Can Joe Burrow bounce back after his season-ending injury in Week 11 of the 2020 NFL season? If he does bounce back, how will that impact the value of Joe Burrow rookie cards?
Those are the questions on the mind of Joe Burrow rookie card collectors and investors heading into the 2021 NFL season. I do not know the answer, but can confidently say that I believe Joe Burrow rookie cards have a lot of upside potential and could even exceed the prices of Justin Herbert rookie cards if Burrow performs well in 2021 and beyond.
Burrow was selected #1 Overall in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals out of Louisiana State University. Burrow’s performance was solid before his Week 11 season ending injury. He threw for ~2,700 yards and 13 touchdowns with only 5 interceptions.
There are 100+ Joe Burrow rookie cards available which can be overwhelming. Fortunately, Sports Card Research put together the most comprehensive list of Joe Burrow rookie cards available.
In a hurry? Here are our favorites from each of the 7 categories included in this list (links to eBay):
- Most Popular: Panini Prizm #307
- Budget: Donruss Rated Rookie #301
- Autograph: Donruss Optic Rated Rookie Auto
- Relic: National Treasures Relic
- RPA: Flawless Rookie Patch Auto (RPA)
- Rare Insert: Panini Prizm Color Blast
- Other: Panini Illusions #5
Otherwise, below is everything you need to know before you buy a Joe Burrow card.
Most Popular Joe Burrow Rookie Cards
The “Most Popular” rookie card category includes cards most commonly searched for on Google and transacted on eBay. These cards are likely to be collectible long-term because they are popular with investors and collectors.
1. Prizm Joe Burrow Rookie #307 (Shop on eBay)
The Joe Burrow Prizm rookie card is Burrow’s flagship rookie card. Collectors and investors search “Joe Burrow Prizm Rookie Card” more than any other other card on Google. In addition, collectors purchase and sell the card almost daily on eBay. If you have little time to research Joe Burrow rookie cards, this is the one card I recommend you buy.
There are more than 40 parallels of the Joe Burrow Prizm #307 including:
- Silver Prizm #325 (Very Popular!)
- Red, White, and Blue #325
- Orange Lazer #325
The card features Burrow in his No. 9 white Bengals Jersey and black pants. The “RC” logo appears at the top-left corner of the card.
Interesting fact: a base PSA 10 Joe Burrow Prizm rookie card is valued at ~$400 as of July 2021.
2. Donruss Optic Rated Rookie Card #151 (Shop on eBay)
Joe Burrow Rated Rookie Card is among the top 3 most frequently searched Burrow rookie cards on Google. Although it is impossible to parse consumer demand into the various “Joe Burrow Rated Rookie Cards,” we can assume the Optic brand is among the most popular. Like Prizm, Optic includes an Optichrome coat over the card which increases card value and eye-appeal.
There are more than 20 parallels of this card including:
The Optic Rated Rookie Holo is common and among the most popular parallels. We recommend the Holo parallel if your budget can afford it.
The card features the popular “Rated Rookie” logo on the top-left of the card with Joe Burrow holding the football with both hands as he drops back to pass.
3. Joe Burrow Mosaic Rookie Card #201 (Shop on eBay)
Panini released Mosaic Football for the first time in 2020. Although Mosaic is a new set, football card collectors have rapidly adopted and become fans of Mosaic. Collectors search for “Joe Burrow Mosaic Rookie Card” frequently on Google and buy and sell the card often on eBay. Like Prizm and Optic, Mosaic features Panini’s Optichrome finish which gives the card a glossy, high-quality finish.
Mosaic includes more than 20 parallels including:
- Mosaic Silver #201 (Popular!)
- Red #201
- Reactive Gold #201
Like the Prizm Silver card, the Joe Burrow Mosaic Silver is popular among collectors and investors.
Interesting fact: Mosaic includes a “NFL Debut” insert which popular among collectors and investors. Collectors can shop the 2020 Mosaic Joe Burrow NFL Debut card on eBay.
4. Select Joe Burrow Concourse #46 (Shop on eBay)
Select is a popular and long-standing football card release from Panini. Like Prizm, Optic, and Mosaic, Select features Panini’s Optichrome technology. Joe Burrow collectors do not search for “Joe Burrow Select Rookie Card” frequently on Google, but the brand’s history and similarity to other popular brands led us to include this card in the “Most Popular” category.
Select Concourse Joe Burrow features Burrow in his all-white Bengals uniform holding the football with both hands as he drops back to make a pass.
Interesting fact: there are four base levels in Panini Select, three other than Concourse including:
- Premier Level #146: more rare and typically higher value than Concourse
- Club Level #246: more rare and typically higher value than Premier
- Field Level #346: the most rare and typically highest priced base card from Panini Select
5. Contenders Optic Rookie Ticket #81 (Shop on eBay)
Contenders Optic includes the popular and long-running “Rookie Ticket” cards. Although Collectors do not frequently search for “Joe Burrow Optic Rookie Ticket” in Google, these cards are highly recognizable in the hobby which led us to include this card in the “Most Popular” category.
Contenders Optic Rookie Ticket comes in more than 10 different parallels including Silver, Red (/125) and Cracked Ice (/22)
The card value differs based on rarity and condition of the card. A collector purchased a PSA 10 Optic Rookie Ticket Gold numbered /10 for $5,900 in Jun 2021.
Budget Joe Burrow Rookie Cards
The “Budget” rookie card category includes cards that are both popular and usually less expensive than cards included in the “Most Popular” category. “Budget” category cards provide good entry-level rookie card investment options.
