Jeter
49) 1994 SP Alex Rodriguez
50) 2001 Bowman Chrome Albert Pujols
51) 1948 Bowman George Mikan
52) 1957 Topps Bill Russell
53) 1961 Fleer Wilt Chamberlain
54) 1961 Fleer Oscar Robertson
55) 1961 Fleer Jerry West
56) 1969 Topps Lew Alcindor
57) 1972 Topps Julius Erving
58) 1980 Topps Bird/Erving/Magic
59) 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan
60) 1986 Fleer Karl Malone
61) 1986 Fleer Akeem Olajuwon
62) 1988 Fleer John Stockton
63) 1992 Beam Team Shaquille O'Neal
64) 1996 Topps Chrome Refractor Kobe Bryant
65) 2003 UD Exquisite LeBron James
66) 1933 Sport Kings Jim Thorpe
67) 1935 National Chicle Bronko Nagurski
68) 1950 Bowman Otto Graham
69) 1957 Topps Bart Starr
70) 1957 Topps John Unitas
71) 1958 Topps Jim Brown
72) 1965 Topps Joe Namath
73) 1966 Philadelphia Dick Butkus
74) 1971 Topps Terry Bradshaw
75) 1972 Topps Roger Staubach
76) 1976 Topps Walter Payton
77) 1981 Topps Joe Montana
78) 1982 Topps Lawrence Taylor
79) 1984 Topps John Elway
80) 1984 Topps Dan Marino
81) 1986 Topps Jerry Rice
82) 1989 Score Barry Sanders
83) 1990 Score Supplemental Emmitt Smith
84) 1991 Stadium Club Brett Favre
85) 1998 Playoff Contenders Peyton Manning
86) 2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady
87) 1951 Parkhurst Gordie Howe
88) 1951 Parkhurst Maurice Richard
89) 1966 Topps Bobby Orr
90) 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky
91) 1980 O-Pee-Chee Mark Messier
92) 1984 O-Pee-Chee Steve Yzerman
93) 1985 O-Pee-Chee Mario Lemieux
94) 1986 O-Pee-Chee Patrick Roy
95) 1990 Score Canadian Martin Brodeur
96) 1932 US Caramel Bobby Jones
97) 1971 Barratt & Co. Jack Nicklaus
98) 2001 SP Authentic Tiger Woods
99) 1971 Barratt & Co. Muhammad Ali
100) 2009 Allen & Ginter Michael Phelps AUTO

So what do you think? Which ones would you cut and add to this list of 100? Remember, if you add one you also have to say which one you would take off

I would love to hear your opinions.

eagles33

Great topic especially since I love lists and love rookie cards. I'll start withe the rookies from sports outside the big 4 since those might be the ones that not everyone knows so it might add a little value to the thread. Then ill work on the top 100. I think you could take 10 athletes from outside the big 4 and any sports fan would agree they deserve a spot.

I'm sure I'm forgetting an obvious one but here goes..
1 Cassius Clay - a lot of debate on his rookie card. His first card is 1960 Hemmets. This is a hand cut paper card. My vote is the 1965 Lampo. It's his first pack issued card

2 Pele 1957-58 Titulares

3 Tiger Woods 1996 SI For Kids

4 Jack Nicklaus 1971 Barrat

5 Arnold Palmer 1965 Bancroft

6 Jesse Owens 1935 Murratti

7 Richard Petty 1972 STP

8 Mario Andreti 1969 Panini

9 Mike Tyson 1986 Panini

10 Hulk Hogan 1982 Wrestling All Stars


Honorable Mention
Rocky Marciano 1951 Topps
Arthur Ashe 1970 Panini
Andre Agassi 1987 Panini
Dale Earndhart 1983 Uno
Michael Phelps 2003 Stadion
Carl Lewis 1985 Poulain

WalterSobchak

You left off Yogi Berra and Satchel Paige so the list could have SWIMMING???!?

rtimmer

I would change the 1982 Ripken to his first card the 1982 regular edition Topps cards from the traded. I would add Charles Barkley especially because you have Stockton and Malone....who knows maybe you live in Utah though?? I would put in his Star card since it predates the Fleer. I would also add Kevin Durant for basketball and for Racing I would add the 1983 UNO Earnhardt, the 2000 Maxximum Johnson and the Trax Jeff Gordon. Nice thread!

eagles33

I would bounce Martin Brodeur and Phelps and add Pele and Yogi.

