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Stephen “Steph” Curry (03/14/88) is a point guard and eight-time NBA All-Star who began his career with the Golden State Warriors in 2009. He was the seventh pick in the draft and soon revolutionized the league with his shooting ability.
SHOP STEPH CURRY ROOKIE CARDS ON EBAY
Steph’s three-shot skills make him a danger across the court, and he caused teams to adapt by using smaller, more mobile players to track his runs. Otherwise, he’ll destroy a team in a single-minded fashion, and there’s never been another like him in the NBA.
He recently passed Reggie Miller and Ray Allen in three-pointers made, making him the all-time leader with 3117 after the 2021-22 NBA season.
Curry is one of the current faces of the NBA, along with LeBron James, making his rookie cards some of the most popular available. We’ve prepared a checklist with all of his 2009 rookie options and went into detail about three of the best below.
Curry’s cards can go for big bucks, and they’re worth more than the average RC from the late 2000s. Here are three of the very best you’ll be able to find at auction.
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2009 Stephen Curry Topps Chrome RC #101
This is our favorite Curry rookie card for investment purposes.
The Topps Chrome edition is numbered #101, while the quote on the back says;
“A superb shooter like his father, longtime NBA marksman Dell Curry, Stephen knocked down 414 3-pointers to become Davidson’s all-time career scorer in three seasons. However, another aspect of his game stood out to Bobcats coach Larry Brown in a pre-draft workout. “The thing that most impressed me is that he passes the ball,” said Brown. “He’s a great passer. He knows how to play”.”
A simple card, when all things are considered, it features a large portrait image of a startlingly young-looking Curry. There’s no signature, but a rookie card logo is located on the top-right edge.
As with many Topps Chrome cards, there’s a refractor version which causes prices to increase drastically. For example, a couple of base PSA 10’s recently sold for $2,800 and $3,351. A gem mint refractor card went for $13,433, so it’s a significant jump if you aim to pick up the best version available.
It’s numbered up to 999 so it’s not the rarest, but it’s always popular with collectors and will be for years and years to come.
2009 Stephen Curry Exquisite Collection Auto /225 RC #72
This dynamic card features Curry mid-dribble, with the ball in hand and a crisp black and white portrait layout. There’s a massive autograph across the bottom, with extensive writing on the top confirming it’s an “Exquisite Rookie Autograph”.
The back has a monochrome version of the image on the front, although there’s no quote other than confirming the legitimacy of the autograph.
A PSA 10 version will go anywhere from $18,000 to $20,000, depending on the signature’s quality and size. A nine was sold for $2,777 in January 2020, so it’s a decent option if you’re operating with a smaller budget.
It’s fair to say that it’s expensive, but that’s likely due to the on-card signature and the player’s popularity.
2009 Stephen Curry National Treasures RPA RC #206
Good luck getting your oven mitts on this bad mamma JAMA.
Undoubtedly his most valuable rookie card by a wide margin, a PSA 10 version of Curry’s 2009-10 Playoff National Treasures went for a mind-blowing price of $99,999 on 7/10/2020.
The price blows the others out of the water for several reasons. It’s only numbered to 5, making it the rarest option by far, while there are a significant player patch and an autograph on the front. He’s also featured in his Warriors shirt rather than his Davidson jersey, making it even more desirable for the average collector.
The reverse of the card reads;
“Curry’s 36 points, 13 assists, and 10 rebounds on Feb. 10, 2010, against the Clippers made him the sixth rookie to post a triple-double and first since Jason Kidd in 1995. Two games later, he dished out 15 assists, the most by a Warriors rookie since Tim Hardaway’s 16 in 1990”.
The highest of the high-end, you could get a mortgage in almost any city in the world for the price of the 9.5 version, while a 10 is also incredibly expensive. On the other hand, you won’t find it better if you want the rarest Curry RC card that money can buy.
Checklist
Curry has an extensive list of rookie cards, with 28 recognized as official options. (2009 was the last year that saw official rookie cards from multiple manufacturers after the NBA Draft.)
