Derrick Henry's Record Contract and His Rookie Card Sales are Surprising
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When most NFL Running Backs hit the age of 30, teams start whispering the dreaded R-word: Regression. However, Derrick Henry is not most running back. Not only is Henry stiff-arming defenders into Earth’s core, but he is stiff-arming father time. This new contract makes him the third highest paid running back in the whole league, behind only Saquan Barkley and Christian McCaffrey. Furthermore, this is the highest paid contract in the history of the NFL for a running back over the age of 30…cementing the Baltimore Ravens faith in King Henry.
Going into his tenth season, it is interesting to note how his rookie cards have held up, and to examine if this new contract parallels a rise in card prices, specifically Henry's.
2016 Donruss Base Rated Rookie
This base rookie card tells the story behind Derrick Henry’s card market. While most players' base rated rookies would be very cheap, Henry’s has continued to produce high sales, and has seen a nice price bump over the course of the past few weeks. This card is up 19% over the past 30 days, and its PSA 10 sold on May 7th for $130. This is roughly a $30 jump from the middle of April when they were selling for around $100.
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2016 National Treasures Rookie Patch Auto /99
Derrick Henry’s National Treasures RPA is the perfect example of an athlete's performance correlating with increased sports card sales over time. For example, this card (from a top of the line product) sold in PSA 10 form back in November of 2018 for only $107. This would have been in the middle of Henry’s second season with the Tennessee Titans. Fast forward to 2024, and this card sold for $565 raw. Furthermore, in January of this year, a PSA 9 sold for $1,500, which nearly 15x’s the PSA 10 price seven years ago. Again, these sales are a testament of Henry’s durability, freakish athletic ability, and ultimately correlates the contract he was just given.
2016 Prizm Rookie Autograph
While a price jump over the course of seven years may not shock collectors, Henry’s Prizm Rookie Autograph sales just may. The examples of the following sales not only show the liquidity of running back sports cards, but shows how on field performance can impact card prices in an incredibly short amount of time. For example, this card sold as a PSA 10 on October 5th of 2024 for $325. This date was a day before week 5 in Henry’s first season with the Ravens, where they stood 1-2, and many people were questioning whether they would even make the playoffs because of how they looked. Fast forward again to December 28th of 2024, where this same card (raw) sold for $400 ($75 increase in “lesser form”). The end of December would have marked the end of week 16 for the Ravens, where they stood 11-5 and just came off a dominant 31-2 win over the Houston Texans.
Derrick Henry’s reign throughout his career has not just been dominant, it has been heroic. Now more than ever, we see his talent on display and carrying a Baltimore Ravens team on his back and into contention for the foreseeable future. As he continues to rise, so do his sports cards, while collectors and investors look back to 2016 wishing they held onto his rookie cards.
Abram King is a Pittsburgh native, die-hard fan of all things Black & Gold, and a passionate sports card collector. With years of experience in the hobby, he brings a sharp insight, deep knowledge, and hometown pride to his coverage. This is your inside edge of the hobby, straight from the Steel City.