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Last Updated On: July 22nd, 2023
With the first overall pick in 2020, the Minnesota Timberwolves selected an extremely athletic two guard out of Georgia, Anthony Edwards. Edwards’ entrance into the league couldn’t have come at a better time for his rookie card, as the sports cards hobby was in the early stages of a massive boom.
As a result, an Anthony Edwards rookie card was one of the most sought after sports cards that year. In this collectors guide, we’ll walk you through Edwards’ brief career so far, highlight many of his best rookie cards (including signed and unsigned rookies), how much they’re currently priced at, and we’ll reveal the most expensive Edwards rookies in the market. We’ve also compiled a checklist with search links so you can get your hands on one yourself.
Let’s jump in!
Table of Contents
- Brief Overview of Anthony Edwards the Basketball Star
- Anthony Edwards Rookie Card Overview
- Factors Affecting Anthony Edwards Rookie Card Value
- Most Expensive Anthony Edwards Rookie Card Sales
- Rookie Card Checklist and Buying Links
- Conclusion
Brief Overview of Anthony Edwards the Basketball Star
Heading into the 2020 draft, three players were earning massive attention at the top: shooting guard Anthony Edwards from Georgia, center James Wiseman from Memphis, and point guard LaMelo Ball, an American who played in Europe before he was draft-eligible.
Ultimately, Edwards was taken first by the Timberwolves, followed by Ball and then Wiseman.
All-Star
Edwards was a bit of a wildcard. He was a gifted athlete, but played for a Georgia Bulldogs team that failed to even make the NCAA Tournament with him on the roster. He’d go on to finish second in Rookie of the Year voting behind Ball, averaging 19.3 points per game. In 2023, Edwards was named to his first All-Star team, averaging 24.6 points and 5.8 rebounds in his third pro season.
Playoff Performer
But Edwards’ real bread and butter has been coming through in the playoffs. Though he’s only played 11 games, he’s averaging 28.1 points and 4.5 rebounds. He hasn’t yet won a series, but that’s often chalked up to his supporting cast than Edwards himself; in the 2023 playoffs, for instance, he ripped off a series of 30-plus point performances against the eventual champions Denver Nuggets, including Game 2 in which Edwards scored 41 of his team’s 113 points.
Edwards has all the makings of being a postseason superstar, which will be a boon for his rookie card value. At just 21-years-old, Edwards’ future is as bright as any youngster.
Anthony Edwards Rookie Card Overview
There are several dozen different Anthony Edwards rookie cards out there, with countless more parallels. Here’s a guide to some of his most popular unsigned rookie cards.
What Year did Anthony Edwards’ Rookie Card Debut?
A rookie card (RC) refers to the first officially licensed sports card (or cards) produced for a player’s rookie season. In some cases, a player’s widely-accepted rookie card may not be the one produced during their first professional season (but those tend to be rare cases, like Joe Montana).
Rookie cards are consistently the most valuable cards in the hobby and form the hobby’s cornerstone. A rookie card is the hobby’s first chance to look at a future superstar, adding to its value.
Edwards’ rookie card debuted in 2020, the year he was drafted.
Anthony Edwards Prizm Rookie Card: Best Rookie
First up, we have the Panini Prizm Anthony Edwards rookie card. The Panini brand is one of the most important in the hobby and has dominated the basketball market. In 2009, Panini won the exclusive contract to produce NBA cards, which continued for 12 years until Fanatics won the exclusive right in 2021 (but don’t worry, they don’t take over until 2026).
But for those 12 years, Panini was the toast of the basketball card collecting hobby, with the Prizm line being one of the most popular (and affordable) on the market.
The Prizm version (#258) of the Anthony Edwards rookie card features the UGA star flicking a behind-the-back pass, probably to teammate Karl-Anthony Towns. Some 35% of the 6,500+ Anthony Edwards rookie card Prizms graded by PSA have earned a Gem Mint grade. Despite that relative lack of rarity, a Gem Mint Edwards rookie Prizm is still worth between $70 and $90.
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Silver Prizm Rookie Card
Where the money really starts to come through is in the Prizm parallels. With Prizm alone, there are over 35 different Edwards Prizms. Generally speaking, the most collectible parallel is a player’s Silver Prizm.
The same is true for Edwards. A PSA 10 Silver Prizm is valued at around $490, even despite 33% of Edwards Silver Prizm cards earning such a grade.
