American football has generated some of the
most valuable trading cards
in existence. Perhaps that makes sense given the sport’s enduring popularity, not to mention the big money profits associated with its most illustrious teams.
The question is, which NFL trading cards come out on top as the most expensive? Here’s a shortlist of five cards, their estimated value, and their all-important grade.
| Rank | Card | Highest Sale | Estimated Value | Most recent sale | Grade |
| 1 | 2017 National Treasures NFL Shield Patrick Mahomes Autographed Rookie Card #161 | $4.3 million | $4-5 million | $4.3 million | BGS 8.5 |
| 2 | 2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady Championship Ticket Autograph Rookie Card #144 | $3.1 million | $3-4 million | $3.1 million | BGS 9.0 |
| 3 | 1958 Topps Jim Brown Rookie Card #62 | $358,500 | $400k-£500k | $358,500 | PSA 9.0 |
| 4 | 2000 SP Authentic Tom Brady Rookie Card #118 | $312,000 | $350k-$400k | $312,000 | BGS 10 |
| 5 | 1957 Topps Bart Starr Rookie Card #119 | $288,000 | $300k-$350k | $288,000 | PSA 9.0 |
As you can see, some football trading cards attract eye-watering sums. Of course, it isn’t just the NFL – the
most valuable basketball cards
easily fetch six figures too.
So, what characteristics does our list of valuable football cards share? And why exactly did they become quite so valuable? Let’s take a look.
2017 National Treasures NFL Shield Patrick Mahomes Autographed Rookie Card #161
Featuring one of the most successful quarterbacks in NFL history, it’s no wonder that the Patrick Mahomes NFL Shield Rookie Patch card is so coveted. The 1/1 card features Mahomes’ signature and picked up a BGS 8.5 grade, hence the jaw-dropping price tag.
One of the most impressive aspects of the card is that it’s not even vintage, stemming from Panini’s National Treasure drop circa 2017. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop a major bidding war among collectors at the PWCC Marketplace in July 2021, with the card sold for $4.3 million.
2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady Championship Ticket Autograph Rookie Card #144
Until the Mahomes card, the Tom Brady Championship Ticket Autograph Rookie clocked in as the world’s most valuable NFL trading card. Back in June 2021, it fetched a value of $3,107,372.40 at Lelands Auctions, so its status as the most valuable card only lasted a month or so.
This signed Playoff Contenders Rookie card scored a BGS 9 for its condition, boosted by a BGS 10 for the included autograph. Of course, much of its worth can be attributed to Tom Brady, easily one of the most recognizable quarterbacks in NFL history.
1958 Topps Jim Brown Rookie Card #62
The older the more valuable, right? Not the case with this next high-value football card. Despite being printed in 1958, the Topps Jim Brown Rookie Card #62 brought just shy of $360K when it was last sold at auction, trailing the most valuable Mahomes card by a cool $4 million.
Still, this is an impressive collector’s item. Of the 3,619 Jim Brown cards in circulation, only five of them are in PSA 9 condition. This is one of them. It features a charming color print of Jimmy Brown in his prime, and is in remarkably good condition for a football card that’s 68 years old.
2000 SP Authentic Tom Brady Rookie Card #118
We told you Tom Brady was a popular name in the field of high-value football trading cards. The famous QB’s name appears on the fourth most-valuable card on our shortlist, a 2000 SP Authentic Rookie card, numbered 118.
When it was last sold in 2021, the card fetched $312,000 – impressive given there are 1,250 in circulation. This one’s value is attributed to its applaud-worthy BGS 10 condition, along with its centering, corners, and edges. If only it featured Brady’s signature, this could easily have been one of the highest-value NFL cards in history.
1957 Topps Bart Starr Rookie Card #119
Few people may have heard of Bryan Bartlett Starr, one of Green Bay’s most successful ever quarterbacks. Starr led the Packers to back-to-back victories in the first-ever iterations of the Super Bowl, and entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977.
Sure enough, Starr featured on many a football trading card over his career, and none more valuable than the 1957 Topps Rookie Card #119. Much like with the Jimmy Brown card from Topps, Starr’s card drew big money thanks to its impressive PSA 9 ranking. Only three of the 1,710 versions of the card are rated as such, hence its enduring value.
