MODERN NFL
Robert Griffin III
2012 National Treasures
#302 RPA
Numbered 72-of-99
Beckett Card Grade: GEM MT 9.5
Beckett Auto Grade: 9
Centering: 9
Edges: 9.5
Corners: 9.5
Surface: 9.5
When it comes to the most valuable football rookie cards, National Treasures is at or near the top of the list for modern players. Combining autographs and high-end memorabilia pieces (and a big per-box price tag), the cards have few rivals. 2012 Panini National Treasures Football Rookie Signature Materials are no exception. With one of the strong rookie classes ever, the set was met with a lot of anticipation. It was an early sellout at the factory level. And while the likes of Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson lead the way on the secondary market, even the lesser players are going for high amounts. The rookie signature materials set checklist featured only 35 players, all of which were numbered to 99 or less.
RG3 played eight seasons with the Washington Redskins. He played college football for the Baylor Bears, winning the Heisman Trophy as a senior, and was selected second overall by the Redskins in the 2012 NFL draft. Griffin set league records for the highest rookie passer rating and touchdown–interception ratio, while leading the Redskins to their first division title since 1999, earning him Offensive Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl honors.
Manti Te’o
2013 National Treasures
Notable Nicknames
On-card auto “Hawaii 5-0”
Numbered 24-of-25
Beckett Grade: GEM MT 9.5
Beckett Auto Grade: 10
Centering 9.5
Edges 9.5
Corners 9.5
Surface 9.5
The 2013 National Treasures set included 100 base cards capped by 66 rookie patch autos and 34 notable rookie autographs. Also, among the inked offerings will be Springfield Bound Signatures for future Hall of Famers in today’s game, Notable Nicknames with added inscriptions and Timeline Signatures, which combine autographs and mem with windows over the swatches.
Manti Te’o was a linebacker in the NFL. He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, earning unanimous All-American honors and receiving multiple national awards. He would be selected by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft and would continue playing in the NFL until 2021.
Kurt Warner RC
2000 Topps Chrome #20
CGC Grade: GEM MT 10
Many popular players are tracked across the 2000 Topps Chrome set including Brett Favre, Chad Pennington, Charles Woodson, and Brian Urlacher leading the trend. Released as a 270-card set, the Topps Chrome card design parallels the regular Topps set with cards enhanced by foil card stock.
Warner ascended from an undrafted free agent to a two-time MVP and Super Bowl champion. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Cinderalla stories in NFL history.
Jalen Hurts
2020 Panini Prizm
#343 Rookie Card
Red White & Blue
CGC Grade: GEM MT 10
Showcasing the league's stars with Optichrome technology, 2020 Panini Prizm Football continued the long-running NFL product. Covering current veterans and former greats from each NFL franchise, the 300-card base is joined by 100 rookie cards, which fall two per pack. This red white and blue refractor is a retail parallel, but not particularly a “short prin.” Hurts began his college football career with the Alabama Crimson Tide, leading the team to consecutive College Football Playoff National Championship appearances in 2016 and 2017. After being benched for Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts spent one season as a backup in 2018. He played his final season with the Oklahoma Sooners, leading them to an appearance in the 2019-20 College Football Playoff.
Selected by the Eagles in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft, he became their starter near the end of his rookie season. He had a breakout season in 2022 when he led the Eagles to their conference’s top seed and an appearance in Super Bowl LVII, earning him Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors. In total, he has led Philadelphia to the playoffs in all four of his seasons as the primary starter, and received two Pro Bowl selections.
Bob Griese, Mercury Morris, Larry Little
2024 Leaf Metal Sports Heroes
Heroes 3 Autographs
Purple Crystal #H3-3
Numbered 1-of-1
CGC Grade: GEM MT 10
Besides the product’s Base Autographs, cards take on several more specialized themes. These include eras and different combinations of multi-signature cards with two, three and four autographs. The “Heroes 3” autographs checklist includes only 10 cards, and the purple version is numbered to 3 or less. Griese earned All-American honors playing college football with the Purdue Boilermakers, before being drafted in 1967 by the Dolphins of the AFL. Widely-regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks of the 1970s, Griese led the Dolphins to a then record three consecutive Super Bowl appearances, including two victories Vii and VIII, the first of which capped off Miami’s undefeated and untied 1972 season, the only such season in NFL history. Griese was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1984.
