Last "Greatest" Mega-Star that only has ONE rookie card option?

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ThoseBackPages
ThoseBackPages Posts: 4,871 ✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
Lets stick to the mainstream sports (no offense to those that like racing/wrestling/boxing/etc)

i was thinking about this lately.

Who do you guys feel is the last mega-star that has only one RC as an option?

Mariano Rivera? 1992 Bowman
Jerry Rice? 1986 Topps

Big Fan of: HOF Post War RC, Graded RCs
WTB: PSA 1 - PSA 3 Centered, High Eye Appeal 1950's Mantle
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  • handyman
    handyman Posts: 5,704 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    1979 Topps 390 Earl Campbell
  • digicat
    digicat Posts: 8,551 ✭✭
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    So when you say "greatest" are you only looking for HoFers or HoF-locks?
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  • ThoseBackPages
    ThoseBackPages Posts: 4,871 ✭✭
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    << <i>1979 Topps 390 Earl Campbell >>



    the Rice came out after Campbell
    Big Fan of: HOF Post War RC, Graded RCs
    WTB: PSA 1 - PSA 3 Centered, High Eye Appeal 1950's Mantle
  • ThoseBackPages
    ThoseBackPages Posts: 4,871 ✭✭
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    << <i>So when you say "greatest" are you only looking for HoFers or HoF-locks? >>



    Locks would be fine. its more about having one RC option.
    Big Fan of: HOF Post War RC, Graded RCs
    WTB: PSA 1 - PSA 3 Centered, High Eye Appeal 1950's Mantle
  • mygotta
    mygotta Posts: 1,652
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    At least baseball, I would think Rickey Henderson. Anyone after that you are suddenly dealing with Fleer and Donruss. Unless you are saying one per company at that point. But if Rivera only has a 92 Bowman and none other that year, I could see that card being a viable candidate. Joey Votto only has a Bowman in 2002, but there is a Chrome, Chrome Refractor, Chrome Refactor auto etc. So I dont think he would count.
  • handyman
    handyman Posts: 5,704 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    so the answer has to come after Jerry rice? so we are going with the best player who retired last i guess?
    What is this thread asking agian?
    Ok I re read it. I get it.
  • ThoseBackPages
    ThoseBackPages Posts: 4,871 ✭✭
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    << <i>At least baseball, I would think Rickey Henderson. Anyone after that you are suddenly dealing with Fleer and Donruss. Unless you are saying one per company at that point. But if Rivera only has a 92 Bowman and none other that year, I could see that card being a viable candidate. Joey Votto only has a Bowman in 2002, but there is a Chrome, Chrome Refractor, Chrome Refactor auto etc. So I dont think he would count. >>



    Exactly. i am saying one card, no parallels, no nothin'!

    Votto has the base and the chrome, as well as the parallels. Mo is only in 1992 Bowman, no parallels
    Big Fan of: HOF Post War RC, Graded RCs
    WTB: PSA 1 - PSA 3 Centered, High Eye Appeal 1950's Mantle
  • mcholke
    mcholke Posts: 1,000 ✭✭
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    Not a mega star but some nice numbers would be 1993 Topps Traded Todd Helton card.

    Collecting Tony Perez PSA and Rookie Baseball PSA

  • digicat
    digicat Posts: 8,551 ✭✭
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    1995 Topps Traded Carlos Beltran.

    If you want to count XRCs, then 2001 UD Prospect Premiers have Ryan Howard and David Wright's earliest cards.
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  • ThoseBackPages
    ThoseBackPages Posts: 4,871 ✭✭
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    i like the Beltran Mention (even though i hate the guy lol)

    no minor league cards should be counted.
    Big Fan of: HOF Post War RC, Graded RCs
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  • digicat
    digicat Posts: 8,551 ✭✭
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    << <i>no minor league cards should be counted. >>