6. Joe Burrow Rated Rookie Card #301 (Shop on eBay)
As mentioned previously, Burrow football card collectors search for “Joe Burrow Rated Rookie” often which makes this card among the most popular. The base Burrow Donruss Rated Rookie Card does not include Panini’s Optichrome finish like the Donruss Optic does. However, the card features the “Rated Rookie” logo at the top-left and identical image framing.
This is my favorite Joe Burrow rookie card in this category and recommended for an entry level Joe Burrow rookie card investment.
2020 Donruss Football includes several parallels such as:
Like all rookie cards, the price varies based on condition and rarity. A collector purchased a PSA 10 Burrow Rated Rookie Base for $128 in July 2021.
7. Canvas Joe Burrow Rated Rookie #301 (Shop on eBay)
The Canvas Rated Rookie Joe Burrow card is common and popular among Burrow collectors. This card is the third option thus far for collectors seeking a “Joe Burrow Rated Rookie” card. Canvas features a few differences from the base card. First, the “Rated Rookie” logo is in orange and styled differently. Second, the image of Joe Burrow is more zoomed out compared to the base card.
Despite the differences, collectors typically value the Canvas Rated Rookie cards the same as the base rated rookie cards. In fact, a collector purchased a PSA 10 Burrow Rated Rookie Canvas for $155 in July 2021. This puts the value slightly higher than the base card.
8. Absolute Joe Burrow Rookie Card #158 (Shop on eBay)
2020 Absolute Football Hobby Box includes 15 cards per hobby box with 3 autographs and 2 memorabilia cards on average. Collectors can purchase the hobby box for ~$575 as of July 2021, and have a chance to land this Joe Burrow Base Rookie Card. Absolute includes not only the base Joe Burrow card, but also several parallels. Two examples of parallels include Joe Burrow Absolute Spectrum and Burrow Absolute Yellow. Sellers list both for sale on eBay.
Absolute is the only card in the “Budget” category that includes a chrome-like finish. In addition, collectors can usually purchase the card for less than the “Most Popular” rookie cards and even several “Budget” rookie cards. In fact, a collector purchased a PSA 10 Joe Burrow Absolute Rookie Card for only $93 in July 2021.
9. National Treasures Joe Burrow Base (Shop on eBay)
Why did we include a National Treasures card in the “Budget” category?
Because despite the super premium branding and price point of National Treasures, the non-auto, non-relic Joe Burrow National Treasures rookie card is relatively affordable. In fact, several collectors purchased the Joe Burrow National Treasures Treasured Moments rookie card for $50 to $60 in the past few months. If we compare that price to the price of other cards included in this category, we can conclude that this card can be included in the “Budget” category.
Collectors should consider one additional factor before buying this card. National Treasures cards usually do not receive top grades from PSA, BGS, and other grading companies. Therefore, you should not purchase this card with the plan to grade it and increase the value because that plan may not work!
10. Joe Burrow Score Rookie Card (Shop on eBay)
Panini Score is the first licensed football card release each year. Due to the early season release date, Panini uses images of players in their college uniforms.
Collectors will find two Joe Burrow Score Rookie Cards in the 2020 Score Football Card release. Score #360 features Burrow in his LSU Tigers uniform and Score #438 features Burrow in his Ohio State Buckeyes uniform. Joe Burrow card collectors search for “Joe Burrow Score Rookie Card” frequently and purchase the card on eBay weekly.
Joe Burrow Score cards include only a few parallels. Collectors are likely to be interested in the most popular parallels such as Joe Burrow Score Gold and Joe Burrow Score Black. In addition, Burrow Score cards are affordable. Sellers list many cards for sale under $5 on eBay.
Joe Burrow Autograph Rookie Cards
The “Autograph” rookie card category includes signed cards from popular and unique football card releases. This category excludes rookie patch auto (RPA) cards because those cards are featured in a subsequent section.
11. Prizm Joe Burrow Autograph #307 (Shop on eBay)
The autograph rookie card category starts with a collector favorite: the Prizm Joe Burrow Autograph rookie card. The card features Panini’s Optichrome technology, a silver reflective finish, and a sticker autograph. Prizm includes not only the base Joe Burrow autograph card, but also several parallels. Two examples of parallels include:
Both parallels are expensive, especially if they include a high grade.
Despite the sticker autograph, collectors are willing to invest significant dollars to buy this card. For example, a collector purchased a PSA 10 Joe Burrow Prizm autograph for $3,800 in May 2021. That is almost 9x the price of the base Burrow Prizm rookie card.
12. Optic Rated Rookie Auto #151 (Shop on eBay)
As mentioned previously, collectors search for “Joe Burrow Rated Rookie” frequently and this card falls in that category. The Donruss Optic Joe Burrow Auto features an on-card autograph, Optichrome technology, and the “Rated Rookie” logo at the top-left of the card. In addition to the base autograph cards, Optic includes ~10 paralles including Holo (/150), Blue (/99), Red (/50), Gold (/10), and Gold Vinyl (1/1).
Collectors invest significant dollars in rare, high-grade parallels of this card. For example, a collector purchased the Donruss Optic Joe Burrow Rated Rookie Auto Red (/50) for $2,025 in July 2021. Beckett graded the card 9.5 and autograph 10.
The card features Joe Burrow in his all black Cincinnati Bengals uniform holding the football with both hands as he drops back to pass.
