Puka Nacua Rookie Cards Skyrocket in Value after Hot Start to Season
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Puka Nacua has had a monster start to the NFL season, leading the league in receptions and ranking fourth in receiving yards over his first two games. While Rams fans certainly have plenty to be excited about, sports card collectors have bought into the hype as well, sending his rookie card values soaring.
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A PSA 10 copy of his flagship rookie card, the 2023 Silver Prizm, jumped to $126 on September 14 after selling for just $70 earlier that same day. Additionally, his Tri-Colored Select rookie card rose to $185 after previously selling for just $115. Take a look at the chart below from Card Ladder, a popular platform for tracking trading card values, which highlights the spike in Nacua’s market over the past two weeks.
Large swings in a player’s card prices aren’t unusual for collectors. Values can jump or drop quickly after standout games or disappointing ones, and wide receivers often see some of the biggest changes in the hobby. In 2023 we saw Justin Jefferson's Black Finite Prizm sell for $57,600 after being bought for just $7,500 a few months earlier, while Jaylen Waddle's Black Finite sold for $7,212 three months after selling for $14,000.
:// Generate —> #CardLadder #EyeCatchingSale
— Card Ladder (@CardLadder) August 30, 2023
Eye-catching Sale: The 2020 Prizm Justin Jefferson #398 Black Finite 1/1 PSA 9 sold for $57,600 via auction with PWCC on August 24, 2023.https://t.co/Hm3UflZCyb#TheHobby #PrizmBlack #BlackFinite #JustinJefferson pic.twitter.com/JVDa69XVDS
It’s important to reiterate that excitement around wide receivers can die down quickly. It doesn’t feel like we’re long removed from Michael Thomas’s record-breaking 2019 season or the hype surrounding Odell Beckham Jr. Collectors should always consider the risk-to-reward ratio and think carefully about why the next hot prospect might turn out any differently in the long run.
Jason is a dedicated basketball card collector who recently transitioned into writing and educating others about the sports card industry. Find him on Instagram @jeancardz