    The 2001 UD Prospect Premiers are MLB licensed cards, not minor league cards. However, since everyone in the set was in the minors at the time the set was released, Beckett decided that they were all XRCs, and list them that way on their site.
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  • lightningboy
    lightningboy Posts: 1,483 ✭✭✭
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    Dennis Rodman 1988 Fleer
  • Sheamaster
    Sheamaster Posts: 542 ✭✭✭
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    1980 Topps Henderson and 1975 Topps Brett come to mind. I don't think of Votto and Beltran as "Mega-Stars".
  • GDM67
    GDM67 Posts: 2,526 ✭✭✭✭
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    If you're just counting pack-released cards, Greg Maddux '87 Donruss.
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  • ThoseBackPages
    ThoseBackPages Posts: 4,871 ✭✭
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    << <i>If you're just counting pack-released cards, Greg Maddux '87 Donruss. >>



    he's in '87 Leaf wax as well.
    Big Fan of: HOF Post War RC, Graded RCs
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  • shagrotn77
    shagrotn77 Posts: 5,644 ✭✭✭✭
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    While I view Michael Jordan's rookie card as his '84-'85 Star issue, many people see it as '86 Fleer. Either way you only have one option each year. Until he dropped from megastar status you could have also pointed to Mark McGwire and his '85 Topps rookie.
    "My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. Our childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When we were insolent we were placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds - pretty standard really."
  • larryallen73
    larryallen73 Posts: 6,073 ✭✭✭
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    Who has the most? Doesn't Pujols have about 5,000 different "rookie" cards!?
  • vladguerrero
    vladguerrero Posts: 4,077 ✭✭✭
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    << <i>i like the Beltran Mention (even though i hate the guy lol)

    no minor league cards should be counted. >>



    Beltran can't count he has a 1995 Bowman's Best RC and Refractor RC aswell.
  • ThoseBackPages
    ThoseBackPages Posts: 4,871 ✭✭
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    << <i>

    << <i>i like the Beltran Mention (even though i hate the guy lol)

    no minor league cards should be counted. >>



    Beltran can't count he has a 1995 Bowman's Best RC and Refractor RC aswell. >>



    ahh yes, forgot about the dual card
    Big Fan of: HOF Post War RC, Graded RCs
    WTB: PSA 1 - PSA 3 Centered, High Eye Appeal 1950's Mantle
  • eagles33
    eagles33 Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭
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    Interesting topic. Later cards have already been mentioned but Shannon sharpe only has 1990 action packed. Not a mega star but HOFer.
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  • digicat
    digicat Posts: 8,551 ✭✭
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    << <i>Beltran can't count he has a 1995 Bowman's Best RC and Refractor RC aswell. >>



    Not so. Those cards were uncorrected error cards of Juan Lebron. Topps mixed up the Lebron and Beltran pictures and put Beltran's face on Lebron's cards and Lebron's face on Beltran's 1 card.


    A little history: Juan Lebron was KC's 1st round pick in the 1995 Draft. Beltran was their 2nd round choice.
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  • stevebay
    stevebay Posts: 291 ✭✭✭
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    Not major stars, but some honorable mentions (not sure if it fits all the rules of the question, so please don't bawl at my answers)

    1991 Upper Deck Final Edition Pedro Martinez
    1989 Donruss Baseball's Best Sammy Sosa (1990 is his rookie year, but some publication mentioned that this is his only 1989 card from a major manufacturer)
    1989 Donruss Curt Schilling
  • vladguerrero
    vladguerrero Posts: 4,077 ✭✭✭
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    << <i>

    << <i>Beltran can't count he has a 1995 Bowman's Best RC and Refractor RC aswell. >>



    Not so. Those cards were uncorrected error cards of Juan Lebron. Topps mixed up the Lebron and Beltran pictures and put Beltran's face on Lebron's cards and Lebron's face on Beltran's 1 card
    . >>



    Its cataloged as a Beltran Rc card and has been treated as that since its release, Beltran is the one pictured. So since Beltran has the 2 topps cards (pictured and named) and the 2 Bowmans Best cards... 3 total catalogued as RC and one a parallel its safe to say he doesnt qualify for this thread.

    I dont think traded sets should count so is the 92 bowman rivera the front runner?

  • ThoseBackPages
    ThoseBackPages Posts: 4,871 ✭✭
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    Yes, Rivera and his 1992 Bowman is the answer to this point.
    Big Fan of: HOF Post War RC, Graded RCs
    WTB: PSA 1 - PSA 3 Centered, High Eye Appeal 1950's Mantle
  • digicat
    digicat Posts: 8,551 ✭✭
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    << <i>Its cataloged as a Beltran Rc card and has been treated as that since its release, Beltran is the one pictured. So since Beltran has the 2 topps cards (pictured and named) and the 2 Bowmans Best cards... 3 total catalogued as RC and one a parallel its safe to say he doesnt qualify for this thread. >>



    This is the first I've heard of it.

