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Vince Carter (01/26/77) is a former shooting guard/small forward who is the only player in NBA history to have played in four decades over a 22-year career.
Buy PSA Graded Vince Carter Rookie Cards on eBay
Confused? His rookie year was in 1999 with the Toronto Raptors, and he finally called time in 2020. As well as the Raptors, he played for the New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, and the Atlanta Hawks, respectively.
Investment Rating: Buy (3.4 out of 5)
Risk/Profit Analysis: Low Risk/Moderate to Moderately High Returns
Best Vince Carter Rookie Card: 1998 Vince Carter Topps Chrome RC #199 (BUY ON EBAY)
Ownership Disclosure: None
Vince Carter Rookie Year Stats: 50 games | 18.3 points per game | 5.7 rebounds | 3.0 assists
An eight-time All-Star and the Rookie of the Year in ‘99, he never won an NBA Championship, but he set multiple records thanks to his skills and longevity.
Trending: Best Steve Young Rookie Cards
Here are three of the best Vince Carter RCs, along with investment advice following his retirement from the sport.
Carter’s 1998-99 options are what we’re looking at here. There are 27 RCs to choose from altogether, without including various parallels. We’ve narrowed it down to three of the best overall.
1. 1998 Vince Carter Skybox Molten Metal RC #134
First up is a card that is sure to catch the eye. SkyBox’s Molten Metal set has an all-black background, with a great image of the player as he appears to soar toward the sky with a ball in one outstretched hand.
It has a foil finish, and the player’s name is written in a font that is the so late ‘90s that it’s almost painful to look at. There’s also a rarer Xplosion parallel, but either version is popular with collectors.
Parallels: Xplosion
2. 1998 Vince Carter Topps Chrome RC #199
The base version might be plentiful, but the 1998-99 Topps Chrome Carter card is a clear step up in several respects. It has a shiny finish, while they’ve opted for a crisp silver border.
The image sees Carter leaping for a dunk in a great action shot. It’s already expensive compared to most of his RCs, without considering the rarer Refractor parallel. Look no further if you want one of the best cards in value and prestige.
Parallels: Refractors
3. 1998 Vince Carter E-X Century RC #89
On the subject of value and prestige, there’s Carter’s card from the 1998-99 E-X Century Basketball set. It’s already considered an SP, while there’s a ‘Credentials Now’ parallel, which is numbered to just 89 copies. Gem mint versions will sell for four figures, making it a desirable option.
In terms of design, it’s distinctly different from the dark cards seen above. It’s pretty cluttered, and there’s a shadow effect on his name, which looks like it was made in 1998. The image of the player is slightly skewed, and it looks like the top of his head was lopped off ever so slightly. The shiny parallel versions look much better, especially when checking out the 3D effect.
Parallels: Credentials Now (/89), Credentials Future (/2)
4 to 10…
4. 1998 SP Authentic Vince Carter RC #95
5. 1998 Topps Finest Vince Carter RC #230
6. 1998 E-X Century Essential Credentials Now Vince Carter RC #89
7. 1998 SP Authentic First Class Vince Carter RC #FC27
8. 1998 Bowman Best Vince Carter RC #105
9. 1998 Upper Deck Ionix Vince Carter RC #65
10. 1998 Topps Rookie Draft Redemption Vince Carter RC #5
Vince Carter Rookie Card Value
The most expensive Vince Carter rookie cards are the 1998 Topps Chrome Refractor #199 and the 1998 Fleer Brilliants 24KT Karat /24 RC.
If you want to purchase a Vince Carter rookie card and want some advice, please email advice@goldcardauctions.com.
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Checklist
- 1998 Topps Chrome Vince Carter RC #199
- 1998 Topps Chrome Refractor Vince Carter RC #199
- 1998 Skybox Molten Metal Vince Carter RC #134
- 1998 SP Authentic Vince Carter RC #95
- 1998 Topps Finest Vince Carter RC #230
- 1998 E-X Century Essential Credentials Now Vince Carter RC #89
- 1998 SP Authentic First Class Vince Carter RC #FC27
- 1998 Bowman Best Vince Carter RC #105
- 1998 Upper Deck Ionix Vince Carter RC #65
- 1998 UD Ovation Vince Carter RC #75
- 1998 Topps Rookie Draft Redemption Vince Carter RC #5
- 1998 Fleer Brilliants Rookie Vince Carter RC #105
- 1998 Topps Stadium Club Basketball Vince Carter RC #105
- 1998 Fleer Lucky Vince Carter RC #5LT
- 1998 Collectors Edge Basketball Pro Signatures Authentic Vince Carter RC
- 1998 Fleer BRILLIANTS Ruby 24k Vince Carter RC
- 1998 Fleer Flair Showcase Vince Carter RC
- 1998 Skybox Premium Vince Carter RC #25
- 1998 Ultra Exclamation Points Vince Carter RC #1
- 1998 Press Pass Authentics Vince Carter RC
- 1998 UD Encore Vince Carter RC #118
- 1998 Topps Stadium Club Vince Carter RC #198
- 1998 Fleer Lucky 13 Vince Carter RC #5
- 1998 Press Pass Net Burners Vince Carter RC #NB4
Buyers Guide & Investment Advice
In the past, Carter was pipped to be Michael Jordan’s successor, such as the hype surrounding him in the late 1990s.
He never really managed to live up to ‘His Airness’, while he failed to win an NBA Championship, but he still set records that are likely to stand for the foreseeable future.
After all, hardly anyone can compare to Jordan career-wise, and Carter’s is more than adequate to stand on its own merits. He’s set to join ESPN as a full-time NBA analyst in 2020, so it’s not like he will be out of the public eye for any significant period.
It’s worth noting that injuries are the main reason he failed to fulfill his potential, while he never went chasing rings toward the end, as so many others have attempted to do. He dedicated the later stages of his career to helping others, which is why it was so easy for teams to continue to select him despite his advancing years.
His more valuable RCs are sure to shoot up in price following his retirement in 2020, while he’s likely to find his way into the Hall of Fame at some point. This will also help improve Carter’s card values, so they could be a good investment if you’re willing to wait for as long as that takes.
Considering everything, now could be the best time to buy before prices rise too sharply. A high-grade version of one of the rarer cards is sure to hold value at the very least, so it’s a risk-free investment if you think The Naismith Memorial’ll select him after the three-season waiting period.