13. Donruss Rated Rookie Auto #301 (Shop on eBay)
Panini releases both Donruss and Donruss Optic Football Sets each year and Donruss is the less expensive version. Donruss cards include a sticker autograph, not an on-card autograph, and do not include Optichrome technology. Other than those two factors, Donruss is very similar to Donruss Optic’s design.
Collectors are willing to invest less in the base Donruss Autograph card compared to the Donruss Optic Autograph card. For example, a collector purchased a Bronze Joe Burrow Rated Rookie Autograph card for ~$178 in January 2021. Although this was an ungraded card compared to the Optic Red (/20) BGS 9.5 discussed in #12 of this post, the price difference is till very apparent.
The card features the same image as the non-autograph variation with a sticker autograph at the bottom of the card.
14. Select Joe Burrow XRC Auto (Shop on eBay)
Panini includes XRC Prizm Cards as a Mystery Redemption insert. Prior to redemption, the card reads “The player will be determined once the 2020 NFL Draft has concluded and will ship shortly after.” You can see for yourself on eBay. In addition, Panini includes several Select XRC Autograph parallels: Tie Dye (/25), Gold (/10), and Black (/1).
Collectors willingness-to-pay varies based on rarity and condition of the card. For example, a collector purchased a PSA 10 Joe Burrow Select XRC Autograph card for ~$3,750 in July 2021. The card was serial numbered /49 and had a PSA Population of 1 at the time of purchase.
15. Mosaic Rookie Autograph #RA1 (Shop on eBay)
Joe Burrow football card collectors frequently search for “Joe Burrow Mosaic Rookie Card” and this is the primary autograph card from that set. As mentioned previously, Panini released Mosaic for the first time in 2020 and the card has already gained traction with mainstream card collectors. The Mosaic Joe Burrow Rookie Card Autograph features a sticker autograph and Optichrome technology. As most card collectors already know, investors value sticker autographs less than on-card autographs.
Panini included a few parallels of the Mosaic autograph cards. Examples include Fusion Red, Gold (/10), Black (/1), and Black Gold (/1).
Collectors are usually willing to invest less in Mosaic autograph cards compared to other brands such as Prizm. For example, a collector purchased a PSA 10 Joe Burrow Mosaic Autograph card for $1,500 in July 2021. That is less than 50% the price a collector paid for a Prizm PSA 10 Autograph card.
16. Contenders Optic Rookie Ticket Auto (Shop on eBay)
Joe Burrow rookie card collectors will be happy to find that Panini included Joe Burrow Rookie Ticket autograph cards in the 2020 release of Contenders Optic. This card features the highly recognizable “Rookie Ticket” card design, an on-card autograph, and Optichrome finish. Joe Burrow football card collectors love these three features and are willing to pay top dollar for them. For example, a collector purchased an ungraded Joe Burrow Contenders Optic Rookie Ticket Autograph for $961 in July 2021. The card was a red parallel and numbered /199.
Collectors have several options for Contenders Optic autograph cards in this set. Panini included a Silver, Red (/199), Teal (/99), Orange (/50), Gold (/10), Gold Vinyl (/1), and several others. The Silver Prizm is popular and typically available for sale — see for yourself on eBay.
The card features Joe Burrow in his all black Bengals uniform throwing the football. The Rookie Ticket appears on the left side of the card.
17. Contenders Joe Burrow Rookie Ticket Auto (Shop on eBay)
In addition to Contenders Optic cards, Panini released the popular “Rookie Ticket Autograph” cards in the base 2020 Contenders Football Hobby Box. Collectors benefit from the multiple options, especially because base Contenders Rookie Ticket Auto cards typically feature an on-card autograph. In fact, Panini only releases a few mid-range hobby boxes with on-card autographs and this is one of them.
Collectors have the chance to find several Rookie Ticket Parallels in this set. Panini releases the parallels in limited quantities, so you’ll be lucky to find one and if you do, collectors will be willing to pay significant sums to buy one. Here are a few of them:
- Joe Burrow Contenders Rookie Ticket Autograph Red Zone
- Contenders Joe Burrow Rookie Ticket Autograph Playoff
The card features the same image as the Contenders Optic card. Burrow is wearing his all black Bengals uniform as he prepares to throw the football.
18. Joe Burrow Flawless Gem Signatures (Shop on eBay)
Flawless is a super high-end football card set released by Panini each year and Gem Signatures is a subset included in Flawless. This card features an on-card autograph and a small diamond inserted into the bottom-middle of the card. Collectors are willing to spend significant sums to purchase this card because it is rare, from a high-end set, includes an on-card autograph, and has a diamond inserted into the card. Hence the name: “Gem Signatures”
Each 2020 Flawless card is numbered /25 or less, but Gem Signatures is even rarer. The base card is numbered /20 and the four parallels are numbered /15 or fewer.
The Gem Signatures Flawless Joe Burrow features Burrow holding the football with both hands as he drops back to pass. His “Joey B” signature appears below the image and the diamond is inserted just below his on-card autograph.
19. Joe Burrow Flawless Rookie Signatures (Shop on eBay)
Due to the super-premium market position of Panini Flawless, the set is loaded with autograph, relic, and RPA cards. As a result, collectors could find both a “Gem Signatures” card, such as the one featured above, as well as a “Flawless Rookie Signatures” card, such as the one featured here. Collectors who pull this card will be happy to know that although it is not as valuable as the Gem Signatures card, collectors are still willing to pay a premium for this card.
The Joe Burrow Flawless Rookie Signatures includes 5 parallels: Silver (/20), Ruby (/15), Sapphire (/10), Emerald (/5), and Platinum (/1).