Constantine

Well done list.

lightningboy

Nice list, but I think a little too heavy on baseball. I would exclude the 1967 Carew, and the 1978 Murray and Molitor cards. They were absolutely great players during their time, but not sure they should be on the 100 greatest of all sports. I would replace those 3 with the 1935 Pattreiouex Joe Louis, 1951 Ringside Rocky Marciano and the 1958 Topps Bobby Hull. I believe those 3 were in the very upper, upper tier of their respective sports.

Great list and a truly impossible task to narrow down. Good job.

kingbeeswax

Nice list! I would like to add the Ali should be the '65 Lampo and 1975 Yount, 1983 Topps Boggs, Sandberg and of course 1984 Donruss Mattingly and '93 SP Jeter

seablaster

Wagner, Mathewson, and Young all have E107 cards which predate their T206 cards by many years.

PMKAY

You are not a hockey fan.

mrmopar

Interesting concept and certainly a good topic for disagreement and argument. How can you really make a comprehensive list of the greatest across all the different sports though? Baseball comprises exactly half of the 100 spots for example and Hockey has 9 spots. I would assume you are either more of a baseball fan or just more knowledgable about baseball in general than the other sports. Is Tom Brady a better sportsman than 99% of the Hockey players who have ever played the game (to use the comment prior about not being a hockey fan)? Fun to think of all those great and obscure rookie cards in one collection though.

otwcards

Seems like a heavy dose of modern baseball... Odd that the likes of Sid Luckman, Sammy Baugh, Tom Landry, Lance Alworth, Pete Maravich, Ray Bourque, Georges Vezina, Jean Beliveau, Bobby Hull and Mark Messier are absent.

Maurice

I find it inconceivable that Satchel Paige is not on this list.

eagles33

Maybe start with some sort of outline with percentages assigned to the sport. For example..

Baseball 29%
Football 26%
Basketball 16%
Hockey 12%
Boxing 6%
Racing 3%
Golf 3%
Tennis 2%
Misc 3%

VitoCo1972

<< <i>Seems like a heavy dose of modern baseball... Odd that the likes of Sid Luckman, Sammy Baugh, Tom Landry, Lance Alworth, Pete Maravich, Ray Bourque, Georges Vezina, Jean Beliveau, Bobby Hull and Mark Messier are absent. >>



Agree. I'd remove less popular multiplayer rookie card baseball HOFers like Carew etc. The 53 Parkhurst Jean Beliveau has to be on the list somewhere. I actually think the 57 Parkhurst Henri Richard is a must include as well. Others for hockey consideration are the 60 Topps Stan Mikita, 1955 Parkhurst Jacques Plante and the 51 Parkie Terry Sawchuck. None are more important than the hockey cards you mentioned but they're certainly more important than the 67 Topps Rod Carew, 78 Topps Eddie Murray, a totally run of the mill 1987 Donruss Greg Maddux and (to me) even the Jeter rookie.

Probstein123

18) 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle
==> I think the greatest rookie card in our industry is the 52 topps mantle , despite the 51 issue.....

schapko

You can't have Molitor without Yount. If its one of the two it must be Yount.

fkw

FYI
cool idea, but...
your list is heavily flawed... especially the older cards players listed...

the 1st card listed is not his rookie, the 1937 R314-4 Feller is his first card, not the 'Goudey' the following year...
the 2nd card is really from 1949, not 1948, and you can include the Exhibit card with it because every single Paige Exhibit made was ONLY made in 1949 (will say 'an Exhibit Card' in lower corner)
the 3rd card is not his rookie, the 1947 D305 Bond Bread, and D323 TipTop Bread cards are Larry Berra's Rookie cards

Mathewson has a halfdozen+ cards before the T206 ie 1903 E107 Breisch Williams, 1904 Allegheny Card Co., etc.
WJohnson 1907 PC805 Novelty Cutlery Postcards
Cy Young has cards over 16 years older than the T206, ie 1893 Just So Tobacco, etc. etc.
same with Wagner, Cobb, Gehrig, Hornsby, Foxx, Ott, DiMaggio, Musial, JRobinson, etc.

Actually much of the early part of the list is not correct with many of the cards listed actually being issued nearer their retirement year than their rookie season...

PS Mantle has another card issued in 1951, ....if you know how to date the Exhibits, you will know there is an Exhibit card of him from the same year 1951, and it can be had for less than 1/100th the price of the more common Bowman

fkw

here, use this for the baseball

you may want to skip the larger premiums and minor league issues, but its still a great list of all the early cards for the HOFers and is 98% accurate

Baseball Hall of Fame Rookie Cards

jmmiller777

And no one has added Andre the Giant yet?

