Has the "RC" logo card overtaken the first prospect card for non auto's?

[mmier118]

I just wanted to get peoples thoughts on the "RC" logo cards. Have they overtaken in popularity and in price a players first prospect card. I guess I'm old school and still believe that a players first year cards are "RC" cards, even though everyone calls them prospect cards and that the "RC" logo cards are just a scam to get people to buy 2nd or 3rd year cards at inflated prices but it seems as if I am in the minority. Several examples are that Clayton Kershaw's 2006 cards sell for less than his comparable 2008 cards. Mike Trout's 2010 bowman platinum sells for less than his 2011 cards, Bryce Harper's Bowman 2011 cards sell for less than his Bowman 2012 cards etc. What do you guys think? Are the "RC" logo cards the new rookie cards and the prospect cards are something less desirable than a rookie card?

 

[predatorkj]

Well Harper actually had a 2010 card but some people may think even less of the USA cards in terms of it possibly being pre-prospect. In any case, if you've got non-hobby enthusiasts buying cards, they may not know better and it's hard to fault them.

Even I get tricked at times because Bowman cards have the 1st bowman chrome card designation on them but it might be their second or third year bowman cards which is pretty ridiculous. If I'm just casually surfing ebay, I'm not going to feel like hopping on beckett to sit through 20 minutes of navigation and page loading to find out what the guys true rookie(his first) cards really are. Which sucks because there are some instances where I buy his second year cards when I'm after first year cards.

As far as there being any value to RC logo cards, I'd say it should depend on if the guy is still with the team that drafted him. If a guy gets traded as a prospect and makes his MLB debut with another team and has RC logo cards with that team, I'd say there might be a reason for the value. Other than that, if you are after a guys rookie card, wouldn't you want the first ones ever made?

 

[predatorkj]

As an example of the traded before call up, Hanley Ramirez. But oddly enough, he has the ability for both Marlins and Red Sox cards to be sought after.

 

[David T.]

This is one of the reasons my brother quit collecting, and the reason why I stopped buying baseball cards and started buying more football instead.
They screwed the pooch when they came up with this crapola if you ask me.

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[predatorkj]

This is one of the reasons my brother quit collecting, and the reason why I stopped buying baseball cards and started buying more football instead.
They screwed the pooch when they came up with this crapola if you ask me.

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Doesn't have to be that way. You know what a real rookie is. Make the informed decision and buy the real one. Let others call it what they may.

 

[David T.]

Oh I realize that and I still buy singles, but rarely open baseball packs anymore.
Baseball's tough enough trying to figure out who and what is hot to sell without the new rule.
To be honest, it's made selling 2nd and 3rd year cards easier to sell.
With football you know within the first year or two what's going to sell, and what's not.
I'm in it for fun and baseball takes to much effort in my opinion.
Not too mention I have boxes and boxes of .99 baseball "rookie" cards from years past.
Again too much effort without enough return.
Kudos to those of you who keep up with prospecting.
Lastly, the MLB rule on who can produce baseball cards has turned me off a lot.
I've never had much luck with Topps and miss the good old days of variety.

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[CatdaddysCards]

Just to point out one thing. Mike Trouts 2009 auto sells for far more than anything that came after it.

 

[mmier118]

Just to point out one thing. Mike Trouts 2009 auto sells for far more than anything that came after it.

With the autographed cards it's pretty clear that a players first Bowman Chrome Auto is king, but for non-autographed cards I'm surprised at the value that the "RC" logo carries. The best example I can think of to illustrate this is Clayton Kershaw. Most of his 2008 cards are priced higher than his 2006 Bowman Heritage card and even the kind of rare 2006 Bowman originals Kershaw is about the same as the 2008 cards. Even with Trout, his 2010 Bowman Platinum which I think is his first licensed non auto'd card is a $20 card while almost all of his 2011 cards are $35 to $50 cards. Even for guys with lower valued cards the "RC" logo caries a big premium an example is would be Manny Machado's 2010 Bowman Chrome Draft card is just barely higher priced than his than his 2013 Bowman Chrome card, which is about double the price of his 2012 Bowman Chrome card. I guess I just find it funny that the 2013 Machado would be double the price of the 2012 Machado in the same product just because Bowman put a "RC" logo on it. At the end of the day we can all collect what we like, I guess I'm just surprised at how much weight the "RC" logo carries and wonder how this trend will play out in the future. If the best non auto'd card of a player will be a prospect card or a "RC" logo card. I'm also surprised that base 2008 "RC" logo Kershaw's are commanding double digit prices. I actually still enjoy a players base cards and am happy to see them finally gaining in popularity and price.

 

[predatorkj]

Well I would prefer Bowman didn't exist. I realize I'm in the extreme minority. But really, it's not necessary. The only thing bowman does...really, is allow you to have cards of guys in MLB uniforms and cards of guys who may never make the majors. It could be incorporated into base topps series 1,2,and update. There's no reason for it to exist. Like I said I know I'm in the minority but oh well.

 

[David T.]

I kind of agree with you about Bowman but with another unpopular twist.
I don't care for autograph cards being included in the set.
I used to build bowman/bowman chrome sets but quit when autos became part of the set.
Too damn expensive, and make the non-auto'd cards worthless for the most part.

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[predatorkj]

I kind of agree with you about Bowman but with another unpopular twist.
I don't care for autograph cards being included in the set.
I used to build bowman/bowman chrome sets but quit when autos became part of the set.
Too damn expensive, and make the non-auto'd cards worthless for the most part.

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Yep....