The 2020 Flawless Joe Burrow features an image of Burrow in a throwing motion. The card also has an on-card autograph and serial number on the card.
20. Origins Rookie Autograph (Shop on eBay)
Panini Origins Football debuted in 2016 following Topps discontinuing Topps Inception Football after the 2015 season. Origins features a selection of on-card autographs including the 2020 Joe Burrow Origins rookie auto. Sellers list the 2020 Panini Origins Hobby Box for sale at less than $600, making this hobby box one of the more affordable for collectors chasing on-card autographs.
Panini included several parallels of rookie autograph cards including Red (/99), Blue (/49), Gold (/10), and several others.
Collectors willingness to pay varies based on condition and rarity. For example, a collector purchased an ungraded base Joe Burrow Origins Autograph for $464 in June 2021, while another collector purchased a PSA 9 Joe Burrow Origins Gold Auto for $1,230 in May 2021.
21. Absolute Joe Burrow Rookie Card Auto (Shop on eBay)
Football card collectors who are fans of Panini Absolute will be happy to learn that this set includes autograph variations of the most collectible 2020 NFL rookies. This includes Joe Burrow. In addition, Absolute fans will also be happy to learn that this card is among the more affordable Joe Burrow rookie autographs. In fact, a collector purchased this card for $241 in January 2021. For an autograph Joe Burrow rookie card, that is a great price!
Like most rookie autograph cards from more affordable hobby boxes, the Joe Burrow Panini Absolute rookie card features a sticker auto instead of an on-card auto. Despite the sticker autograph, I still like this card, especially at that price.
22. Joe Burrow Certified Rookie Roll Call Auto (Shop on eBay)
Panini included several rookie autograph variations in the 2020 Certified Football card release, including “Rookie Roll Call Auto.” The Joe Burrow Certified Rookie Roll Call features a sticker autograph and a portrait image of Burrow.
Collectors may find other Joe Burrow autograph cards in a 2020 Certified NFL Hobby Box, including “Mirror Signatures” and “Rookie Signatures.”
Like Absolute, Certified Rookie Autograph cards are typically more affordable than more premium brands. For example, a collector purchased an ungraded Joe Burrow Rookie Roll Call Autograph for $371 in January 2021. The card was numbered /20 an included a sticker autograph.
23. Flawless Collegiate Gem Signatures (Shop on eBay)
We now make the transition from NFL licensed rookie cards to NCAA licensed rookie cards. And we will start this sub-list with a super premium collegiate autograph card.
If you have followed this list closely, this card will look familiar to you. The Flawless Collegiate Gem Signatures Joe Burrow card is similar to #18 on this list, the primary difference being that Burrow is featured in his LSU Tigers uniform. Like the NFL Gem Signatures, this card includes an on-card autograph, and has a diamond inserted into the card
This card is less expensive than its NFL counterpart. In fact, a collector purchased a version of this card numbered /5 for ~$500 in December 2020.
24. 2020 Leaf Draft Metal Autograph (Shop on eBay)
Leaf Metal Draft features players entering the NFL Draft, but have not yet been drafted. For this reason, it is possible to find a player in this set who is not drafted by an NFL team. Collectors will not have that problem if they pull a Joe Burrow autograph card!
Like Flawless Collegiate, this set features players in their college uniforms. However, unlike Panini Flawless, Leaf Metal Draft does not include any team logos because Leaf does not have a license to use them.
The Leaf Draft Joe Burrow rookie card autograph will be among the most affordable Burrow auto cards. In fact, multiple collectors purchased this card for ~$170 in November 2020.
Joe Burrow Relic Rookie Cards
The “Relic” rookie card category includes relic / jersey / patch cards from popular and unique football card releases. This category excludes rookie patch auto (RPA) cards because those cards are featured in a subsequent section.
25. National Treasures Rookie Patch (Shop on eBay)
This is the second, but not final National Treasures Joe Burrow rookie card featured on this list. National Treasures is a super premium football card release from Panini and each card is numbered /99 or less. Collectors will also be happy to learn that National Treasures patch cards typically include a large patch or multiple patches for each card.
For the collector who is interested in acquiring this card, your best bet is to buy the single, not the hobby box. Sellers list the 2020 National Treasures Football Hobby Box for close to $3,000, but this single card likely be purchased for under $100.
As I already mentioned, collectors will find a variety of different Joe Burrow Patch cards in the National Treasures set. The card featured here shows an image of Burrow scrambling with the football with two black patches built into the left-side of the card.
26. Immaculate Joe Burrow Rookie Card Patch (Shop on eBay)
The 2020 Immaculate Football Hobby Box is another super premium set from Panini. Collectors can buy this six-card hobby box for more than $2,000 on eBay — that’s more than $300 per card! The Joe Burrow Immaculate Rookie Patch is not the card collectors hope to pull from that box, but still a great card to collect.
Like the National Treasures Patch card, collectors who want to acquire this card should do so through buying the single on eBay or another platform. In fact, a collector purchased a triple patch Joe Burrow Immaculate rookie card for only $66 in July 2021 — that is less than 1/3 the cost of a single card in a hobby box!
Immaculate includes a variety of Joe Burrow Patch rookie cards. The card featured in this image shows Joe Burrow in his white Bengals jersey and black pants. The card includes two patches and three colors in one patch.