    Card values seem to imply that the hobby doesn't accept this explanation.
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  • stevebay
    stevebay Posts: 291 ✭✭✭
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    Strictly for Basketball, can anybody top the 1989 Hoops David Robinson. I know he has a card in the later series of Hoops, but that is his "In Action" card, and may not be considered his rookie?

  • PeteZaria
    PeteZaria Posts: 288
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    << <i>Not major stars, but some honorable mentions (not sure if it fits all the rules of the question, so please don't bawl at my answers)

    1991 Upper Deck Final Edition Pedro Martinez
    >>



    I'm pretty sure Pedro counts as major star. 2nd best career ERA+ in history. Mariano Rivera is #1.
  • vladguerrero
    vladguerrero Posts: 4,077 ✭✭✭
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    << <i>

    << <i>Its cataloged as a Beltran Rc card and has been treated as that since its release, Beltran is the one pictured. So since Beltran has the 2 topps cards (pictured and named) and the 2 Bowmans Best cards... 3 total catalogued as RC and one a parallel its safe to say he doesnt qualify for this thread. >>



    This is the first I've heard of it.

    Card values seem to imply that the hobby doesn't accept this explanation. >>



    lol, okay, in high grade it's his most expensive card but whatever. also, you are comparing a traded rc and a regular card, the refractor card in high grade has been his most desirable historically. A BGS 9.5 once sold for $500, being part of the 1995 Bowman's Best set doesn't hurt either.
  • digicat
    digicat Posts: 8,551 ✭✭
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    << <i>lol, okay, in high grade it's his most expensive card but whatever. also, you are comparing a traded rc and a regular card, the refractor card in high grade has been his most desirable historically. A BGS 9.5 once sold for $500, being part of the 1995 Bowman's Best set doesn't hurt either. >>



    I was looking at base raw values in the Bowman Best vs Topps Traded, as that's the best comp.

    Oh well. Regardless, if the "hobby" considers the picture to trump the name and bio, then the "hobby" is wrong.



    Ironically, Beckett is violating its own "Rookie cards can't come from insert sets" rule if they're calling that Bowman's Best card a RC.
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  • CARDSANDCOINS
    CARDSANDCOINS Posts: 340 ✭✭✭
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    1984 Fleer Update Kirby Puckett
  • zurbs17
    zurbs17 Posts: 442
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    Hockey is real tough as you always had Topps / OPC issues every year. The last year to just have one (OPC) was 1983. Only two main rookie cards in that set, Scott Stevens and Pelle Lindbergh.
  • Moldnut
    Moldnut Posts: 3,116 ✭✭✭✭
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    Does Mike Piazza have more than one?
    Derek

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  • swartz1
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    1983 strawberry
    1984 clemens
    1999 rollins


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  • detroitfan2
    detroitfan2 Posts: 3,392 ✭✭✭✭
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    Cool topic!

    1988 Scottie Pippen and John Stockton (not sure if they are mega stars but have to be in the conversation).

    1987 Herschel Walker and Randall Cunningham (definitely not mega stars).
  • MrNearMint
    MrNearMint Posts: 1,209 ✭✭✭
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    Nobody mentioned 1981 Joe Montana. I think that deserves to be on the list.
  • sportscardtheory
    sportscardtheory Posts: 1,786 ✭✭✭
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    It is an XRC, whatever that means in this day and age, but the 2002 Upper Deck Prospect Premieres Prince Fielder is his only 2002 MLB card.
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  • rtimmer
    rtimmer Posts: 1,348 ✭✭✭✭
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    << <i>

    << <i>If you're just counting pack-released cards, Greg Maddux '87 Donruss. >>



    he's in '87 Leaf wax as well. >>



    I treat leaf and Donruss as the same I think this is the answer.
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  • ThoseBackPages
    ThoseBackPages Posts: 4,871 ✭✭
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    << <i>