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Gold Prizm Rookie Card
Silver is great and all, but there’s a reason it’s reserved for second place at the Olympics. For those looking for one of the rarest Anthony Edwards Prizm parallels, look no further than his Prizm Gold. Numbered to /10, these cards are extremely valuable – a PSA 9 sold last for over $45,000. Not to be outdone, there is a Black Gold Prizm numbered to /5 that sold for over $18,000 in BGS 9 condition.
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Other Notable Prizm Parallels
Those aren’t the only high-level Anthony Edwards rookie cards that Prizm has put out. Here’s a list of a several other rare Prizm parallels and their most recent sales, per CardLadder:
- Mojo /25 – $7,111.13 (PSA 10)
- Gold Shimmer /10 – $12,000 (PSA 10)
- Green Shimmer /5 – $8,888 (PSA 9)
- Fast Break Bronze /20 – $5,000 (PSA 10)
- Fast Break Neon Green / 5 – $7,351 (PSA 10)
There is also a variation known as “Fast Break” designed specifically for rookies. Anthony Edwards’ Fast Break rookie Prizm in PSA 10 condition usually sells for between $200 and $275.
For a complete checklist of Prizm parallels, check out Checklist Center (the parallels are listed under the “Base Set” portion).
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Anthony Edwards Chronicles Rookie Cards
Next up is Chronicles’ take on the Anthony Edwards rookie card. Chronicles, part of the larger Panini brand, contains a cluster of variations, several of which we’ll get to below. Edwards’ base Panini Chronicles #101 features the top draft pick driving into the lane, the ball in his left hand. There are 12 different parallels to the base, including a Platinum numbered /1.
PSA has graded 54 of the base cards, with roughly 35% earning a PSA 10 grade. Generally, a 9 or 10 graded base is valued between $10 and $35.
It’s important to keep in mind that the base (and all of the following cards we’ll discuss in the Chronicles line) are labeled “2020 Chronicles” when graded by PSA. To delineate, pay close attention to the card’s number, in this case, #101.
For a full checklist, head over to Cardboard Connection.
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Luminance Rookie Card
Luminance, also under the Panini Chronicles brand, delivered its own version of an Anthony Edwards rookie card, along with 29 other draft selections. Edwards’ Luminance, #143, is marked as “2020 Chronicles” by PSA. To keep this separated from the base, a collector has two options. First, pay attention to the number (in this case, #143). Second, flip the card over and one will see “Luminance” written in the top-right.
Of course, one can also tell the difference purely visually: the Luminance features Ant-Man going up for a reverse lay-up, his first name in shiny cursive against a clean white rendition of his surname.
The Luminance, despite its cool design, isn’t the most valuable Anthony Edwards rookie card on the market. According to PSA, the average price of a PSA 10 #143 is $20. The parallels tend to be more valuable, like his Green Ice Luminance parallel, which sold for $64 in Gem Mint condition recently.
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Marquee Rookie Card
Moving on down the Chronicles line, we have Anthony Edwards’ #254 Marquee. With a pop count of 115 per PSA, a PSA 10 Anthony Edwards Marquee base is valued at around $23.
The Marquee set is a mix of rookies and veterans, with Bradley Beal, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Jayson Tatum, and Ben Simmons represented.
One doesn’t even need to flip this card over to determine if it’s a marquee – the logo is emblazoned at the bottom of the card’s front.
But unlike some of the ultra-rare parallels that often don’t surface on the market, we in fact know the value of the scarcest Anthony Edwards marquee card. His PSA 9 Platinum 1/1 Marquee card sold in October 2022 for $1,025.
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XR Rookie Card
The next Anthony Edwards rookie card produced by Chronicles worth discussing is his XR card, #295. Among the rookies included in the XR are superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Zion Williamson, and Luka Doncic.
With a PSA pop count of 94 for the base, collectors will see more value come through in the more limited-run parallels. That’s because the base, frankly, isn’t particularly aesthetically pleasing (at least in the mind of this collector!).
The gray metal background feels dated and blandly monochromatic. But the color really pops when the parallels come into play, giving the card a more artistic feel.
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Hometown Heroes Rookie Card
And then we have the Hometown Heroes Anthony Edwards rookie card. With a 20-card set that features LeBron James, Steph Curry, and James Harden, the Hometown Heroes cards have a bit of a throwback ABA vibe with its starry red, white, and blue theme. Edwards card is #546, the first in the set (and followed by Sixers star Tyrese Maxey).
