Let's talk about rookie cards
Sports card collectors can't seem to agree on rookie card definitions. What do you consider a rookie card?
Sports card collectors can't seem to agree on rookie card definitions. What do you consider a rookie card?
2021 Bowman's Best #50
2021 Bowman's Best #50
2021 Bowman's Best broke the rule for clearly labeling prospect cards as such in sets that include veterans. While the prospects did have a shared card design, Beckett Media and some collectors viewed these prospect cards as rookie cards. The controversy around this card was compounded by 2021 being Wander Franco's rookie year. With no rookie Franco rookie cards in other 2021 sets, collectors felt that Topps was intentionally holding back the rookie cards to sell more 2022 products.
1986 Topps Traded #11T
1986 Topps Traded #11T
Barry Bonds has an uncommon scenario with his rookie cards. His 1986 cards are included in Update/Traded sets though he played over 100 games during his 1986 rookie year. These sets are complete boxed sets that some collectors do not consider eligible to be true rookie cards. Beckett made the designation "XRC" for these cards, which it later abandoned (though cards with this designation were grandfathered into keeping it). A core tenant of "rookie cards" is that they can't span multiple years, so the 1986 traded/update card eligibility will dictate if the 1987 base set cards are eligible.
1995 Upper Deck #225
1995 Upper Deck #225
Derek Jeter has a unique rookie card scenario. Jeter qualified as a rookie in both 1995 and 1996, with Jeter winning Rookie of the Year in 1996. However, the hobby views his 1993 cards as his rookie cards. Given that rookie cards can't span multiple seasons, either his 1993 cards qualify or his 1995 cards. His 1996 cards are not eligible to be rookie cards under any conditions, even though he was the 1996 ROY.
2022 Topps Series 2 #659
2022 Topps Series 2 #659
Julio Rodriguez is a 2022 rookie. Like Wander Franco, Rodriguez has a 2021 Bowman's Best card that should have been labeled "prospect." Rodriguez's 2022 Topps Series 2 card is a short-printed variation of card #659. This card meets all of the common criteria to be a rookie card so its status depends on 2021 Bowman's Best.
