A supercard must meet the following criteria:
-It must be from 1976 or after (cards before that time fall into the classic category)
-It must be a card coveted by collectors.
-It must be instantly recognizable by collectors.
-The card must be of a player with proven tallent, no unproven prospects.
-They must be an All Star and preferably an MVP.
-It must be a regular non-insert card.
-It must have been available in packs, (the only exception being Traded and Update sets).
-It must be, or have been at it’s prime, worth $100. (this is for base level cards, low numbered variants and various ‘fractors don’t count)
I will admit I have a bias towards cards form the late ’70s through the mid ’90s. Beyond about ’95 I am not all that well versed. So please feel free to make suggestion based on the criteria above.
The list so far:
Baseball
1978 Topps Eddie Murray
1979 Topps Ozzie Smith
1980 Topps Rickey Henderson
1982 Topps Traded Cal Ripken
1983 Topps Traded Daryl Strawberry
1984 Donruss Don Mattingly
1984 Fleer Update Roger Clemmens
1984 Fleer Update Kirby Puckett
1985 Topps Mark McGuire
1986 Donruss Jose Canseco
1989 UD Ken Griffey Jr
1990 Leaf Frank Thomas
1992 Bowman Mike Piazza
1992 Topps Traded Nomar Garciaparra
1993 SP Derek Jeter
1994 SP ARod
Football
1976 Topps Walter Payton
1978 Topps Tony Dorsett
1978 Topps Steve Largent
1981 Topps Joe Montana
1984 Topps Dan Marino
1984 Topps John Elway
1986 Topps Jerry Rice
1989 Score Barry Sanders
1990 Score Supplement Emmet Smith
1992 Stadium Club High Brett Favre
Basket Ball
1980-81 Topps Bird/Magic
1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan
1995-96 Topps Finest Kevin Garnett
1996-97 Topps chrome Kobe Bryant
Hockey
1979-80 Topps/OPC Wayne Gretzky
1980-81 Topps/OPC Mark Messier
1984-85 Topps/OPC Steve Yzerman
1985-86 Topps/OPC Mario Lemieux
1986-87 Topps/OPC Patrick Roy
1988-89 Topps/OPC Brett Hull
Special thanks to:
Dennis, for the Henderson and Nomar card images.
1994-95 Finest Grant Hill, 1992 Topps Traded Nomar Garciaparra
Nomar is a good call.
Did Grant Hill hit $100
I remember paying $8 for his SkyBox rookie card back in 1994. I also remember seeing the finest for $60-80 at shows back in 1994-95.
This is a fun list to look over!
A couple thoughts – was there anything in 1993 Finest? Maybe not, it was in between Piazza and Jeter as far as RC’s go.
Also, I don’t have any specifics, but I know Ichiro and Pujols and 2001 had a few RC’s that may qualify. For example, Pujols has an SPA that books for over $300. However, you start getting into “#’d” cards and auto’d cards, they are technically numbered as part of the base set, but seem like they are really inserts.
I am not sure what to do with 1993 Finest. It was huge, still is, but it doesn’t feel like it fits here.
I am also not sure how modern auto RC fit.
Any thoughts?
Can you imagine if the 1993 Finest set had added Jeter to the checklist. My guess is, it would top the SP, and I’m not even talkiing about the refractor. I bet the refractor would be huge, like the 52 Topps Mickey Mantle of this era. Oh man, what if? haha
Would the 1990 Leaf Sammy Sosa count?
Maybe, but the 1990 Leaf Frank Thomas would for sure.
I’d like to nominate the 1979 Earl Campbell and maybe the 1978 Tony Dorsett for football.
Would you also consider the 1989 Fleer Billy Ripken? I don’t think the error ever legitimately hit $100, but the white out version is part of the legacy, and even now is hard to find under a Franklin.
I’d also suggest the Bowman Chrome 2001 Pujols AU. Probably the most iconic card of the 21st century. I’d like to include the 2001 eTopps Pujols, which has been legitimately over $100, but I’m not sure it’s recognized or ‘iconic’ enough.
Tony D belongs for sure.
Billy doesn’t because he doesn’t fit the criteria. His card was valuable do to something other than his on field play.
Pujols is a tough one, pretty much everyone of his 2001 cards fits the criteria. The Bowman auto needs another category, with cards like Lebrons’ 2003 Exquisite and Crosby and Ovechkin’s The Cup rookies.
I would like to nominate a modern card. The 2001 Pujols Bowman Chrome autograph.
’83 Topps Traded Strawberry comes to mind, but I am not sure where it topped out at, price-wise?
I can remember it being a big one, though…………
That’s an interesting one. I know that was my most wanted card for many years. Any one else care to chime in?
Along the same lines as Straw, what about ’84 Topps Traded Gooden? Did that ever hit $100? Also ’83 had Boggs, Sandberg, and Gwynn RCs…not sure if any of them ever hit that level either.
Now I’m going to have to dig out some of my old Becketts that I kept.
And I had no idea Piazza or Garciaparra ever hit that price. Wow.
The guys from 1983 never hit $100, as far as Doc, his ’84 Fleer update needs to be on the list.
Anyone have one they can scan for the list?
billy Ripken F-face card, I pretty sure at the time of the hype it hit 100 $ although not a star or MVP set the tone for biggest error of the 20th century.
It hit the $100 but doesn’t meet any of the other criteria
1992 Favre Stadium Club card. It still books for over $100, was one of his first cards in a Packers uniform and was from the high series which had a shorter print run.
Hmmmmm that is a good one. Technically it was 2nd year card, but we never specified these needed to be rookies.
The fact that it is a second year base card and sold (and still sells) for that much makes it even more of supercard, at least to me. As you said, your definition didn’t state it needed to be a rookie, so c’mon, add it already!
Alex you got it, I will add her.
The 1991 Favre Wild Card 1000 Stripe is a potential addition. Although a “no stripe” Favre is not hard to come by or expensive, as the parallel stripe numbers go up, the harder to find it is. The 1000 Stripe is the biggest of all, and was included as part of the regular distribution of Wild Card packs.
I remember about four years ago trying to bid on a 1000 Stripe 1991 Favre on eBay, and got left in the dust somewhere past $700. Given Favre’s recent history, I’m glad I lost.
2000 Topps Traded Chrome Miguel Cabrera