What are the top 5 RC's to get of modern FB players

[morgoth]

With new sets being born every year and some oldies still around, I was asked at a card show what was a players best RC. I said National Treasures but it made me think with all of these new sets what base auto RC's (now the new standard) are coveted the most.

We have had Inception and 5 Star the last 2 years and Panini is coming out with more sets as well. Here is the list I made and yeah not all are "base" RC autos but I feel these are the ones people collect the hardest.

1. National Treasures RPA
2. Topps Chrome base auto and all variatons.
3. Exquisite- lost some luster with horrible production delays and college unis. but still demands top dollar for the high end patches.
4. Five Star- yeah I know last year was kinda of a downer from previous year but its still Topps highest end.
5. Contenders Rookie Tickets- there is alot of history here.

Ok ok, I know UD SPA didn't make the list here just hear me out. I really do think it has taken a dive in popularity at least around here. It comes out late and last years tiny patches didn't help it.

I fully think Five Star, Contenders and UD SPA could all trade spots this season based on strength of design and content.

If you look at this list Five Star is the only new contender to come out in the last couple of years. What would be your top 5?

 

[ThoseBackPages]

Define "Modern Players" please?

i think it depends on the player, which is their "best" RC

 

[BGSRCGUY]

SP Authentic should be in the list. Usually sells pretty spot on or more than national treasures. I personally think exquisite is the best but thats me.

 

[jbmm161]

If your collecting players from 1998 to the present I would go with either Contenders or SPA as most players from 1998 to 2012 will have a card in that set.
I prefer SPA myself because of the on card autos and patches. SPA is pretty affordable in regards to adding current star players to your collection.
Contenders are great because the player is in their pro uniform versus the current SPA college uniforms.

If your loaded with no budget Exquisite or National Treasures would be awesome cards but your not going to be able to add a Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees or any players prior to 2005/06.

Topps Chrome is a nice looking card but they are not considered true Rookie Cards.

MY list:

1. SPA
2. Contenders
3. Exquisite
4. National Treasures
5. Topps Chrome

If you like me and want all the cards to be from the same set then go with Contenders or SPA. The other option would be to pick the best RC for each player you want to collect.

 

[gt2590]

If your collecting players from 1998 to the present I would go with either Contenders or SPA as most players from 1998 to 2012 will have a card in that set.
I prefer SPA myself because of the on card autos and patches. SPA is pretty affordable in regards to adding current star players to your collection.
Contenders are great because the player is in their pro uniform versus the current SPA college uniforms.

If your loaded with no budget Exquisite or National Treasures would be awesome cards but your not going to be able to add a Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees or any players prior to 2005/06.

Topps Chrome is a nice looking card but they are not considered true Rookie Cards.

If you like me and want all the cards to be from the same set then go with Contenders or SPA. The other option would be to pick the best RC for each player you want to collect.

I agree with all your other statements, but this one kinda confuses me. Or did you mean the auto'd parallels?

And to the OP, IF you wanna do a whole set, SPA is better than Contenders 'cuz Contenders always has some insanely hard SPs. They're usually of lesser name players but still VERY hard to get. Print runs of less than 100 aren't that uncommon in that set, even if you've never heard of the player...

 

[morgoth]

To further clarify I am meaning for players this year you wanted to collect. I live in Indy and everyone wants "the best" Andrew Luck RC auto. I personally love Topps Chrome and the Black Autos as my sig suggests (i did point out that not all on my list were base autos but people treat them as such).

I listed Contenders due to the continuity back to 1998. I fully realize that if Five Star poops its pants this year SPA will replace em on my list but I have a feeling it could be awesome.

Also around here NOBODY but case busters want Luck cards in Stanford jersey's, that's one of the main reasons I list Exquisite and SPA so low. Also since its my personal list I also hate college jerseys but do recognize how nice the cards are, just not my thing.

 

[schmidtfan20]

you are crazy for leaving out SPA. I couldn't even tell you what five star looks like. Chrome used to be a dog, hasn't gotten hot until a few years back.