Whether it’s Topps, Panini, or Upper Deck, ranking high-value football cards follows stringent criteria. The same can be said of the
most valuable baseball cards, too, with key hallmarks, attributes, and characteristics affecting a card’s ranking.
Ranking our list of valuable football cards, we considered verified auction sales figures, along with current estimated market values. This provided the numbers, but with no context as to where and how cards accrued their value.
For that, you need to dig a little deeper. The historical significance of the card plays its part, especially if it’s a marquee player. Scarcity also has a direct effect on value, especially when combined with a professional grading from the BGS or the PSA.
Of course, the value of football cards can fluctuate over time, so rankings always require updating. It isn’t necessarily the case that the oldest, most pristine cards will fetch the highest value, either; features like autographs, as well as player popularity, hold significant influence. That’s true of the
most valuable hockey cards, along with football and baseball.
Whether you’re looking to grow your collection or add some expensive cards to your catalog, here are some essential top tips for football card collecting from TGT’s online card rip specialists.
⚖️ Tip #1: Get to grips with professional grading
There are two professional grading bodies used to rank football cards: Beckett Grading Services (BGS) and Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA). There’s very little to separate these grading companies, aside from the fact that PSA 10 cards usually fetch a slightly higher price tag than the equivalent BGS 10 variant (with the exception of BGS Black Label).
Our advice? Get to know how both BGS and PSA gradings work, including their ranking metrics. That way you’ll be well placed to spot high-value football cards that cross your path.
📦 Tip #2: Store your cards with care
Every collector knows that how cards are stored and handled has the biggest influence on value, particularly when it comes to edging, corner, and surface gradings. At the very least, pop your cards in a penny sleeve and a top-loading binder; high-value cards need a slab, which offers max protection.
Of course, that’s just the beginning. UV exposure, humidity, temperature – all these elements can affect your cards in the long term. So, if you’re serious about collecting, do your research and create the ideal storage setup.
📊 Tip #3: Track and monitor card values
There are a bunch of sites offering an easy way to track current football card values. The best of these aggregate real-time data from major auction sites and trading platforms, so you can access last-sold prices and estimated future values in one place.
🕰️ Tip #4: Understand the difference between vintage and modern football cards
As our shortlist of the most expensive football cards shows, it’s not simply age that affects a card’s value. Modern cards can be just as valuable and highly coveted as their vintage counterparts, thanks to features like premium materials, autographs, and ultra-short print runs.
Of course, with vintage cards, condition and grading are more important, so pay particular attention to these. Modern cards are generally in much better condition, with their value stemming from specialist features instead.
🔍 Tip #5: Read card break site reviews here at TGT
TGT has your back in helping you find the most reliable card break sites. Our specialists test card rip and mystery box platforms daily, ensuring the brands you use offer a reliable, fair, and legit service.
Don’t forget that some of the USA’s most popular card rip sites offer high-value football cards for you to rip, collect, and keep. Take a look at our recommendations in the banners around this page.
Football cards hold enduring appeal, reflecting the unrivaled popularity of the NFL and college ball. If you plan to use mystery boxes and
live card rips
in hopes of netting high-value football cards, here are the pros and cons to remember.
Pros and Cons
- Strong value retention and appreciation potential
- Huge variety on the market
- Accessible across diverse price points
- Lots to learn, including card grading
- Expensive hobby with no guaranteed returns
Football fans have collected NFL trading cards for decades, and it’s incredible to think how valuable some of the world’s rarest football cards have become. High-grade cards with special features like player autographs fetch truly eye-watering sums, to the point where collecting them doesn’t sound like such a bad idea.
The beauty of collecting football cards is that there’s tons of variety available, all at different price points. So, if you can’t afford the rarest Topps cards that fetch millions at auction, there are plenty of (considerably) more affordable options that will add weight and value to your collection. Looking for the best card breaks and rip sites? Check out the latest recommendations in the banners around this page.
The 2017 National Treasures NFL Shield Patrick Mahomes Autographed Rookie Card #161 is the most valuable football card in the world. When it was last sold in July 2021, it fetched an astonishing $4,300,000 at auction.
BGS and PSA are the two independent grading agencies used to rank football cards. They stand for Beckett Grading Services and Professional Sports Authenticator, and are the main mechanisms for professional card grading.
Absolutely! Modern football cards can fetch huge sums based on their features, condition, and scarcity. Some of the most expensive football cards ever sold are considered modern.
