5 Essential Ichiro Suzuki Rookie Cards
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It's fair to say a public figure is iconic when they are known around the world by just one name. Ichiro definitely attained that level of fame during his amazing 28 seasons in professional baseball. After 8 seasons in Japan, Ichiro came over to America and the rest is history. One of the best hitters ever to swing a bat, he still holds the record for most hits in a season and had 10 consecutive seasons with 200 hits or more - just unbelievable. Ichiro's cards have always been sought after, dating back to his days in Japan with the Orix Blue Wave team.
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BOWMAN CHROME 2001 ICHIRO SUZUKI
Back in 2001, the rookies included in the Bowman Chrome set were by default refractors and short-printed. There were two versions printed - one with English on the back of the card and one with Japanese. Whichever one you prefer, the Bowman Chrome rookie is one of Ichiro's most popular rookies and a copy in gem-mint condition goes for around $12,000.
UPPER DECK SP AUTHENTIC 2001 ICHIRO SUZUKI
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Another popular Ichiro rookie, the 2001 SP Authentic card from Upper Deck used manufactured scarcity - the print run was limited to 1,250 - to create a frenzy trying to find this card when it was first released. Even today this card is tough to find, as the supply has dried up.
TOPPS CHROME TRADED 2001 ICHIRO SUZUKI
The Topps name still means as much in the hobby as it did back in 2001. This card is a bit easier to locate than the Bowman Chrome and SP Authentic cards and the brand name, as mentioned, always resonates with sports fans as well as die-hard collectors. There's also a cool card in the set featuring Suzuki and Albert Pujols together as "Rookies of the Year".
UPPER DECK SPx SIGNED JERSEY 2001 ICHIRO SUZUKI
One of the iconic rookie cards of Ichiro, the Upper Deck SPx card was the only one to include both a piece of game-worn jersey and an autograph. Although the card wasn't serially numbered, that hasn't stopped collectors from chasing it - a gem-mint copy goes for close to $10,000.
ULTIMATE COLLECTION AUTOGRAPH 2001 ICHIRO SUZUKI
Ichiro's 2001 Ultimate Collection rookie is probably the most popular and most out of reach for those on a budget. In addition to the on-card autograph and a great picture of Ichiro with his cap on backwards, this card is numbered to just 250 copies, making it almost impossible to find these days. A PSA 10 copy sold for $200,000 back in 2023 - who knows what it would go for now.
Brian Hough became a fan of the hobby by opening packs of 1986 Donruss and 1987 Topps baseball with his dad and little brother. He has been writing about the collectibles industry for years, initially as a price guide editor for Tuff Stuff Magazine, which was a monthly sports magazine focused on sports cards and collectibles, particularly known for its price guides and checklists, that initially launched in April 1984.