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We have been hitting a pretty good rate regarding our “double your money” rookie card predictions. It’s not too hard, to be honest. Find the top 10 prospects or rookie of the year lists and narrow them down.
You have to scratch off the pretenders like this year’s NBA ROY Scottie Barnes from the potential GOATS like Luka Doncic and Wander Franco (current/former “double your money” cards.”
Many savvy investors are turning to high-end rookie cards as an alternative investment option to stocks and bonds. Not only is it working, but it’s working well. Over the last few years, certain rookie cards have had an ROI passing 300% and even 800%! It’s much easier to predict which rookie cards will likely break out for a massive return on investment vs. any other investment vehicle.
Take, for example, the 2011 Mike Trout Topps Update rookie card. In 2018 the Trout Topps Update RC PSA 10 was selling for around $500… today, the same card, the exact grade, is going for $2,400.
We are not naive enough to think this is the case with every card. 99% of cards are not worth your time. That’s why we created Gold Card Auctions… to help everyday hobbyists invest and make money in sports cards.
These Rookie Cards Double Your Money
With that goal in mind, here are 7 cards we think have a real shot at doubling in value in 2021.
Please note, as always, we recommend buying these graded. We prefer (PSA 10, SGC 10, BGS 9.5)
These four rookie cards could, at minimum, double your money in 2022. Some of our previous picks have a return of 500% or more. Buy these cards now and thank us later when you double your bankroll. Good luck, and thanks for reading, as always.
1. 2020 Justin Herbert Panini Prizm RC #325
We love Herbert headed into the 2021 NFL season and feel he will pick up where he left off in 2020. The Justin Herbert Prizm base rookie card is a solid pick and should have a tremendous ROI assuming Herbert avoids a sophomore letdown.
If you want to put some serious cash on the line, purchase his /99 National Treasures rookie card. The card is numbered #158 and rarely appears at auctions.
2. 2018 Luka Doncic Prizm RC #280
Luka will win his first of many NBA titles and league MVPs sooner or later. It might as well be in 2022! Luka is the favorite to win the NBA MVP in 2022, and the Mavericks are +2200 to win the NBA title.
His 2018 Prizm rookie card is an easy investment as they are constantly up for auction on eBay and are easy to sell when it comes time to collect your profits. The Luka Doncic Panini Contenders Rookie Ticket card is an excellent secondary option for spending a little more money.
3. 2020 Joe Burrow Panini Prizm RC #307
Now is a great time to purchase Joe Burrow rookie cards. The old saying on Wall Street is buying when there is blood on the streets. This holds for the sports card market as well. Burrow and the Bengals are off to a terrible start in 2022, and you can purchase his rookie cards at a severe discount vs. their previous values.
UPDATE FEB 2023: The Bengals ended up having a great year and made it to the AFC Championship game, only losing to the Kansas City Chiefs. If you bought this card when this article was published, you are up anywhere between 50% to 150% ROI depending on the grade.
We suggest buying the 2020 Joe Burrow Prizm rookie card now and hold for the long term. Burrow will repay this purchase and give him some time.
4. 2019 Wander Franco Bowman Chrome RC #100
We have been recommending this bad boy for the last 2 years and still believe it has significant value. Wander had a good 2021, but his 2022 was underwhelming due to injuries.
We feel the same way about Wander as we do about Burrow. Buy now at discounted prices and sell sometime in the next 2 to 10 years for a monster profit.
5. 2019 Panini Silver Prizm #249 Ja Morant RC
Luka is 1 and Ja is 1A. A no-brainer long-term investment 50/50 chance of doubling. We feel Ja will win an NBA title and a league MVP. Maybe not as many as Luka Doncic but Morant will go down in history as one of the best players of his generation. Take that to the bank and thank us later.
6. 2021 Prizm Football Trevor Lawrence Rookie Silver Prizm Variation SP No V-331
Trevor Lawrence is going to break out this year; bank on it. Please take advantage of his break-out with this rookie card variation.
7. 2020 Jordan Walker Bowman Chrome RC Lot #BD57
The Cardinals landed a gem in the mid-late first round with Jordan Walker how 20 players went before this beast is nuts. Just don’t buy his rookie card; buy a lot of them but make sure they are Chrome for maximum ROI and the best chance at receiving a PSA 10 grade.
UPDATE FEB 2023: This card continues to climb upward. How high this bad boy goes is anyone’s guess. If he wins NL rookie of the year, it should come close to doubling. If Walker could somehow pull off the NL MVP and propel the Cardinals into a deep playoff run… well… a 1000% ROI is not a fantasy.
8. 2018 Upper Deck Brady Tkachuk RC #499
Calgary to Florida. Not a lousy relocation for a variety of reasons. Flordia is one of the favorites to win the Cup, with Brady trolling the ice in South Florida—a great short and long-term buy.
9. 2019 Topps Fernando Tatis Jr RC #410
We have all forgotten about the best player in the game when healthy in one, Tatits Jr. He is much like Wander and Burrow in buying low, although Tatis Jr. is probably the riskiest of the three.
We love the sideway design of his 2019 Topps rookie card, numbered 410. Significantly undervalued at current prices.
10. 2017 Panini Prizm #249 Christian McCaffrey RC
Two not-so-great years have sunk the value of his rookie cards. That’s what we call a significant buying opportunity heading into the coming NFL season as we feel (and many experts) McCaffrey will break career numbers, sending the value of his Prizm rookie card through the roof.
Summary
If you have any questions about the cards mentioned above or need help purchasing investment-grade cards, please email us at advice@goldcardauctions.com, and we will be happy to break them down with you.
If you have any questions regarding the value of the card listed above or how much you should be looking to purchase the cards, please email value@goldcardauctions.com.
I think you confused Brady Tkachuk for his brother Matthew. Matt was recently traded from Calgary to Florida and his rookie card is the 2016-17 Upper Deck Young Guns #231
Can you please explain why you have listed specific cards for a player rather than just identifying the player? Like I have Luca Don sick international treasures/ 99 auto and I don’t understand why that card is not on the list. Just for one example. Why aren’t all the cards for a specific player on the list?
Another thing that puzzles me is I always thought August was a very good month to list football cards with the preseason hype but you have identified September as being the first good month for listing football cards. Have I been misinformed by no off season.com?
We list specific cards because we feel these cards will have a much higher ROI vs just a random rookie card from that player.