Collecting the best retired Patriots
By David Lee | Beckett Football Editor
With Super Bowl XLIX just days away, the best team of the 2000s meets last season’s best team. Today and tomorrow we will look at some of the most collectable retired Patriots and Seahawks. Neither team is exactly overflowing with historic players. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is void of Patriots, and the Seahawks have just three HOFers. Still, there are some major contributors who have also made an impact in the hobby.
Up first are the Patriots.
Curtis Martin, RB
Curtis Martin is without question one of the most underrated running backs, not only in the history of the NFL, but in the hobby as well. The former third-round pick currently sits at fourth on the career rushing list with 14,101 yards. He played just three seasons for the Patriots from 1995-1997, but totaled 32 touchdowns during that time, and was a Pro Bowler his first two season. He was the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1995 and was a major factor in the team’s 1996 run to the Super Bowl. The Patriots have never had a longtime, impactful running back, but he is the best to have ever come through New England.
Martin is one of the greatest bargains you are going to find in the hobby, especially for a player who ranks among the most productive running backs of all time. He has 18 Rookie Cards from 1995 and none of them are priced at more than $15. You can probably scoop up all of his most popular ones for no more than $40. His top four to go after:
1995 Bowman’s Best #R74 RC
1995 Select Certified #117 RC
1995 Finest #264 RC
1995 SP #18 RC
Martin has just 152 autographed cards, and several actually carry good value around $80-$150. The 1997 UD3 Signature Performers #PF1 is a rare one showing him in his Patriots uniform.
Drew Bledsoe, QB
Hey, he’s no Tom Brady (who is?), but Drew Bledsoe was one of the hottest players in the hobby in the early to mid-1990s. He was the No. 1 overall draft pick in 1993 and played nine seasons with the Patriots, totaling 29,657 passing yards and 166 touchdowns with the team. He led the team to the playoffs in his second year and to the Super Bowl in his fourth year. For his career, Bledsoe ranks 10th all time in passing yards.
He has 25 Rookie Cards from 1993, and the most valuable one is the 1993 SP #9 at just $15. The other top ones come in at about $5-$8. He has more than 300 autographed cards dating back to his rookie season, and even had several issued in 2013.
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Tedy Bruschi, LB
Tedy Bruschi is arguably the most productive linebacker in Patriots’ history. He played his entire 13-year career with the team, totaling 675 tackles, 30.5 sacks and 12 interceptions. He was a key contributor and leader during the team’s best years in the early 2000s, playing at both inside and outside linebacker. He’s a great hobby bargain, as his three Rookie Cards can be had for less than $20. His one to get is the 1996 Bowman’s Best #162. He has 88 autographed and 112 memorabilia cards. Most of his autographed cards weren’t produced until after the Patriots won their three Super Bowls in the 2000s, but he has plenty from 2006-2008.
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Ty Law, CB
Arguably the best defensive back in team history, Ty Law played 10 years for the Patriots, totaling 36 interceptions for 583 return yards and six touchdowns. He was a four-time Pro Bowler during that time, including two of the title years. In the 2003 AFC Championship Game against the Colts, he intercepted three passes in a 10-point win. And in the first Super Bowl win over the Rams, he came up with a huge interception returned 47 yards for a touchdown.
Law has just 11 Rookie Cards from 1995, with the two best being 1995 Bowman’s Best #R23 RC and 1995 SP #174 RC. Both can be found for a few dollars each. If you’re looking for an autograph, there are just nine of them. But a good deal is the 1999 SP Signature Autographs #TL for $20.
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David Lee is the editor of Beckett Football and can be reached at footballeditor@beckett.com and on Twitter @FreeEnergyDude.