Mercury Morris played for eight years in the AFL, as a rookie in 1969 following the 1970 merger with the NFL. Morris played in three Super Bowls, winning twice, and was selected to three Pro Bowls. He was signed with the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in ’67, but was traded after two years to the Dolphins – establishing himself as one of the best guards in the NFL. Larry Little was a five-time Pro Bowl selection, and a seven-time All-Pro selection. He was instrumental in the Dolphins winning Super Bowl VII during their perfect season. He was elected to the NFL 1970’s All-Decade Team, a member of the Miami Dolphins Honor Roll, and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.
Randall Cobb
2011 Playoff Contenders
Rookie Ticket #202A
Beckett Grade: 9.5 GEM MT
Beckett Auto Grade: 10
Centering 9.5
Edges 9.5
Corners 9
Surface 10
Contenders' Rookie Tickets Autographs are among the most distinct in the hobby. For 2011, Panini made the signatures on-card rather than the stickers used in the past. Every box of the mid- to -high-end set has four total autograph cards, including two from the game's first-year players. Randall Cobb played college football for the Kentucky Wildcats, earning All-American honors in 2010. During his first year, under head coach Rich Brooks, he was named to the SEC All-Freshmen team at quarterback, playing in 11 games and starting four at quarterback. He accounted for 11 touchdowns as a freshman – two passing, two receiving, and seven rushing. In his sophomore season, he played mainly wide receiver as well as a significant role in the offense/special teams returning kicks, place kick holding, receiving, and also quarterback in the “Wildcat” formation. He scored 15 touchdowns – four receiving, one returning, and ten rushing during the 2009 season. During the season, he had an eight-game streak of scoring a touchdown. On October 9, 2010, Cobb scored four touchdowns against undefeated and eventual national champions Auburn, tying the Kentucky school record for career touchdowns at 32.
On September 8, 2011, in the Packers' opening game of the season against the New Orleans Saints, Cobb became the first person born in the 1990s to play in the NFL. Cobb recorded his first NFL touchdown on a 32-yard reception in the first quarter, and followed up with a 108-yard kickoff return in the third quarter that tied the record set in 2007 for longest kickoff return in NFL history. The return was later named Play of the Year at the season-ending NFL Honors banquet. In a Monday Night Football game against the Vikings on November 14, 2011, Cobb scored his second special teams touchdown of the year on an 80-yard punt return in the first quarter. With that, Cobb became the first rookie in Packers history to return both a kick and a punt for a touchdown in the same season.
Chad Johnson
2001 Topps #340
Autographed
PSA Grade: GEM MT 10
Big names from the 2001 Topps Football checklist included Joey Porters, Drew Brees, LaDainian Tomlinson, Michael Vick, Reggie Wayne, Steve Smith Sr and Chad Johnson.
Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson emerged from the football breeding ground of Miami, taking a winding road to the professional level. Once there, he became one of the generation’s best pass-catchers and a master of precise route running. Known for his larger-than-life personality, Johnson brought a level of entertainment to the field that was unrivaled—he would tell defenders how he planned to beat them, then execute with precision. His touchdown celebrations were as legendary as his trash talk, cementing his status as a football icon.
