Roman Anthony's card market continues to hold high
It has been a little over a month since Roman Anthony made his Major League debut for the Boston Red Sox in early June. While it took the 21-year-old outfielder some time to get adjusted to the big leagues, Anthony appears to have found his footing and is showcasing the talent that made him the top overall prospect in all of baseball.
With the increased production with the Red Sox, his card market has reflected the adjustment as well. With an immense amount of hype around Anthony prior to his call-up on June 9, Anthony's 2023 1st Bowman base autographs in a PSA 10 were selling for $700 according to eBay sold listings.
Immediately following his promotion, Anthony struggled while settling into the new level, hitting just .210 with a .667 OPS through his first 19 games across the month of June. While the numbers were underwhelming to start, Anthony's cards didn't budge as much as collectors have seen in the past with prospects post-promotion. Just a year ago, Baltimore Orioles' infielder Jackson Holliday struggled in his first taste of Major League Baseball and his 1st Bowman autographs rode a rollercoaster in terms of pricing throughout the entire season.
Across mid-to-late June, Anthony's same 1st Bowman base autographs in a PSA 10 were selling from anywhere between $600-700 which was not far off from where his market was standing while he was crushing Minor League pitching. Eventually, Anthony started to pick things up and has been one of the best rookie hitters in all of baseball since the calendar turned to July.
Through his first 14 games in the month, the outfielder has hit .320 with an .904 OPS while climbing his overall hitting statistics to above league average across the board. In accordance with his July surge, his cards have soared back up with no sign of a dip anytime soon. The most recent purchase of his base 1st Bowman autographs in a PSA 10 sold for $880 on July 10 according to eBay sold listings, with an orange refractor numbered to 25 in a PSA 10 selling for $11,250 on July 17.
Throughout his rise through the Minor Leagues and ascension toward the top of the prospect lists and even during his brief time in Boston, Anthony's 1st Bowman cards have become a chase for both Red Sox and baseball collectors in general. As the 21-year-old continues to progress, his cards will maintain the immense value they currently have.
Dan Gardella is a Red Sox fan and collector growing up in Yankee territory in Connecticut. While only reviving his love for the hobby a few years ago, he provides knowledge into baseball cards from prospects to the big leagues.
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