[redskins316]

It used to be, the first card was the RC, then they did XRCs for late releases, now, with Bowman Prospects each year, why not make their first card an XRC? I know at the end of the day, it doesn't matter, but imo it should actually be their RC, but....that's none of my business.

[Hofcollector]

Because they could potentially be prospects for years to come, possibly never even make it out of the minors.

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XRC actually refers to RC cards in sets released in limited quantities and/or outside of the main set.

[djohn]

XRC actually refers to RC cards in sets released in limited quantities and/or outside of the main set.

That is what Beckett had originally said, but then they listed the 2001 Prospect Premieres cards as XRCs, which made absolutely no sense to me. They still list 2001-2003 Prospect Premieres as XRCs, and they weren't hard boxes to find, so Beckett's original statement doesn't make sense. If they are going to list Prospect Premieres as XRCs, then they should do the same with Bowman Prospects, Topps Pro Debut, and Topps Heritage Minors cards.

[Hofcollector]

That is what Beckett had originally said, but then they listed the 2001 Prospect Premieres cards as XRCs, which made absolutely no sense to me. They still list 2001-2003 Prospect Premieres as XRCs, and they weren't hard boxes to find, so Beckett's original statement doesn't make sense. If they are going to list Prospect Premieres as XRCs, then they should do the same with Bowman Prospects, Topps Pro Debut, and Topps Heritage Minors cards.

I agree. That was in reference to his statement about XRC's only being released later in the year, after the base sets.

As for the sets you mentioned, that should obviously be fixed. Prospects that never have an actual rc card because they do not make it to the bigs can't have an XRC.

[crossada]

I believe the difference is the ones you mentioned were grandfathered in before the 2006 debacle that killed the RC market for me.

[sshissler]

What happened in 2006?

I believe the difference is the ones you mentioned were grandfathered in before the 2006 debacle that killed the RC market for me.

[djohn]

MLB actually got involved in 2006 to define what qualifies as a rookie card. Here is a good synopsis about the definition of a rookie card.
http://www.ebay.com/gds/New-Rookie-Logo-...952/g.html

[richk]

IIRC; the 2001-3 UD Prospect Premier cards in question were XRC's because of no licensing with either MLBPA or MLB properties. They were issued by a major manufactuer so the XRC distinction was given to those cards.