Tyreek Hill & Davante Adams
2024 Leaf Metal Sports Heroes
Gold Crystal #H2-11
Heroes 2 Autographs
Numbered 1-of-1
CGC Grade: GEM MT 10
CGC Auto Grade: 9
2024 Leaf Sports Heroes is an all-autograph product covering a mix of eras and games. The checklist brings with it some familiar names as well as some who rarely sign for cards or play sports that don’t get a lot of representation in the hobby. Among the legends with autographs in Sports Heroes are Sandy Koufax, Joe Montana, John Elway, Nolan Ryan and Floyd Mayweather among others. Sports Heroes was last seen in 2018, and in addition to chromium, there are acetate cards in Signature Decade and Heroes 2. The “Heroes 2” autographs checklist is a short 11 cards. The crystal parallel includes silver, black, red, pink, platinum blue, orange, purple and white (starting at 39 and finally numbered out of 2). The gold is numbered 1-of-1. The short checklist includes:
H2-1 Bob Lilly / Carl Eller
H2-2 Bobby Bonilla / Doug Drabek
H2-3 Dick Vermeil / Vince Papale
H2-4 Fred Biletnikoff / Davante Adams
H2-5 Giannis Antetokounmpo / Damian Lillard
H2-6 Mike Schmidt / Scott Rolen
H2-7 Paul Krause / Roger Wehrli
H2-8 Ronnie Lott / Troy Polamalu
H2-9 Shaquille O’Neal / Dwight Howard
H2-10 Ted Simmons / Yadier Molina
H2-11 Tyreek Hill / Davante Adams
Larry Fitzgerald #360
2004 Topps
PSA Grade: GEM MT 10
Larry Fitzgerald is one of the most iconic wide receivers in NFL history. He was drafted third overall in the 2004 NFL Draft, and immediately became one of the most productive receivers in the league. In his rookie season, Larry caught 58 passes for 780 yards and 8 touchdowns. He followed that up with an even better sophomore campaign, racking up 103 catches for 1,409 yards and 10 touchdowns. Larry continued to be a top receiver throughout his career, amassing over 15,000 yards and 110 touchdowns. His success on the field has made his rookie cards some of the most sought-after in the hobby.
Tom Brady
2018 Panini Phoenix #1
QB Vision – Red
PSA Grade: GEM MT 10
Numbered 11-of-299
2018 Panini Phoenix Football saw the bright colors and modern foil designs emerge for a third time. Besides a broad mix of inserts and parallels, autographs and memorabilia cards also came into play. Color Burst parallels returned. In addition to base Color Burst cards, a handful of inserts have them as well: Adrenaline Rush, Agility, Most Valuable, QB Vision, and Unmatched. The 2018 QB Vision set was limited to only 30 players and numbered to 299 each. This example is numbered 11, and depicts Brady in his last year as a Patriot.
The 2018–2019 year meant the Sixth Super Bowl for Tom Brady (and his last) leading the Patriots. With the victory, the Patriots became the second NFL team to win six Super Bowls, tying the Steelers for the most in NFL history. In addition, Brady became the oldest quarterback at 41 years of age to win a Super Bowl, as well as the first player ever to win six Super Bowls.
Tim Couch
2000 Skybox Dominion
Promotional Sample Card
CGC Grade: GEM MT 10
Released as a 243-card set, 2000 Dominion was composed of 195 Veteran cards, 33 Rookies, and 15 Rookie Pairs cards. Base cards contain full color action photography that fades away into an all-white border, and are accented with silver foil stamping. This particular card is a promotional sample, produced to promote the product leading up the release date.
Couch played college football for the Kentucky Wildcats, where he set the Southeastern Conference record for single-season passing yards and won the Quarterback of the Year as a junior. Selected first overall by the Browns in the 1999 NFL draft, Tim Couch was the franchise’s first draft pick.
Davis Mills
2021 Panini Encased
Scripted Signatures
On-card auto 16-of-35
Sapphire #SSDM
Beckett Grade: GEM MT 9.5
Beckett Auto Grade: 10
Released on April 13, 2022, many search for on-card BGS graded autographed cards in sets such as Reserve Signatures, Legendary Signatures and Scripted Signatures. The top rookies of the loaded 2021 NFL Draft Class are all represented in the Panini Encased Football high-end product. The vast majority of the checklist are either autographs or memorabilia. For even added distinction, one card in each hobby box came already graded from Beckett -this would be one of those cards.
