Tom Brady, the legendary NFL quarterback with an unparalleled record of seven Super Bowl victories, continues to captivate fans. And that’s why he and his rookie cards are popular even after his retirement. His rookie cards have become highly coveted items, fetching high prices in the market. These cards not only reflect Brady‘s iconic status but also signify his immense impact on the game.
The crown jewel among Brady rookie cards is currently the ‘2000 Playoff Contenders Championship Ticket Tom Brady Autograph Rookie Card #144’. Regarded as a breakthrough product, this card has maintained its reputation as the most expensive Brady rookie card to date. And collectors are drawn to its exquisite aesthetics and rarity, which makes it a desirable set.
A rare Tom Brady autographed rookie card just hit the auction block and could sell for $2 million! https://t.co/PAbGbEXp3X
— TMZ (@TMZ) January 9, 2022
Distinguished by its parallel design to the base set, this card exhibits a subtle gloss on its paper stock. Notably, the word “Championship” is elegantly scripted above the phrase “Rookie Ticket,” setting it apart from the regular edition. And the reverse side of the card follows a ticket theme and showcases Brady’s University of Michigan statistics.
The rookie card includes the team’s record during his tenure, points scored and conceded, and his performance. And the authenticated autograph of Tom Brady significantly contributes to the card’s immense value.
In a jaw-dropping auction held in June 2021, this particular rookie card was sold for a staggering $3.1 million. And it now holds the distinction of being the most expensive Tom Brady rookie card and the second-most expensive NFL rookie card ever sold.
What is the number of total Tom Brady rookie cards available?
Tom Brady rookie cards, produced in 2000 have garnered immense attention and value among collectors. It was the time of his debut season with the New England Patriots. These cards were released by six licensed manufacturers for that NFL season, although not all of them featured Brady.
Presently, collectors can find approximately 44 variations of Tom Brady rookie cards in circulation. And the scarcity of each card greatly influences its worth, with some being more common than others. Notably, since the late 1990s, a unique one-of-a-kind rookie card has been produced for each player. But in May 2022, a controversial incident occurred which led to a second Brady 1-of-1 card.
The first card, auctioned for a staggering $396,000, achieved an 8.5 NM-MT+ grade from Beckett Grading Services. Subsequently, another PSA-graded authentic card came to light, still held by its original collector. Intriguingly, it was discovered that manufacturers had printed multiple copies of the 1-of-1 card. And one of these rare cards got out, resulting in the existence of two Tom Brady 1-of-1 rookie cards.