    << <i>

    << <i>If you're just counting pack-released cards, Greg Maddux '87 Donruss. >>



    he's in '87 Leaf wax as well. >>



    I treat leaf and Donruss as the same I think this is the answer. >>



    even if that were true, Mariano has him beat.
    Big Fan of: HOF Post War RC, Graded RCs
    WTB: PSA 1 - PSA 3 Centered, High Eye Appeal 1950's Mantle
  • vladguerrero
    vladguerrero Posts: 4,077 ✭✭✭
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    << <i>

    << <i>lol, okay, in high grade it's his most expensive card but whatever. also, you are comparing a traded rc and a regular card, the refractor card in high grade has been his most desirable historically. A BGS 9.5 once sold for $500, being part of the 1995 Bowman's Best set doesn't hurt either. >>



    I was looking at base raw values in the Bowman Best vs Topps Traded, as that's the best comp.

    Oh well. Regardless, if the "hobby" considers the picture to trump the name and bio, then the "hobby" is wrong.

    Ironically, Beckett is violating its own "Rookie cards can't come from insert sets" rule if they're calling that Bowman's Best card a RC. >>



    It's not a insert. The set is divided into three subsets... Blues (mostly prospects)/ Reds (mostly veterans)/Mirror Image cards (a prospect with a veteran). 195 cards total in the set, multi player cards arent anything new.

  • vladguerrero
    vladguerrero Posts: 4,077 ✭✭✭
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    << <i>
    1999 rollins >>



    Jimmy? There's like 10 variations of that card.

    This is much tougher than I thought! Great thread!
  • vladguerrero
    vladguerrero Posts: 4,077 ✭✭✭
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    Marco Scutaro?.. still a Mega Star in SF? 2001 Topps Fusion RC, Digicat you could have come up with that one image

    I give up, 1992 Rivera it is for me.
  • sportscardtheory
    sportscardtheory Posts: 1,786 ✭✭✭
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    1995 Topps Traded Carlos Beltran
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  • digicat
    digicat Posts: 8,551 ✭✭
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    Marco Scutaro's 2001 Topps Fusion rookie card fits this bill. He's not a mega-star anywhere outside of SF though.
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  • digicat
    digicat Posts: 8,551 ✭✭
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    << <i>Marco Scutaro?.. still a Mega Star in SF? 2001 Topps Fusion RC, Digicat you could have come up with that one >>



    Heh, just noticed that your post came in as I was typing that last one. LOL!
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  • vladguerrero
    vladguerrero Posts: 4,077 ✭✭✭
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    image
  • GDM67
    GDM67 Posts: 2,526 ✭✭✭✭
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    << <i>

    << <i>

    << <i>

    << <i>If you're just counting pack-released cards, Greg Maddux '87 Donruss. >>



    he's in '87 Leaf wax as well. >>



    I treat leaf and Donruss as the same I think this is the answer. >>



    even if that were true, Mariano has him beat. >>



    I agree with rtimmer about those sets essentially being the same but I also think you're right: that Rivera card with his eHarmony profile photo on it seems to be the most recent candidate.
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  • digicat
    digicat Posts: 8,551 ✭✭
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    Andy Pettitte's 1993 Bowman RC is his only one from that year.




    Hmm, are we using the Beckett/MLB rookie card definition (ignoring the 2006-present "Prospect cards"?).

    If so, Pablo Sandoval's 2008 Bowman Heritage is the only one of his cards listed as a "RC" by Beckett, and there were no parallels.
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  • thehallmark
    thehallmark Posts: 1,333 ✭✭✭
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    Not a megastar but John Randle is in the HOF, and his 1991 Pro Set card is his only card that year. This was around the time there started to be LOADS of different companies/sets so having such a clear cut key RC like this is uncommon.
  • jeffcbay
    jeffcbay Posts: 8,961 ✭✭✭✭
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    How about Prince Fielder's 2002 UD Prospect Premieres? That's his only MLB card in 2002.

    image
  • digicat
    digicat Posts: 8,551 ✭✭
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    << <i>How about Prince Fielder's 2002 UD Prospect Premieres? That's his only MLB card in 2002. >>



    Good one. I'd take it, but Beckett calls it an XRC, and I'm not sure how the OP feels about those.
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