David Mills had a passer rating of 88.8 with 2,664 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 13 games in his rookie season in 2021. He was selected by the Texans in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft. Mills was Houston's starter during his first two seasons, before reverting to a backup role after the Texans drafted C.J. Stroud. Despite winning only two games, Mills set the franchise record for rookie passing yards at 2,664. His 16 touchdowns and 66.8 completion percentage were also the second-highest among rookie quarterbacks in 2021, behind Mac Jones.
Troy Aikman
2000 Topps Chrome
CGC Grade: GEM MT 10
Other popular players in the 2000 Topps Chrome set included Marvin Harrison, Andre Reed, Brett Favre, Brian Urlacher and Bruce Smith. Aikman was selected 1st overall by the Cowboys in the 1989 NFL draft, and went to six Pro Bowls, and won three Super Bowls. He was also named MVP of Super Bowl XXVII, the franchise’s first title in over a decade. He was introduced to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006, and the College Football Hall of Fame two years later. After retiring in 2000, Aikman served as the color commentator of NFL on Fox (from 2001 to 2021), as has served as the color commentator of Monday Night Football since 2022.
Joe Montana
2024 Leaf Metal Sports Heroes
College Heroes Autographs
Black Crystal #CH-JM1
Numbered 7-of-10
CGC Card Grade: MINT 9
CGC Auto Grade: 10
2024 Leaf Metal Sports Heroes will feature on-card inscriptions from MVP Ronald Acuna, Rickey Henderson, Floyd Mayweather, Brock Purdy, and many more. This highly anticipated product will showcase an amazing spectrum of multi-sport stars, including Shohei Ohtani, Lionel Messi, Conor McGregor, Mookie Betts, Aryna Sabalenka, Carlos Alcaraz, Paul Skenes, Sandy Koufax, Ichiro, and Dan Marino.
Joe Montana has cemented himself as a Bay Area and NFL legend from his Hall of Fame career. The quarterback was originally drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 1979 NFL Draft, and went on to win four Super Bowls, was named to eight Pro Bowls and garnered All-Pro honors three times. Throughout his 16 years in the league, Montana threw for 40,551 yards and 273 touchdowns for a 92.3 career passer rating, and remains in the conversation as one of the greatest quarterbacks in league history.
Carson Palmer
2003 SPX #210
Numbered 198-of-250
Beckett Card Grade: GEM MT 9.5
Beckett Auto Grade: 9
Centering: 10
Edges: 10
Corners: 9
Surface: 9.5
#1-190 serial numbered to 50 and #191-220 serial numbered to 25. #209 and #214 do not exist. The MEM note in this set refers to a piece of event-worn jersey from the 2003 NFL Rookie Premiere Photo Shoot.
Carson Palmer played for the USC Trojans, winning the Heisman Trophy as a senior in 2002. He was selected by the Bengals first overall in the 2003 NFL draft, and played eight seasons with the team. During his tenure in Cincinnati, he helped lead the team to its first winning season and playoff appearance in 15 years and was named to two Pro Bowls.
Will Levis #RD18
2023 Mosaic
Razzle Dazzle
PSA Grade: MINT 9
Appealing to the chromium fans, 2023 Panini Mosaic Football remained an NFL card product driven by parallels and inserts. 2023 Mosaic marked the first full-chromium NFL release of the season. The checklist brought with it its’ familiar and distinct mix of color, patterns, bold designs and mix of inserts. Although not overly focused on traditional hits, hobby boxes still offer a pair of autographs. The “razzle dazzle” set checklist only features 30 players.
Will Levis started all 13 games for Kentucky, completing 2,827 yards and 24 touchdown passes while running for 376 yards and nine touchdowns on 107 rushes. He led the team to a victory over No. 15 Iowa in the 2022 Citrus Bowl. Despite initially being projected as a first-round pick, in the 2023 NFL draft the Tennessee Titans traded up to select Levis with the 33rd overall pick in the second round.