27. Contenders Joe Burrow Rookie Ticket Jersey (Shop on eBay)
As I shared with you earlier in this post, Contenders Rookie Ticket cards are a mainstay in the hobby. In addition to the base and autograph Rookie Ticket cards that were already shared, collectors also have the chance to find a Rookie Ticket Patch / Jersey card. Joe Burrow rookie card investors should also know this is among the more affordable Burrow rookie cards you can buy. In fact, owners of this card have it listed for sale on eBay for under $50.
Joe Burrow rookie card investors will find a variety of images and patches for this card. This card features Burrow in his all white Bengals uniform and orange helmet, holding the football as he prepares to throw down the field.
28. Immaculate Collegiate Rookie Patch (Buy on eBay)
Immaculate Collegiate is the only set in the “Relic” category of this list which features Joe Burrow in his LSU Tigers uniform. Collectors should know that 2020 Immaculate Collegiate Football includes cards with Burrow in his Ohio State Buckeyes uniform and cards with Burrow in his LSU Tigers uniform. In addition, Joe Burrow rookie card investors can typically buy Immaculate Collegiate for less than the standard Immaculate (NFL) cards.
Immaculate Collegiate features a variety of different Joe Burrow rookie patch cards. One example is the Nike logo patch Joe Burrow Immaculate Collegiate card shown here. A collector purchased this card for ~$200 in January 2021.
Joe Burrow RPA Cards
The “RPA” rookie card category includes rookie patch autograph cards from popular and unique football card releases. This category incudes some of the most highly sought-after and expensive rookie cards.
29. Joe Burrow National Treasures RPA (Shop on eBay)
National Treasures is a super premium football card set from Panini. Panini National Treasures includes cards numbered /99 or less, including the Joe Burrow RPA Cards. As a result, each Joe Burrow National Treasures RPA card is extremely rare and expensive. In fact, a collector purchased Burrow National Treasures RPA card at auction for $13,000 in July 2021. That’s expensive!
Collectors may also be interested to know that Panini released a 2020 National Treasures Collegiate Football Hobby Box in addition to the NFL set. In the Collegiate box, collectors may find the following:
The National Treasures Joe Burrow RPA features an image of Burrow, an on-card autograph, and medium-sized jersey patch.
30. Flawless Rookie Patch Auto (Shop on eBay)
Flawless is another super premium football card set from Panini. Every 2020 Flawless card is numbered /25 or less, including the Joe Burrow Flawless RPA Cards. Collectors are willing to pay high prices for this card due to the rarity, on-card autograph, large patch, and premium card stock. In fact, a collector purchased a Joe Burrow RPA numbered /15 for $5,300 in June 2021.
Collectors should also know that they have several options for Joe Burrow Flawless cards. The Flawless set includes several non-patch autographs, as covered in the “Autograph” category, as well as Flawless Collegiate cards.
This Joe Burrow card is a horizontal RPA with 3-color patch, on-card autograph, and image of Joe Burrow in his black Bengals uniform.
31. Immaculate Joe Burrow RPA (Shop on eBay)
2020 Panini Immaculate Football is a six-card hobby box that contains five autographs, relics or RPAs per box. In addition, Panini includes exclusive rookie patch auto cards in 2020 Immaculate FOTL Premium Edition Hobby Boxes. Collectors have a chance to pull a Joe Burrow RPA from both boxes.
Like other high-end Joe Burrow RPA cards, Immaculate is expensive. A collector recently purchased a Joe Burrow Immaculate RPA /14 for $2,031 in July 2021. Other recent sales have indicated the card value is between $1,000 to $2,000 depending on the rarity and patch.
All Joe Burrow RPA cards feature an on-card autograph patch. Like other cards including a patch, the greater the number of colors and prominence of those colors, the greater the value of the card.
32. Impeccable Rookie Patch Auto (Shop on eBay)
Panini Impeccable is the fourth super premium Joe Burrow RPA card on this list. Although Impeccable is a high-end set from Panini, the RPA cards from the set may or may not include an on-card autograph. Therefore, for collectors who are interested in purchasing this card, it is important that you determine whether the card has an on-card or sticker auto before you purchase.
As you may have guessed based on the paragraph above, a sticker autograph brings the price of the card down slightly. For example, a collector purchased a Joe Burrow Impeccable RPA numbered /10 for $814 in January 2021.
The Impeccable RPA featured in the image includes a sticker autograph, 3 color patch, and an image of Burrow in his white Bengals jersey and black pants.
33. Impeccable Joe Burrow Rookie Shield Auto (Shop on eBay)
The Impeccable Rookie Shield Joe Burrow Autograph card is among the most unique Joe Burrow RPA cards available. Collectors will notice that the “Relic” is a piece of real silver with the “RC” logo engraved in the silver.
Collectors who are interested in this card should know that it will be among the most expensive Impeccable RPA cards available. A collector purchased this card for $1,575 in April 2021. Compared to the card featured at #32, that is close to double the value!
Interesting fact: this card can only be pulled from 2020 Impeccable FOTL Premium Hobby Boxes.
34. Panini Select Joe Burrow RPA (Buy on eBay)
Panini Select has already been featured in both the “Most Popular” and “Autograph” categories of this list. Select also manufactured a Joe Burrow RPA card. Like other lower-priced Joe Burrow RPA cards, the card features a sticker auto, not hard signed autograph. In addition, collectors will find a wide variety of patches within the Select RPA set. Some are small and mostly one color, while other cards include a larger 3-4 color patch. You will need to check out the selection on eBay to see for yourself.
The price of this card varies significantly. Recent sales have ranged from $257 to $1,000. Most recently, a collector purchased a Panini Select Joe Burrow RPA numbered /25 for $705.