JeffD27177

How is Griffey's 1989 Upper Deck card not on that list?

Should be top 20 imo.

mygotta

I am not going to list 100, but I will list what I think are some of the better modern ones (in no particular order)

1) 1976 Walter Payton
2) 1977 Dale Murphy
3) 1975 George Brett
4) 1975 Robin Yount
5) 1980 Wayne Gretzky
6) 1985 Mario Lemeuix
7) 1980 Ricky Henderson
8) 1978 Eddie Murray
9) 1979 Ozzie Smith
10) 1982 Cal Ripken
11) 1983 Ryne Sandberg
12) 1983 Tony Gwynn
13) 1983 Wade Boggs
14) 1963 Pete Rose
15) 1968 Nolan Ryan
16) 1986 Jerry Rice
17) 1981 Mark Messier
18) 1977 Andre Dawson
19) 1973 Mike Schmidt
20) 1981 Joe Montana

soundgard

<< <i>18) 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle
==> I think the greatest rookie card in our industry is the 52 topps mantle , despite the 51 issue..... >>



52 topps mantle is not a rookie card.

LarkinCollector

The 1932 US Caramel Bobby Jones is not his rookie, 1926 Lambert and Butler Who's Who In Sport was his first issue and there's close to 20 different cards of him prior to 1932.

miwlvrn

<< <i>You can't have Molitor without Yount. If its one of the two it must be Yount. >>



Hmm, I would say you can't have Molitor without Trammell (unless you have a pair of scissors)

miwlvrn

<< <i>I thought it would be fun to pose this question to the forum. I attempted to create a list of the 100 greatest athletes of all-time on their most iconic rookie card. Sort of a 'bucket list' of cardboard immortals on their best rookie. This list has been a few months in the making for me. There are many obvious cards that must make this list, but it started to get really hard once I had about 80 cards on the list to finalize the last 20. I think one could make a case for another 10-15 cards or so, but alas my goal was to keep this to the top 100.

The point was not to capture the most expensive cards, but to compile a list of the 100 greatest athletes to ever play their respective sport. Then once I had the 100 best ever, I captured their best rookie. This list includes baseball, basketball, football, hockey, golf, boxing and the Olympics. I am defining 'rookie' as a mainstream issued card depicting the player on a professional team in the players first year of issue (i.e. no minor league cards).

So with that, here are the cards that just missed my list:

1938 Goudy Bob Feller
1948 Leaf Satchel Paige
1948 Bowman Yogi Berra
1949 Bowman Duke Snider
1955 Topps Harmon Killebrew
1957 Topps Brooks Robinson
1957 Topps Bob Cousy
1933 Sport Kings Red Grange
1950 Bowman Y.A. Tittle
1958 Topps Bobby Hull
1948 Leaf Joe Louis
1951 Topps Ringside Rocky Marciano

I already know what you are thinking, if these didn't make the cut then I must be an idiot. One last note before we get to the list...I created this list void of speculation on if players used PED's or not. You will see a few on this list that have been associated with PED's, but my opinion is that these few on the list are still among the best to ever play. Feel free to disagree, but I wanted to share my position on it as you view the list. So here is my list of the 100 greatest players of all-time and their best rookie. These are sorted by sport.

