Most Essential Sports Cards to Own When On A Budget
When someone starts collecting sports cards for the first time, it can definitely be exciting. However just getting into the hobby can also be overwhelming. No matter the age, when starting up for the first time, there is a lot of information to gather. A lot of questions come up like "who do I collect?", "what card brands do I buy?", and so on. My answer is simple:
Collect whoever and whatever teams that makes you happy.
Stay within your budget.
Now with that said, there are some iconic cards in this hobby that I think would be great additions to anyones collection. Of course there are the Michael Jordan rookies, the Mickey Mantles of the world, and that cards that become available to the 1% of collectors. Today, we are going to cover the Top 5 iconic rookie cards, that can be purchased for under $100 each.
1. 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr
Ken Griffey Jr is one of the greatest players of all time. Those who grew up in the 90s and early 2000's would compare him to players like Willie Mays. Griffey helped make baseball cool with his backward hats, and a swing that may be considered the nicest in baseball history. Griffey was as good with his bat as he was in the field. The 13x All-Star crushed 630 home runs, while also collecting 10 Gold Glove manning centerfield.
Upper Deck debuted in 1989, which happened to be Griffey's rookie year. Being the number 1 draft pick, and the son of Ken Griffey Sr, his card was already highly sought after. Today, you can still purchase his raw card for around $50-$75.
Related: Top 5 Seattle Mariners of All -Time, and Their Rookie Cards
2. 1989 Score Barry Sanders
A lot of fans would consider Barry Sanders the greatest running back, behind Jim Brown. Sanders was a man made highlight reel. He would have defenders spinning around, not knowing the difference from North to South. Sanders would amass over 15,000 yards rushing, by the time he was 30 years old. With the all-time rushing record within reach, and coming off a year that he rushed for almost 1,500 yards, he elected to retire instead.
Score debut for football was 1989, and with a draft class that included Troy Aikman and Barry Sanders, it became very popular, very quickly. A non graded card of Sanders can typically be found at auction for around $50 or less.
RELATED: Top 5 Iconic Red Sox Players and Their Rookie Cards
3. 1996 Topps Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant is considered one of the greatest basketball players to ever lace up a pair of sneakers. The LA Lakers legend was a 5x NBA Champion, and a menace on both sides of the court. After destroying you on the offensive side, he would go to work on his defense and just shut down whoever he was guarding. Kobe was awarded All-NBA 15 times, and won the All-Defensive award 12 times.
Kobe Bryant's Topps rookie is iconic for being a great action shot, as well as being within the Topps brand. This card continues to be affordable for collectors as you can typically find the card for around $50
4. 2000 Skybox Impact Tom Brady
Considered the G.O.A.T. of football, Tom Brady pretty much never had a bad season. The 7x Super Bowl champion, set numberous records throughout his illustrious career. Brady was a 3x league MVP, and won the super bowl MVP an incredible 5 times.
With this said, its can be difficult to find a Brady rookie card, at a reasonable price. However, his 2000 Skybox Impact RC fits the bill. Like most of his rookies, it shows Brady in his Michigan Wolverines uniform, but it also has a nice action shot of him in the pocket. This rookie cards is typically in the $75 range.
5. 1992 Topps Gold Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal is still as big of a personality figure today, as he was on the court. There was no stopping Shaq, as he destroyed everyone, and everything on his way to scoring (literally breaking backboards more than once). O'Neal would go onto being a 14x All-NBA player, while also being selected to the All-Defensive team 3 times. O'Neal would help his team win the NBA Championship 4 times, on his way to being one of the greatest centers of all time.
The 1992 Topps Gold Shaquille O'Neal is special because it is the first year Topps comes out with the gold foil inserts. O'neal also didnt waste anytime becoming a dominant force in the league either. This perfect storm made his gold rookie, one of the more sought after rookie cards for Shaq. This affordable card can found for around $60-$70, and that is including it being a PSA 9.
Ultimately remember, this is just a guide. Collect what you want, and stay in your budget.