 

[Slette]

Contenders does have the lineage, but last year's design was so atrocious, I didn't pick up one single, and I normally bust at least a couple boxes worth.

 

[morgoth]

you are crazy for leaving out SPA. I couldn't even tell you what five star looks like. Chrome used to be a dog, hasn't gotten hot until a few years back.

I can gurantee you I will sell 100000000000000X more Chrome Luck autos locally in Indy than I will Luck UD SPA autos. I have people telling me once I open my cases they will give me $250 per Luck as a pre buy and I am tempted not to sell and see what the local market brings.

 

[ThoseBackPages]

For Luck i agree that NFL Logo > College, so SPA is out

for Eli Manning, his SPA RC is his "Best" RC

for Aaron Rogers, his SPA (/99) > Exquisite (/199)

have to go case by case.

 

[lisu]

Leave 5 Star out and add SP Authentic, and then I would be fine with the list.

 

[morgoth]

Leave 5 Star out and add SP Authentic, and then I would be fine with the list.

I agree in terms of pricing especially after last year's 5 star but I have high hopes for this year. My problem is there will be little demand for Stanford Lucks locally even though SPA is a very nice card. If it were still a NFL card it would be top 2 or 3.

 

[lisu]

I agree in terms of pricing especially after last year's 5 star but I have high hopes for this year. My problem is there will be little demand for Stanford Lucks locally even though SPA is a very nice card. If it were still a NFL card it would be top 2 or 3.

Until Topps learns how to do a high end product well, I don't think this year's 5 star product will do well. Even Cam Newton's for 5 Star did not sell well at all.

 

[rymflaherty]

When UD lost their license it left a big hole in that top 5 (at least to me) and I'm not sure it's been filled.

If we are talking SPA with the license it absolutely is in the Top 5.
Now with the players in their college uni's I don't consider that a PC-Dolphins card and it's not even something I search for or have any interest in buying. I know others do not have such rigid thinking with their PC, but I also know I'm not the only one that thinks this way.

It does seem though like Topps Chrome has had a surge back up in popularity since UD's departure from making NFL cards. Hopefully Topps or Panini can actually hit on one of these new products - to this point the majority have been forgettable and haphazardly put together.

 

[morgoth]

When UD lost their license it left a big hole in that top 5 (at least to me) and I'm not sure it's been filled.

If we are talking SPA with the license it absolutely is in the Top 5.
Now with the players in their college uni's I don't consider that a PC-Dolphins card and it's not even something I search for or have any interest in buying. I know others do not have such rigid thinking with their PC, but I also know I'm not the only one that thinks this way.

It does seem though like Topps Chrome has had a surge back up in popularity since UD's departure from making NFL cards. Hopefully Topps or Panini can actually hit on one of these new products - to this point the majority have been forgettable and haphazardly put together.

Great point and kinda what I was getting at. There has been a ton of new sets put out by Topps and Panini and the only one I think that has gotten very far is Inception, due to it's release date and on card autos. It's design is pretty nice too.

Topps Finest is also a good product just not a great one yet, maybe because some PATCH autos are numberd out of 1500!!!!!!!!!!! However the Atomic Gold Ref autos are amazing, probably the nicest card Topps has done this year.

I think the best Panini product this year was Prestige. The base autos looked like contenders and their patch autos looked like treasures but hey that is a HUGE step up from previous years but collectors aren't really going all in. I think the Elite Gold DC autos are undervalued

 

[Slette]

Prestige's design was a HUGE improvement over previous years. I used to look at Prestige as a lazy, throw-away product, but the base set looked really nice this year.

 

[morgoth]

Prestige's design was a HUGE improvement over previous years. I used to look at Prestige as a lazy, throw-away product, but the base set looked really nice this year.

I agree, very blocky and amateurish in design with stupid hard to tell parallels up the wazzoo.

They still haven't figured out how to make Rookies and Stars and Score good yet. R&S used to be a pretty awesome product.

 

[bcubs]

Remove 5 Star and insert SP Authentic, that would be my top 5.

 

[CollectorsCorner]

In the past couple of years your list would be close. If you are talking pre UD losing their license it would change quite a bit.