Here’s a rundown in alphabetical order;
- 2009-10 Absolute Memorabilia #144 Autographed Jersey #/499 Stephen Curry RC
- 2009-10 Bowman ’48 Stephen Curry RC #106 #/2009
- 2009-10 Certified Stephen Curry RC #176 Autographed Jersey #/399
- 2009-10 Classics #166 Autograph #/499
- 2009-10 Contenders Stephen Curry RC #106 Autograph SP (PR=649 or less)
- 2009-10 Court Kings Stephen Curry RC #129 Autograph #/649
- 2009-10 Crown Royale Stephen Curry RC #103 Autograph #/399
- 2009-10 Donruss Elite Stephen Curry RC #166 Autograph #/499
- 2009-10 Exquisite Collection Stephen Curry RC #64 Autograph #/225
- 2009-10 Exquisite Collection Stephen Curry RC #72 Autograph #/225
- 2009-10 Limited Stephen Curry RC #156 Autographed Jersey #/299
- 2009-10 National Treasures Stephen Curry RC #206 Autographed Patch #/99
- 2009-10 Panini Stephen Curry RC #307
- 2009-10 Panini Stephen Curry RC #357
- 2009-10 Panini Adrenalyn XL Stephen Curry RC #67
- 2009-10 Prestige Stephen Curry RC #157
- 2009-10 Prestige Stephen Curry RC #207
- 2009-10 Prestige Stephen Curry RC #230
- 2009-10 Rookies & Stars #136 Autograph Stephen Curry RC #/449
- 2009-10 SP Game Used #133 Stephen Curry RC #/399
- 2009-10 Studio Stephen Curry RC #129
- 2009-10 Threads #107 Autograph Stephen Curry RC #/625 (5 letters)
- 2009-10 Timeless Treasures Stephen Curry RC #106 Autograph #/299
- 2009-10 Topps Stephen Curry RC #321
- 2009-10 Topps Chrome Stephen Curry RC #101 #/999
- 2009-10 Upper Deck #234 SP
- 2009-10 Upper Deck First Edition Stephen Curry RC #196
- 2009-10 Threads Stephen Curry RC Autographed Letters Set
Steph Curry Rookie Card Value
The most expensive Stephen Curry Rookie Card is the 2009 Topps Chrome Gold Refractor Stephen Curry ROOKIE RC /50 #101.
Please email us at value@goldcardauctions along with a picture of the card and we will ATTEMPT to provide you a value of your card based on past sales.
Email advice@goldcardauctions.com if you want advice regarding purchasing a Steph Curry rookie card.
Investment Outlook
Curry has proven himself to be one of the best players of his generation and has the rings to prove it.
When most people look at cards as investment options, they look for the player’s accolades. That makes sense for most players, and it also works for Steph Curry. After all, he has had a tremendous career.
On top of being the all-time leader in three-pointers made, Steph is a two-time MVP, three-time NBA Champion, eight-time all-star, and has made the All-NBA First Team four times.
However, accolades do not put in perspective the effect Stephen Curry has had on basketball. He revolutionized the game of basketball with his sharpshooting.
Before he entered the league, no one was taking three-point shots at the value Steph is, or from the range he took them. Defensive strategy is entirely different now than it was 15 years ago, and that’s because of Steph Curry.
Without Steph Curry, we would not have stars like Damian Lillard, Trae Young, or Luka Doncic doing the things they do.
Steph Curry rookie cards are a great buy for investment purposes (especially long-term).
- Investment Rating: STRONGEST BUY POSSIBLE
- Top-Rated Steph Curry Rookie Card: Our favorite Steph Curry RC in terms of ROI is the Topps Chrome /999 #101 (we only wish we had 10s instead of 9s)… the Logoman National Treasures is a better ROI in all, actually, but it is unrealistic to think about owning that particular card (for most).
- Ownership Disclosure: 2x 2009 Stephen Curry Topps Chrome Rookie Card /999 #101 PSA 9 | 2x 2009 Stephen Curry Topps RC #321.