The base card isn’t the most valuable, nor are the non-numbered parallels. For instance, his Asia parallel sold recently for $28 in PSA 10 condition.
Unlike the other variations we’ve discussed so far, Edwards’ Hometown Heroes card’s 1/1 is a Black parallel, rather than Platinum. A small distinction, but an important one for collectors eyeing the scarcest Edwards Hometown Heroes card printed.
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Crusade Rookie Card
The last Chronicles card we’ll discuss in any real detail is Anthony Edwards’ Crusade rookie card from Panini.
Before we jump in, we should address a confusing, mind-boggling decision by Panini. In addition to his Chronicles Crusade card, there is a Panini Prizm Draft Picks card under the Crusade label.
Why the company went this route? Unknown. But the distinction is an easy one: the Draft Picks card features Edwards in his UGA jersey. Before the draft (and, by extension, before a player knows which pro team they’ll suit up for), card manufacturers try to get a head start by printing cards with the player still in their college uniform. These tend to be much less valuable, as a result. Once again, collectors would be wise to pay attention to the card’s number: Edwards’ Draft Picks card is #81, while his Chronicles Crusade (the more valuable one) is #528.
With that (confusing) bit out of the way, let’s take a closer look at the Crusade Anthony Edwards rookie card. His base features two lions and an olive wreath against the monochromatic gray and black.
But it’s when we get to the parallels that the color (and value) become apparent. His PSA 10 Purple Crusade, numbered to /49, sold for $172, while a PSA 10 Blue Crusade, numbered to /99, sold for $219 recently. Even his non-numbered parallels do well in Gem Mint condition, with a Silver parallel selling for $129.
Also worth noting – the 1/1 parallel is Black, not Platinum.
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Other Notable Chronicles Rookies & Parallels
It’s important for collectors to keep in mind three important factors when exploring the Chronicles Anthony Edwards rookie card market. First, grading is critical. The difference between a PSA 9 and PSA 10 could very well be hundreds of dollars.
Second, the parallels rule the day. That’s because the bases are just plain boring. Adding a splash of color goes a long way toward making the card more pleasing to the eye, which factors into a card’s value along with its grade.
Of course, scarcity matters arguably more than the first two factors. Even in a PSA 9, Edwards’ Platinum (or Black) 1/1 card is certainly selling way more than any other card with a PSA 10 grade.
The rarest Chronicles parallels will be those that are numbered: Red /149, Blue /99, Purple /49, Gold /10, Lucky Envelopes /8, Black (or Platinum) 1/1. The specific print-run of non-numbered parallels isn’t exactly known, but the numbered cards guarantee the scarcity that factors into a card’s long term value.
Also – remember to pay close attention to a card’s number. In a set with over 700(!) cards produced, it’s the easiest way to differentiate between the different variations.
While we’ve mentioned most of Chronicles’ heavy hitters when it comes to the Anthony Edwards rookie card, a few others are worth noting. That includes Edwards’ #87 Base Threads and #167 Base Playbook.
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Additional Brands and Sets With Anthony Edwards Rookie Cards
You didn’t think Chronicles and Prizm were the only unsigned Anthony Edwards rookie cards we’d be discussing, did you? After all, by 2020, the basketball card market was off and running, with younger collectors eager to expand the hobby beyond its baseball borders.
While those tend to be the most popular, they certainly aren’t the lone options. Let’s explore a handful of other options for the Anthony Edwards rookie card collector.
Panini Select Rookie Card
One of the more popular non-Chronicles and Prizm Anthony Edwards rookie card is his Panini Select #61. This set includes 39 different parallels, including some that confusingly include the word “Prizm” in them. But keep in mind, just because the parallel says Prizm, does not mean that it is the same as the Panini Prizm card from above.
When in doubt, check the card number. Edwards’ Select Prizm is #61, while his Panini Prizm is #258.
With a Base pop count at 369, some 250 of which are PSA 10s, the real money tends to come through in the numbered parallels.
Because of the hobby’s boom during the pandemic, it’s not surprising to see PSA pop counts in the hundreds for some of these cards. At the time, everyone wanted grades on these cards, anticipating Edwards’ promising future after being drafted first overall. Similarly, it’s not surprising to see more higher-end grades, given advancements in printing and card maintenance right out of the pack.