35. Origins Rookie Patch Auto (Buy on eBay)
Origins debuted in 2016 and is a mid-priced football set from Panini. The non-patch Joe Burrow autograph cards feature hard signed autographs, but the RPAs in this set feature sticker autographs. Impeccable is another set from Panini where collectors will find a mix of on-card and sticker autograph cards. Another notable feature of this card is the thick card stock which is similar to premium card brands.
Like Select, the price of this card varies significantly. Recent sales have ranged from $225 to $1,150. Most recently, a collector purchased a Panini Origins Joe Burrow RPA numbered to /49 for $416.
36. Certified Freshman Fabric Joe Burrow RPA (Buy on eBay)
Certified is among the most affordable NFL Joe Burrow RPA cards. In fact, collectors who purchased the last 10 Joe Burrow Certified RPA cards via auction on eBay, spent less than $400 per card. I know $400 is not cheap, but for the highly touted #1 Pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, that is a relatively affordable price for a RPA card.
The Freshman Fabric Mirror Signatures Joe Burrow card features several parallels: Orange (/349), Red (/249), Blue (/99), Teal (/50), Gold (/25), Purple (/10), Green (/5), and Black (/1).
The card featured in the image is a Certified Blue Freshman Fabric Mirror Signatures Joe Burrow card. That’s quite the name, but that’s the card hobby in 2021.
37. Flawless Collegiate Rookie Patch Auto (Shop on eBay)
Flawless Collegiate has already been featured on this list in the “Autograph” category, but is featured again here in the “RPA” category. Like all Flawless sets from Panini, every card in Flawless Collegiate is numbered /25 or less. Collectors should also know that, as the name implies, all Flawless Collegiate cards feature players in their college team’s uniform. Because Burrow played for both Ohio State and LSU in college, collectors will find both OSU and LSU Flawless Collegiate Joe Burrow RPA Cards.
The rookie patch auto (RPA) Joe Burrow Flawless Collegiate card is among the mostly highly sought after in this set. All RPA cards feature a jersey patch and on-card autograph.
38. Immaculate Collegiate Joe Burrow RPA (Shop on eBay)
Immaculate Collegiate is the final card in the “RPA” category. Like #37 on this list, Immaculate Collegiate collectors will exclusively find cards of Joe Burrow in his college uniform in this set. In addition, Immaculate Collegiate includes both Ohio State and Louisiana State Joe Burrow RPA cards.
Collectors should know that RPA cards with players in their college uniforms are typically much more affordable compared to similar cards of players in their NFL uniforms. For example, recent sales of this card have ranged from $300 to $400. In comparison, collectors purchased similar Immaculate NFL Joe Burrow RPA cards for $1,000 to $2,000.
The card shown features a two-color jersey / patch from Burrow’s LSU Tigers uniform, an on-card autograph, and an image of Burrow scrambling with the football.
Joe Burrow Rare Insert Rookie Cards
The “Rare Inserts” rookie card category includes rare and highly sought-after rookie cards. The cards on this list will be among the most expensive rookie cards available, particularly when the card includes a high grade from a reputable grading company
39. Joe Burrow Prizm Color Blast #11 (Shop on eBay)
Prizm Color Blast is among the most rare and expensive Joe Burrow rookie cards available. Panini includes only one Color Blast card per ten cases and twelve hobby boxes per case. That means one Color Blast card per 120 hobby boxes. Good luck finding one of these!
Due to the popularity of the Prizm brand and the rarity of this card, collectors who are interested in this card should be prepared to spend thousands. In fact, a collector recently purchased the 2020 Joe Burrow Color Blast Prizm SGC 10 for $6,100 in July 2021. Another collector purchased a PSA 10 graded version of the same card for $11,700 in June 2021.
Interesting fact: the PSA 10 Color Blast Joe Burrow card is worth ~30x the value of a base PSA 10 Prizm Joe Burrow rookie card.
40. Obsidian Color Blast Joe Burrow #CBB21 (Shop on eBay)
Joe Burrow rookie card collectors will be happy to learn they have a second option to purchase a Joe Burrow Color Blast insert. For the first time ever, Panini manufactured an Obsidian Color Blast and collectors can find the card in the 2020 Obsidian Football Hobby Box. Collectors will have a hard time pulling this from the hobby box because Panini included only one Color Blast insert per case. As a result, this is among the most rare Joe Burrow rookie card inserts. That said, it is more widely available than the Prizm Color Blast insert which is included in only one out of every ten cases.
Due to the rarity and eye-appeal of the card, Burrow rookie card investors are willing to pay a premium to purchase this card. In July 2021, a collector purchased the 2020 Burrow Obsidian Color Blast PSA 10 rookie card for $2,905. And back in March 2021, a collector purchased an ungraded version of the card for $760.
The card features Joe Burrow rolling out to pass in his white Bengals uniform and black pants. His image is framed by color bursting around him on a black background. It’s a very cool card.
41. Absolute Kaboom Joe Burrow #KJB2 (Shop on eBay)
The 2020 Absolute Kaboom Joe Burrow card is another popular and rare rookie card. Like Obsidian Color Blast, Panini included Kaboom as a one-per-case hit in the 2020 Absolute Football Hobby Case. Collectors should also know that Panini created two parallels of this card: Gold (/10) and Green (/1). Both are extremely rare and for the collector who is interested in purchasing the parallels, you should be ready to spend a significant sum of money.
