Are you wondering which RJ Barrett rookie cards to buy?
Right now, thousands of sports card collectors and investors are trying to make the same decision.
Understanding the options available, prices, trends, and population count are crucial to significantly improve your chance of making a positive return on your investment.
Staying on top of the best RJ Barrett rookie card investments takes a lot of research and analysis. Barrett’s basketball card prices are constantly changing, especially after 2020 changed the sports card market forever, so it’s important to stay tuned into the latest research and analysis.
It starts by reviewing Barrett’s profile and stats, then examining cards available, prices, and population count.
That is exactly what I am doing! And I am sharing my work with you.
If you are in a hurry, check out these affordable Barrett rookie cards on eBay:
- Rookie Cards Under $10
- PSA 10 Rookie Cards Under $75
- Autograph Rookie Cards Under $200
- RPA Cards Under $300
Otherwise, keep reading to find everything you need to know, and my recommendation for whether to buy and which card to buy.
RJ Barrett Player Profile and Stats
Barrett was draft with the 3rd overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Duke University, and was drafted behind two highly-touted players: Zion Williamson (1st overall) and Ja Morant (2nd overall).
Barrett’s 2019-20 rookie campaign was strong with per game averages of 14.3 points | 5 rebounds | 2.5 assists | 1 steal. His 2020-21 season is off to a stronger start: 17.2 points | 6.4 rebounds | 3.1 assists | 1 steal through 25 games, according to basketball-reference.
Barrett is still only 20 years old which means he still has plenty of time to grow as a player.
Buy RJ Barret Rookie Cards on eBay
1. 2019 Panini Prizm RJ Barrett Rookie Card #250 (Buy on eBay)
The 2019 RJ Barrett Prizm is the most popular Barrett rookie card as Prizm has become the flagship NBA rookie cards.
The card is not rare, but demand for Prizm keeps prices elevated.
The card features Barrett in a blue Knicks jersey dribbling the basketball in his left-hand, while pointing with his right, apparently dictating actions to be taken on the floor.
As of February 2021, there are ~5,000 base PSA 10 RJ Barrett Prizm rookie cards and the card value is ~$175.
2. 2019 Panini Prizm Silver RJ Barrett Rookie Card #250 (Buy on eBay)
The Prizm Silver is a parallel of the card above, but the popularity of Silver Prizm warrants an individual listing.
The popularity is understandable, the Silver Prizm is a beautiful card.
If you are willing to spend more, you cannot go wrong with this card.
As of February 2021, there are ~900 PSA 10 RJ Barrett Silver Prizm RCs and the card value is ~$810.
Interestingly, Silver Prizm quantity is roughly one-fifth of Base Prizm, but also close to 5x the price!
3. 2019 NBA Hoops RJ Barrett Rookie Card #201 (Buy on eBay)
The NBA Hoops Barrett rookie card is a popular Barrett card, but not as popular as the Prizm.
We seem a similar trend in comparative popularity with Barrett’s more famous rookie-class peers, which you can see by reviewing Zion Williamson rookie cards and Ja Morant rookie cards.
The lower level of demand, which we validated by examining Google Search Traffic, translates to lower prices.
The card design is surprisingly similar to the Prizm. It features Barrett with the ball in his left-hand while pointing with this right-hand. Panini really wanted to emphasize his ability to direct floor traffic!
As of February 2021, there are ~200 PSA 10 RJ Barrett NBA Hoops rookie cards and the card value is ~$55.
Please note: the low population count does not necessarily mean this is a rare card. The low population count in this case is likely driven by low potential financial returns from grading the card. If Barrett were to break-out in 2021 or beyond, I would expect to see many more PSA 10 NBA Hoops Barrett rookie cards available.
4. 2019 Panini Mosaic RJ Barrett RC #229 (Buy on eBay)
The Panini Mosaic Barrett rookie card is about as popular as the NBA Hoops Barrett according, according to Google Search Traffic data.
As with NBA Hoops, we see a similar relative popularity trend with both Zion Williamson and Ja Morant. Mosaic is a popular brand, just not as popular as Prizm.
The card features Barrett in a white Knicks jersey with the basketball in his right-hand as he dribbles down court. Unlike the Hoops and Prizm cards, Barret is not directing traffic in this image!
As of February 2021, there are ~500 base PSA 10 RJ Barrett Mosaic rookie cards and the card value is ~$75.
At ~40% the value Barrett’s base Prizm card, Barrett’s Mosaic card is priced high relative to both Williamson’s and Morant’s Mosaic cards which were valued at ~20-30% the value of their Prizm cards at the beginning of 2021.
5. 2019 RJ Barrett Rated Rookie Card #203 (Buy on eBay)
The story with the Barrett Rated Rookie Card is like the story with Hoops and Mosaic: this is a card collectors and investors buy, but not at the same clip as the Prizm card.
The card features Barrett in his blue Knicks jersey, both hands on the ball, and holding near his left-should, seemingly protecting the ball from a defender.
As of February 2021, there are ~170 PSA 10 RJ Barrett Rated Rookie cards and the card value is ~$65.
6. 2019 RJ Barrett Optic Rookie Card #178 (Buy on eBay)
I like the Barrett Optic rookie card because the image is unique relative to his other cards.
Similar to Barrett’s Hoops, Mosaic, and Donruss Rated Rookie cards, the optic is popular among collectors and investors, but not as popular as his Prizm cards.
The card features Barrett in a white Knicks jersey with the basketball pulled back in his left-hand, his right-arm extended, and his face with a big smile. As I said, it’s a unique image and cool card.
As of February 2021, there are ~700 base PSA 10 RJ Barrett Optic rookie cards and the card value is ~$85.