Six of the 39 total parallels are 1/1. PSA has graded four of those, with two earning a PSA 10 grade and two getting a PSA 9. One of those, a PSA 9 Black Snake Skin Pulsar, sold for nearly $32,000 in 2021.
The higher-numbered cards also have excellent value. According to PSA, a Neon Green Prizm /75 has an average price of $275 in Mint (PSA 9) and nearly $600 in Gem Mint (PSA 10). Others, like the Gold Disco Prizm /10, have gone for $2,275 in PSA 9.
But the non-numbered parallels shouldn’t be used for kindling, either. Prices for the non-numbered parallels range from $50 to several hundred dollars in Gem Mint condition.
When found at the right price, Select cards offer a serious bang-for-your-buck and should be on any Anthony Edwards rookie card collector’s list.
For a full checklist of the Select set, check out Beckett.
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Mosaic Rookie Card
The folks over at Panini know how to go all out for a set, don’t they? The Mosaic variation comes with 300 base cards and dozens of parallels, including Choice, Fast Break, and Reactive.
The card is so named for the mosaic-like geometric pattern in the portrait’s background.
Anthony Edwards’ Mosaic card is #201, the first of the rookie class. The set also includes a #261 Rookie Debut Mosaic, as well as Rookie Variation Parallel (also #201) for those selected in the NBA Lottery (i.e. the first 14 selections).
In addition, the set includes 20 numbered parallels, three of which are numbered to /1. The base card in Gem Mint condition is valued at around $27, with the parallels only increasing in price after that.
For example, his Blue Fluorescent /15 in a PSA 10 grade sold for over $2,000 in 2022. An even rarer Pink Swirl /11 went for three times that in 2021.
For a full checklist, head over to Cardboard Connection.
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Donruss Rated Rookie Card
Next up is one of the more recognizable basketball cards in the hobby, the Donruss Rated Rookie. These cards are identifiable by their standard border and blue “Rated Rookie” logo in the upper-left corner.
The 2020 set is divided up into three different base categories: veterans, rookies, and then Hoops Tribute, which features a mix of current and former NBA stars on a card that resembles the 1990 Rated Rookie set.
Anthony Edwards’ Rated Rookie card is #201 and includes 21 parallels. Importantly, this set won’t include “Rated Rookie” on the PSA label, so pay special attention to the numbering. Instead, the PSA label will read “2020 Panini Donruss.”
The base card isn’t particularly valuable, even in PSA 10 form, with an average value between $25 and $35. That’s due in part to its massive pop count – 1,118 in PSA 10 alone.
But, and stop me if you’ve heard this before, the parallels are where it’s at.
For example, Green Laser is valued at around $120 in Gem Mint condition. The set also includes numbered parallels, along with a few Press Prints (which are labeled as “Press Print” above Edwards’ name on the card).
Press Prints are used by card producers to determine the effectiveness of its printing: is the card centered properly, are the colors correct, etc. If the Press Proofs show problems, then a card manufacturer (in this case, Panini) knows to recalibrate its printing to get it back on track.
This set contains two Press proofs: Silver /349 and Purple /199. A PSA 10 Purple proof sold for $83 in October 2022.
For a full checklist of the Rated Rookie parallels, head over to Beckett.
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NBA Hoops Rookie Card
Then we move into NBA Hoops. NBA Hoops cards serve as a debut for the player; it’s the first card that features a player in whatever pro uniform they’ll wear during the season.
Anthony Edwards’ #216 NBA Hoops rookie card is yet another produced under the Panini label (noticing a trend?). This card has a classic look and (thankfully) is labeled “Panini Hoops” by PSA on its graded cards.
The base card isn’t the most valuable out there (average price $28 per PSA), likely due to the fact that PSA has graded nearly 2,640 of these cards. But with 26 parallels (16 of which are numbered), there is no shortage of valuable NBA Hoops cards featuring Edwards’ rookie likeness. This pop count might also be from the simple fact that, because this is the first pro card for rookies, it’s also the first time collectors get their hands on a rookie card. It can make these cards highly sought after at the start, but then wane once other brands hit the market.
Take, for example, the Orange Explosion numbered to /25 (pop count 5 on PSA). In April 2023, a PSA 10 Orange Explosion sold for $449. Is it as valuable as some of the higher-end Selects or Rated Rookies? Not quite, but still offers real upside.
For a complete checklist, head over to Beckett.