Similar to the two Color Blast inserts, the Joe Burrow Kaboom rookie card is very valuable. In fact, a collector purchased a PSA 10 graded version of this card for $4,000 in May 2021. More recently, three collectors have purchased PSA 9 versions of this card for ~$1,400. The collectors purchased the cards in June and July 2021.
Lastly, collectors should know that there are two image variations of this card. The one featured here which shows an image of Burrow in his all-black Bengals uniform. The serial number of this card is #KJB2. The second version features an image of Burrow in his white Bengals uniform after releasing the football. The serial number of this card is #KJB1.
42. Donruss Downtown Joe Burrow #D – JB (Shop on eBay)
Next up is the 2020 Donruss Downtown Joe Burrow rookie card. Like Kaboom and Obsidian Color Blast, Donruss Downtown is a one-per-case hit in the 2020 Donruss Football Hobby Case. Burrow rookie card collectors should also know that Panini included this case-hit in both the base Donruss and Donruss Optic Hobby Boxes. There are no parallels of this card, just the base insert.
Like all Burrow rookie cards included in the “Rare Inserts” category, this card is valuable, but also more affordable than other inserts covered thus far. For example, a collector purchased a PSA 10 graded Donruss Downtown Joe Burrow rookie card for $1,869 in June 2021. Compare that to the ~$4,000 spent on Kaboom, ~$3,000 on Obsidian Color Blast, and ~$11,700 on Prizm Color Blast.
This card features Joe Burrow pulling the football back to make a pass downfield. A Bengal Tiger is included in the background. Collectors should also know that the image is the exact same for the base Donruss and Donruss Optic cards.
43. Flawless Joe Burrow Base Gems #101 (Shop on eBay)
Flawless Base Gems is not a case-hit like the cards featured thus far on this list, but is rare, unique, and valuable. Like the Flawless Gem Signatures card featured earlier in this list, Panini manufactured this card with a diamond inserted directly into the card. Because of the diamond, Panini named this subset “Base Gems.”
Collectors are willing to spend a premium to purchase this card, but it is the most affordable card included in the “Rare Inserts” category thus far. A collector purchased a 2020 Joe Burrow Flawless Base Gems Ruby /20 for $510 in May 2021.
Each 2020 Flawless card is numbered /25 or less and the Base Gems subset includes several parallels: Ruby (/20), Sapphire (/10), Diamond (/7), Emerald (/5), Aquamarine (/2), and Platinum (/1)
This card features an up-close image of Joe Burrow in his white Bengals uniform and orange helmet. The diamond is inserted below the image of Burrow and above the “RC” shield.
44. Flawless Collegiate Base Gems (Shop on eBay)
The 2020 Flawless Collegiate Joe Burrow Base Gems rookie card is the most affordable card included in the “Rare Inserts” list and the only card featuring Burrow in his college uniform. Like the Flawless NFL card featured at #43 on this list, the Flawless Collegiate card is rare and features a diamond inserted directly into the card.
Collectors should also know that Panini created a version with Burrow in his Ohio State Buckeyes uniform and a version with Burrow in his LSU Tigers uniform. If you have a preference, be sure to find the right version before you buy.
Collectors have not purchased this card at auction on eBay since January 2021, but the collector who purchased this card in January spent ~$134. The card featured Burrow in his Ohio State Buckeyes uniform and was numbered /20.
Other Joe Burrow Rookie Cards
The “Other” rookie card category includes a collection of less popular rookie cards. These cards will likely offer several affordable rookie card investment options
45. Chronicles Clearly Donruss Rated Rookie #RR-JB (Shop on eBay)
Collectors who are fans of Joe Burrow “Rated Rookie” cards will be happy to learn they have yet another option from the 2020 Chronicles Football Hobby Box. For collectors who are not already family with Chronicles, you should know this set includes a collection of retired card sets. One of those card sets is Clearly Donruss.
The Clearly Donruss Joe Burrow Rated Rookie Joe Burrow card features several parallels including: Holo Mosaic, Red (/199), Blue (/99), Holo Silver (/10), Holo Gold (/5), Holo Platinum (/1), and a few others.
This card features Joe Burrow in his all-white Bengals uniform and orange helmet holding the football with both hands. Collectors should also know that the signature feature of this card is a clear / see-through background. Hence the name: “Clearly Donruss.”
46. Spectra Joe Burrow Rookie Card #136 (Shop on eBay)
Panini released 2020 Spectra Football as a hit-heavy hobby box which included four autographs and six memorabilia cards on average in a sixteen card hobby box. Sellers still list the hobby box for sale on eBay for about $1,500. Among the non-autograph and non-memorabilia cards, collectors will also find the 2020 Joe Burrow Spectra base rookie card. Each base card is numbered /99 or less. The card also features several parallels: Hyper (/99), Neon Blue (/60), Neon Blue Die-Cut (/50), Gold (/1) and many more.
Collectors are typically willing to pay higher prices for this card due to the lower population count and serial numbered cards. For example, a collector purchased an ungraded 2020 Spectra Joe Burrow Neon Pink numbered /25 for $128 in July 2021.
47. Certified Joe Burrow Rookie Card #101 (Shop on eBay)
You may have already seen Joe Burrow Certified cards included twice earlier on this list, once in the “Autograph” section and once in the “RPA” section, but I wanted to also include the base card. Certified numbers all base rookie cards /399 and includes several parallels with lower serial numbers. For example, Rookie Mirror Parallels include: Orange (/199), Red (/99), Gold (/25), Purple (/10), and Black (/1). I find it funny that Purple is more rare than Gold in this set, but that’s how Panini made it!