7. 2019 Panini Select RJ Barrett RC (Concourse) #21 (Buy on eBay)
I like to think of the Select brand as the cousin of Prizm and the card values tend to be higher than Mosaic, Optic, Hoops, and Donruss.
Select is also only sold in hobby stores, whereas many other brands are sold in retail (Wal-Mart and Target), which increases the appeal of Select cards to some collectors and investors.
Select typically has three variations: Concourse, Premier, and Courtside with Concourse being the largest print, and then Premier and Courtside being progressively shorter print cards.
The Panini Select Concourse RJ Barrett rookie card features Barret mid-jump with the basketball in his left-hand, potentially preparing to pass the ball to a teammate. The ‘RC’ logo is on the bottom-middle of the card just above his name.
As of February 2021, there are ~170 base PSA 10 Barrett Select Concourse rookie cards and the card value is ~$120.
It is common for the Select brand to have fewer graded copies vs. Prizm, but Barrett has comparatively few Select PSA 10 cards. The reason for this is likely driven by lack of perceived financial upside for Barrett. If Barrett were to start to perform well, we would likely see an increase in the number of PSA 10 Barrett Select cards.
8. 2019 Panini Select RJ Barrett RC (Premier) #157 (Buy on eBay)
As mentioned above, Select includes three variations of a player’s card: concourse, premier, and courtside. This is Barrett’s Select Premier rookie card.
This is my personal favorite on-card image. It features Barrett with the ball in his left-hand, cocked-back, as he approaches the basket for a dunk. Most of his other cards feature Barrett dribbling, passing, or holding the basketball, so this one really stands out.
As of February 2021, there are ~100 base PSA 10 Barrett Select Premier rookie cars and the card value is ~$120.
Premier cards are shorter prints vs. concourse, so if you choose to buy Select, buy the Premier given you are getting a card with lower population for the same price.
9. 2019 Contenders RJ Barrett Rookie Ticket Autograph Card (Buy on eBay)
The Barrett Contenders Rookie Ticket is a higher-end card and will require at least a few hundred dollars to purchase one, and much more for a PSA 10 or BGS 9.5+ grade.
The card features a ticket design with an image of Barrett on the right-hand side holding the basketball with both hands on his right-hip. The simple ‘R-J-B’ on-card autograph is the feature that increases the price for this card substantially.
There are ~20 variations of the Barrett Contenders Rookie Autograph and prices vary significantly. An ungraded on-card auto may cost ~$200 while a numbered high-grade card may cost $3,000+.
10. 2019 National Treasures RJ Barrett Autograph RC (Buy on eBay)
I think of the National Treasures brand as the pinnacle of high-end basketball sports cards. The cards are typically beautifully designed, short-prints, and include jersey patches and autographs.
The Barrett National Treasures rookie card is no exception.
There are several versions of the card, but the highest-end cards are his vertical RPA (rookie-patch-auto) cards. These cards feature Barrett on the left-side of the card in a blue Knicks jersey shooting the basketball. The RPA cards also include a multi-color patch (e.g., blue, white, orange) and an on-card autograph.
The combination of the patch, on-card autograph, low print-run, and rookie card status significantly increase the price of the card.
There are many variations of this card and prices vary. The RPAs will typically be valued at $3,000+ with the most expensive sold to-date valued at ~$9,000 (as of February 2021).
RJ Barrett Rookie Card Values
RJ Barrett rookie card values and prices vary significantly based on card-type and grade.
Rare parallels, autographs, jersey patches, and high grades increase the value of the card. For example, National Treasures rookie cards are rare, high-end cards which can include both an autograph and jersey patch, thus resulting in high card prices.
That said, here is an overview of Barrett’s card values for his 10 hottest rookie cards (as of February 2021).
RJ Barrett Rookie Card Investment Advice
Are you wondering whether you should purchase RJ Barrett rookie cards?
As of February 2021, I would classify Barrett as a speculative investment with strong potential upside. If I were to purchase a Barret card, I would either buy his Prizm or Select-Premier PSA 10 rookie card.
Buy RJ Barret Rookie Cards on eBay
What do I believe RJ Barrett is a speculative investment?
I think Barrett is a speculative investment because he is unproven. Through January 2021 of the 2020-21 season, Barrett has a Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 13.0, Win Shares Per 48 Minutes of .052, and Value over Replacement Player of -0.1.
Comparatively, Zion Williamson has a Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 25.1, Win Shares Per 48 Minutes of .195, and Value over Replacement Player of 1.0.
A player having an MVP season, such as Lebron James in 2012, would have a Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of ~30 Win Shares Per 48 Minutes of ~0.3, and Value over Replacement Player of ~10 (cumulative at end of season).
Therefore, Barrett is nowhere near where he needs to be as a player to command high basketball card prices. Thus, buying his cards is a speculative investment, or in other words, there is significant risk that you will not see a positive return on your investment.
What do I believe RJ Barrett has upside?
I believe Barrett has upside for several reasons:
- He is only 20 years old
- His stats have improved year-over-year:
- PER improved from 10.7 in 2019-20 to 13.0 in 2020-21
- WS / 48 mins improved from -0.015 in 2019-20 to .052 in 2020-21
- He was the #3 overall pick
- He plays for the Knicks, which could be a positive or negative. A positive spin would say that New York City is a massive city with many wealthy people who may want to buy sports cards
Summary of investment advice
In conclusion, you would need to believe RJ Barrett’s performance will improve significantly in the coming years to believe buying Barrett rookie cards will provide a positive return on your investment.
For example, Jaylen Brown had similar stats as RJ Barrett at 20 years old and is now performing well. Brown’s cards are now appreciating as a result.
Buy RJ Barret Rookie Cards on eBay
Will Barrett achieve similar success? Only time will tell! Let us know your thoughts below.