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Flux Rookie Card
The last brand we’ll dive into is Flux, another under the Panini umbrella. Edwards’ rookie set was actually the first time that Panini spun Flux into its own “standalone release.” Prior to 2020, Flux was actually part of the Chronicles set (covered above).
This brand has a considerably smaller pop count than the others we’ve discussed, with only 98 of the base cards having passed through the graders at PSA. Far more popular is the Pulsar parallel, of which nearly 300 cards have been graded by PSA.
Even still, the base card (#202) is only valued at about $31 by PSA. By comparison, a PSA 9 Green /5 parallel sold for $203 in January 2023.
Ultimately, the Flux, while well-designed, haven’t quite held their values, even for the higher-end cards. This is potentially because of the lack of history with the set. As opposed to the Rated Rookie card, which goes back 30+ years, this was the first solo Flux brand.
It was also the only year. The Flux brand stopped being a standalone spinoff after 2020 and the prices reflect a rough-selling card that was discontinued after its inaugural run.
Go to Beckett for a full checklist of the Flux 2020 set.
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Other Anthony Edwards Rookie Cards
We’ve touched on “Draft Picks” cards a bit in this article, but let’s give them a bit of a closer look here. Every year, Panini releases a series of “Draft Pick” cards designed to build some hype around the draft’s top-end talent. These cards tend to be extremely low value (unless you’re just a Georgia Bulldogs fan, in Edwards’ case).
But there’s one card worth touching on, simply because the design is just plain cool (and the higher-end cards have retained some value). That’s the Panini Downtown Series insert. This series features a player (usually rendered as a drawing, not an actual photograph) along with various features of their college club. For Edwards, that means a Bulldog and juicy peach to symbolize Georgia.
The Downtown inserts are hard to come by. PSA has a pop count of 329 for the Edwards Downtown Series, and PSA 10s usually go between $300 and $450.
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Anthony Edwards Signed Rookie Cards
With the unsigned cards out of the way, we can move on to some of the rarest, most valuable Anthony Edwards rookie cards on the market: autographed cards.
National Treasures Rookie Patch Autograph: Best Signed Rookie
It’s impossible to have a discussion about signed basketball cards without first talking about National Treasure’s importance in the hobby. Debuting in 2009, this line features top-of-the line RPA cards.
RPA stands for rookie patch autograph, meaning that the card is a player’s rookie card, it has the player’s autograph on it, and it also contains a patch of the player’s jersey. The combination of these three tends to be a holy trinity of sorts for the hobby.
The original boxes cost $400 in 2009. Today, that price can get over $20,000 on the secondary market. Further, two of the three highest selling basketball cards of all time have been National Treasures RPAs.
National Treasures also makes variations of its RPA cards: some are vertical, others horizontal, some are even gold. But one stands above the rest for Anthony Edwards: his National Treasures RPA #111, often considered his best signed rookie card. Numbered to /99, PSA has only graded 34, with just two earning a Gem Mint grade. The price for one of the PSA 10s? A cool $192,000, which is how much a PSA 10 sold for in September 2022.
But here’s the deal with the National Treasures RPA: the jerseys are not game worn. Nor are they even guaranteed to have ever been worn by a player, period. The back of the Edwards National Treasures only guarantees that the patch included is a licensed NBA product and not associated with any game, player, or event.
Which brings us to an up-and-coming card that is beginning to stake its claim as the “best” signed Anthony Edwards rookie card.
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Panini Flawless Rookie Patch Autograph
An enduring sign of wealth (at least as far as movies go) is a briefcase full of cash. And with its Flawless brand, Panini has sought to replicate such luxury: the cards quite literally come in a briefcase.
Flawless’ main claim to fame is that, unlike National Treasures, its brand features game-worn jerseys in its RPA cards. As a result, the cards tend to come much later in the season. For instance, the 2020 Flawless set didn’t hit the market until January 2021, and that was already following several delays.
Upon opening the briefcase, collectors could find two cards already protected in plastic among the 10 total cards.
When it comes to the Anthony Edwards rookie card, there are (of course) several variations. These include the Vertical RPA above (#VPAANT), Draft Gem Signatures (#1), Excellence Signatures (#30), Flawless Patch Autographs (#1), and the Logoman Autographs (#1).
It goes without saying, but these cards are a) extremely rare and b) extremely valuable. His 1/1 Autograph Logoman went for $426,000 ungraded in a Goldin Auction in June 2022. Still another of the Vertical RPA sold for $6,100 as a PSA 9 in June 2023.