The value of this card varies significantly by rarity and condition, but can usually be purchased for less than $150. For example, a collector purchased a PSA 9 Joe Burrow Certified Base Mirror (/299) for $108 in May 2021.
48. Illusions Joe Burrow Rookie #5 (Shop on eBay)
The 2020 Joe Burrow Illusions rookie card features an image of Joe Burrow in his all-black Bengals uniform and a hologram image of Burrow in the background. The card is not among the more popular Joe Burrow rookie cards, but investors still purchase the card.
Panini Illusions includes ~15 parallels of all base cards including Emerald, Orange, Starlight, Bronze (/499), Black (/50), Gold (/25), and many more.
This is among the most affordable Joe Burrow rookie cards. In fact, a collector purchased a PSA 10 Joe Burrow Illusions rookie card for $81 in July 2021.
49. Prizm Draft Picks Joe Burrow #105 (Shop on eBay)
Prizm Draft Picks is the first card in the “Other” category which features Joe Burrow in his college uniform. Collectors may be interested to learn that Prizm Draft Picks is the first licensed college football set release each season. In addition, Prizm is arguably the most popular brand among modern football card collectors and this card is a popular choice for collectors interested in a Burrow Collegiate rookie card.
Like NFL Prizm, Prizm Draft Picks features a high number of parallels such as:
Burrow rookie card collectors will be happy to learn this is among the most affordable Joe Burrow rookie cards. A collector purchased a Joe Burrow Prizm Draft Red PSA 10 for ~$70 in July 2021. In addition, another collector purchased a Burrow Prizm Draft Silver PSA 10 for ~$100 on the same day.
50. Leaf Draft Joe Burrow #1 (Shop on eBay)
Like Prizm Draft, Leaf Draft features rookies in their college uniforms. However, because Leaf is not an officially licensed product, the set excludes NCAA logos. In addition, collectors should also know that this product is released ahead of the NFL Draft, so not every player included in the set will make it to the NFL. That problem, however, is not relevant to Burrow who was the #1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
2020 Joe Burrow Leaf Draft may be the most affordable card on this list. A collector purchased a PSA 10 Joe Burrow rookie card for $68 in April 2021.
This card features Joe Burrow scrambling to his right holding the football with both hands and looking down the field. Although it is clear Burrow is wearing his LSU Tigers uniform, the card excludes all NCAA logos.
Most Expensive Joe Burrow Rookie Card
The 2020 National Treasures FOTL Stars and Stripes Joe Burrow RPA is the most expensive Burrow rookie card sold via auction on eBay to-date. The card is numbered to /20. A collector purchased the card for $25,1000 in April 2021.
In addition, collectors purchased five other Joe Burrow National Treasures RPA cards for $15,000 to $20,000 in April and May 2021. Other than National Treasures, a collector also purchased a 2020 Select Football Joe Burrow Black Prizm (1/1) for $14,100 in April 2021. The image of this card is featured here.
Collectors have also purchased several other Joe Burrow rookie cards for $10,000+. For example, a collector purchased a Contenders Cracked Ice /22 BGS 9.5 for $14,100 in April 2021. Another collector purchased a Joe Burrow Prizm Color Blast BGS 9.5 for $13,100 in December 2020.
For more on the most expensive Joe Burrow rookie cards, check out the most expensive Burrow rookie cards for sale on eBay.
Joe Burrow Rookie Card Risk and Upside Analysis
Note: please keep in mind that all sports card investments carry risk, and you should always complete your own analysis prior to investing in sports cards.
Heading into the 2021 NFL season, my opinion is that Joe Burrow card values have Moderate-High Risk with High Upside potential. Joe Burrow card prices remain relatively high, despite a season-ending torn ACL and MCL in Week 11 of the 2020 NFL season, but NFL QB rookie cards are the most collectible in the sport leaving room for upside.
>> Read How to Get Started with Sports Card Investing
Why do I view Joe Burrow card values as having moderate-high risk?
Joe Burrow’s rookie performance was mixed. On the plus side, Burrow was in the top 10 in the NFL in Yards / Game with ~270 and top 5 in interception % at 1.2%. However, Burrow was near the bottom in the NFL in QBR and the Bengals were 2-7 with Burrow at QB. Plus, Burrow is coming off a serious injury heading into the 2021 NFL season.
Therefore, Joe Burrow will likely need to both bounce back from a serious injury and demonstrate improved performance compared to his 2020 season in order for his card values to increase. Due to the fact that both can be significant challenges, I would classify Joe Burrow rookie cards as having moderate-high risk.
Why do I believe Joe Burrow has high upside potential?
As we have seen over the past year, collectors and investors are willing to pay very large sums of money for the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Look at Patrick Mahomes II as an example. In January 2021, a Mahomes 2017 National Treasures RPA sold for $140,000 at auction. Shop Mahomes rookie cards on eBay.
Joe Burrow rookie cards are nowhere near that level, but they could be if Burrow wins a Super Bowl, is selected to multiple Pro Bowls, and wins NFL MVP. That’s a big if, but it could happen.
The main point remains, there is plenty of upside potential for Joe Burrow rookie cards. He is one of the most exciting young Quarterbacks in the NFL and I hope to see him do well in the 2021 season and beyond. For these reasons, I believe Joe Burrow rookie card prices have high upside potential.
1 comment
Could you ease tell me what a 2020 joe burrow pannini mosaic purple prizm no 261 no huddle no.15/50 psa 10 is worth