Top 100 All-Time Greatest Rookie Cards

1) 1909 T-206 Christy Mathewson
2) 1909 T-206 Walter Johnson
3) 1909 T-206 Cy Young
4) 1909 T-206 Honus Wagner
5) 1909 T-206 Ty Cobb
6) 1909 T-206 Tris Speaker
7) 1909 American Caramel E90-1 Joe Jackson
8) 1916 M-101-5 Babe Ruth
9) 1932 US Caramel Lou Gehrig
10) 1932 US Caramel Rogers Hornsby
11) 1933 Goudey Jimmy Foxx
12) 1933 Goudey Mel Ott
13) 1938 Goudey Joe Dimaggio
14) 1939 Play Ball Ted Williams
15) 1948 Leaf Stan Musial
16) 1948 Leaf Warren Spahn
17) 1948 Leaf Jackie Robinson
18) 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle
19) 1951 Bowman Willie Mays
20) 1954 Topps Hank Aaron
21) 1954 Topps Ernie Banks
22) 1954 Topps Al Kaline
23) 1955 Topps Roberto Clemente
24) 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax
25) 1957 Topps Frank Robinson
26) 1959 Topps Bob Gibson
27) 1960 Topps Carl Yastremski
28) 1963 Topps Pete Rose
29) 1965 Topps Steve Carlton
30) 1967 Topps Rod Carew
31) 1967 Topps Tom Seaver
32) 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan
33) 1968 Topps Johnny Bench
34) 1969 Topps Reggie Jackson
35) 1973 Topps Mike Schmidt
36) 1975 Topps George Brett
37) 1978 Topps Eddie Murray
38) 1978 Topps Paul Molitor
39) 1979 Topps Ozzie Smith
40) 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson
41) 1982 Topps Traded Cal Ripken
42) 1983 Topps Tony Gwynn
43) 1984 Fleer Update Roger Clemens
44) 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany Barry Bonds
45) 1987 Donruss Greg Maddux
46) 1989 Bowman Tiffany Ken Griffey, Jr.
47) 1989 Topps Tiffany Randy Johnson
48) 1993 SP Derek Jeter
49) 1994 SP Alex Rodriguez
50) 2001 Bowman Chrome Albert Pujols
51) 1948 Bowman George Mikan
52) 1957 Topps Bill Russell
53) 1961 Fleer Wilt Chamberlain
54) 1961 Fleer Oscar Robertson
55) 1961 Fleer Jerry West
56) 1969 Topps Lew Alcindor
57) 1972 Topps Julius Erving
58) 1980 Topps Bird/Erving/Magic
59) 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan
60) 1986 Fleer Karl Malone
61) 1986 Fleer Akeem Olajuwon
62) 1988 Fleer John Stockton
63) 1992 Beam Team Shaquille O'Neal
64) 1996 Topps Chrome Refractor Kobe Bryant
65) 2003 UD Exquisite LeBron James
66) 1933 Sport Kings Jim Thorpe
67) 1935 National Chicle Bronko Nagurski
68) 1950 Bowman Otto Graham
69) 1957 Topps Bart Starr
70) 1957 Topps John Unitas
71) 1958 Topps Jim Brown
72) 1965 Topps Joe Namath
73) 1966 Philadelphia Dick Butkus
74) 1971 Topps Terry Bradshaw
75) 1972 Topps Roger Staubach
76) 1976 Topps Walter Payton
77) 1981 Topps Joe Montana
78) 1982 Topps Lawrence Taylor
79) 1984 Topps John Elway
80) 1984 Topps Dan Marino
81) 1986 Topps Jerry Rice
82) 1989 Score Barry Sanders
83) 1990 Score Supplemental Emmitt Smith
84) 1991 Stadium Club Brett Favre
85) 1998 Playoff Contenders Peyton Manning
86) 2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady
87) 1951 Parkhurst Gordie Howe
88) 1951 Parkhurst Maurice Richard
89) 1966 Topps Bobby Orr
90) 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky
91) 1980 O-Pee-Chee Mark Messier
92) 1984 O-Pee-Chee Steve Yzerman
93) 1985 O-Pee-Chee Mario Lemieux
94) 1986 O-Pee-Chee Patrick Roy
95) 1990 Score Canadian Martin Brodeur
96) 1932 US Caramel Bobby Jones
97) 1971 Barratt & Co. Jack Nicklaus
98) 2001 SP Authentic Tiger Woods
99) 1971 Barratt & Co. Muhammad Ali
100) 2009 Allen & Ginter Michael Phelps AUTO

So what do you think? Which ones would you cut and add to this list of 100? Remember, if you add one you also have to say which one you would take off

I would love to hear your opinions. >>



A couple problems that have been sort of addressed so far:

1971 Barratt isn't close to the Ali RC; that should be either the Hemmets or the 1964 Chocolates Simon.

1932 isn't it for Bobby Jones. That would be the 1926 L&B.

The 1948 Leaf Joe Louis isn't an RC either. He's got lots of cards issued in the 1930's. Pick one of the 1935's for the RC (Sporting Celebrities is the toughest / lowest print).

What about 1996 SI for Kids Tiger instead of the 2001?

Personally, I'd also consider including Pele, Georges Vezina, Eddie Shore, Terry Sawchuk, Jacques Plante (Quaker Oats is super tough), Ken Dryden, Vladislav Tretjak, Jack Dempsey in addition to the many other good suggestions that have rolled in here.

UnwoundSage

43) 1984 Fleer Update Roger Clemens
44) 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany Barry Bonds

This part had to be a joke that no one thought was funny.

soundgard

1948 leaf is not Musial's true rookie.