That Logoman card epitomizes what makes Flawless such an incredible card. The Logoman patch is already considered the rarest patch a card can have, made even rarer because it belongs to a game-used jersey and, since there is only one Logoman per NBA jersey, it’s the only patch of its type available.
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Panini Contenders Rookie Ticket Autograph
The Panini Contenders Rookie Ticket cards are a bit different from the National Treasures and Flawless in several regards. First, there are no patches in Rookie Ticket cards. Second, and perhaps obviously, the cards are stylized after an actual ticket with a signature underneath.
Keep in mind, no actual tickets are used. Rather, it’s all part of the card’s unique design.
Every player’s base is what’s called “Season Ticket Treatment,” meaning a parallel featuring a Season Ticket is on the card. Rookies, on the other hand, have an equivalent parallel called “Stubs,” i.e. shorter tickets for a shorter career.
Anthony Edwards’ Panini Contenders Rookie Ticket card is #105 and features a slew of parallels, including four 1/1 parallels. Some of these numbered parallels take on the rarity of the card they present. For instance, a Playoff Ticket is numbered to /99, while a Finals ticket is numbered to /49. Note: a player doesn’t actually have to play in the playoffs their rookie season to get these parallels.
And these parallels, especially the numbered ones, are extremely valuable. A PSA 10 Playoff Ticket /99 sold for $5,600 in October 2022, for example.
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Donruss Optic Rated Rookie Autograph
The next card on our list might look a little familiar. That’s because, much like the Rated Rookie card we discussed earlier, the autographed version features the same characteristic border and logo.
Anthony Edwards’ Rated Rookies autograph card is #151 and contains 42 different parallels. Of those, 24 are numbered. Even the base version of this card is pricey, valued at around $700 for a PSA 10.
Pay special attention with these cards, however. Given that the card features very similar printing to the unsigned Rated Rookie, it can be confusing for collectors to determine which card is actually an autographed card and which was simply signed by Edwards after the fact (AKA an aftermarket auto). Authentic Donruss Rated Rookie Autograph cards feature Edwards with the ball up behind his head mid-dribble and an autograph at the bottom of the card, above his printed name. Further, these cards will be labeled “Autograph” by PSA in the third row of its label.
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Panini Origins Rookie Autographs Card
For collectors who want all the smoke, check out the Anthony Edwards Origins card. This card, part of the Origins brand, features Edwards in front of what appears to be a blast of smoke (which changes colors depending on the parallel).
Origins is one of the more common autographed cards on the market. In each seven-card hobby box, for instance, are two autographed cards. The only problem? Origins contains autos for way more than just rookies. As a result, these cards tend to be very valuable.
Rather than an entire set just for rookies, Origins contains only 90 base cards total for both rookies and veterans. In addition, there are just nine total parallels, eight of which are numbered. The base card is valued around $500 in Gem Mint condition in summer of 2023, while even the rarer /5 Green parallel went for over $900 ungraded via eBay auction in May 2022 (CardLadder).
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Other Anthony Edwards Signed Rookie Cards
Even though we won’t dive into them in great detail, many of the unsigned Panini Chronicles cards we discussed above have autograph inserts. For instance, Edwards has a flashy yellow signed Hometown Heroes card, as well as a signed version of his Mosaic cards. They might not all be the most valuable, but for collectors looking to add a signed Edwards card to the collection, they’re worth checking out.
There’s also a Panini Prizm autograph version of the Anthony Edwards rookie card. These cards also come in various parallels, including a Rookie Signatures Black 1/1 listed with a minimum bid of $15,000 on Goldin Auctions.
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Factors Affecting Anthony Edwards Rookie Card Value
Absent a crystal ball, collectors are left to only speculate about the future value of an Anthony Edwards rookie card. Here are a few factors that go into that estimating:
Performance on the Court and Seasonality
Of course, the value of a player’s card is directly tied to their performance on the court. Given Edwards’ success even as a youngster and despite his team’s lack of expectations, his card has held its value very well since 2020.
Another factor in Edwards’ favor is his playoff success. Ultimately, a player’s legacy is decided in large part based on how they perform when it matters most, e.g. the postseason. Edwards has already shown an ability to be a fearless playoff player, which should only serve him well as he continues playing.
And say, for instance, he did in fact have an excellent series (or even win a championship). That moment would see Edwards’ card prices skyrocket. The same is true if Edwards continues hitting career milestones such as All-Star nominations. Just this season, Edwards briefly saw the value of his Silver Prizm go up by nearly $100 in the days following the announcement of his first All-Star nomination in February.
Scarcity and Print Runs
There’s a reason why Edwards’ numbered parallels are valued higher than the non-numbered ones: scarcity. The exact print runs of non-numbered parallels are known only to those in charge of manufacturing the cards. And, given the hobby’s surge starting in 2020, it’s very possible that we look back on these few years as being replete with over-printing.
But, those numbered cards guarantee one of the most important factors in a card’s value: scarcity. When one holds a /99 card, they know that exactly 99 cards have been printed; its a signal to the rest of the hobby that the card is rare.
Expect those numbered cards to retain (and increase in) value, even if the non-numbered ones do not.
Grading and Condition
The hobby’s boom in 2020 also led to a boom in grading. Once upon a time, a collector could get their card graded for around $40 and receive it back in less than two weeks. But at the height of the hobby’s pandemic surge, PSA raised its prices to $100 and couldn’t provide a guaranteed turnaround time.
As a result, it’s not surprising to see cards like Edwards’ have high graded pop counts. Nor is it strange to see them in higher-end conditions. When collectors pulled an Anthony Edwards rookie card in 2020, there was certainly a sense it had value and would then retain value if stored properly.
Thus, it was likely handled more carefully. And better printing techniques employed by the card manufacturers have limited the number of printing-caused errors and lesser grades.
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Most Expensive Anthony Edwards Rookie Card Sales
The following list includes some of the biggest sales of Anthony Edwards rookie cards within approximately the last 12 months. We did not include duplicates of the same card, or similar variants in an effort to show some differentiation (e.g. otherwise every sale of a National Treasures Patch Auto will saturate the list).
- Ungraded Anthony Edwards #LMA-ANT Panini Flawless Logoman Autographs Signed Patch Rookie Card (#1/1) sold for $426,000 in June 2022.
- PSA 10 Anthony Edwards #111 National Treasures RPA /99 sold for $192,000 in September 2022.
- PSA 10 Anthony Edwards #VPA-ANT Panini Flawless Vertical Patch Autographs Signed Patch Rookie Card /15 sold for $80,400 in September 2022.
- PSA 9 Anthony Edwards #258 Panini Prizm Black Gold 1/1 sold for $45,600 in April 2023.
- PSA 10 Anthony Edwards #151 Donruss Optic Gold Vinyl Auto 1/1 sold for $30,000 in April 2023.
Rookie Card Checklist and Buying Links
The following Anthony Edwards rookie cards have been covered in this post, including several Prizm parallels and other variants (e.g. different numbered patch autographs). The search links will open to eBay searches for the card referenced.
| Rookie Card Description | Quick Search |
| 2020 Panini Prizm #258 Base RC | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini Prizm #258 Silver Prizm RC | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini Prizm #258 Gold Prizm RC /10 | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini Chronicles #101 Base RC | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini Chronicles Luminance #143 RC | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini Chronicles Marquee #254 RC | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini Chronicles XR #295 RC | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini Chronicles Hometown Heroes #546 RC | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini Chronicles Crusade #528 RC | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini Select #61 RC (multiple parallels) | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini Mosaic #201 RC (multiple parallels) | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini Donruss Rated Rookie #201 RC | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini Hoops #216 RC | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini Flux #202 RC | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini Prizm Draft Picks Downtown #D4 RC | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini National Treasures #111 /99 RPA | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini Flawless Vertical Patch Autographs #VPAANT /15 RPA | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini Contenders Auto Playoff Ticket #105 /99 RC | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini Donruss Optic Rated Rookie #151 Autograph RC | Search eBay |
| 2020 Panini Origins Rookie Autograph #EDW | Search eBay |
Conclusion
Anthony Edwards has all the potential to be part of the NBA’s next generation of superstar hoopers. Already an All-Star, Edwards is only waiting to make a permanent mark on the playoffs, having started to etch his mark after a terrific 2022 and 2023 showing. If he continues along that trajectory, his rookie card will only go up in value, making it a relatively (and hopefully) safe investment for the future.
If you enjoyed reading this rookie card collector guide, be sure to check out the Kevin Durant RC guide, too!