Auston Matthews Rookie Cards and More
Auston Matthews Rookie Cards started officially with his 2016-17 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey Young Guns card and will continued throughout the season.
But even before that, there were a few options for Auston Matthews cards in the form of promo sets and redemptions.
Because the NHL and NHLPA have hard rules about players being able to appear on cards only after their first NHL game. For early sets that come along before the season starts, it means mystery redemptions in a variety of forms.
The first Auston Matthews card arrived not long before he strapped up for Toronto for the first time and proceeded to make history, scoring four goals in his debut. And it might be one of the greatest things to come out of the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
But once the season got into full swing, cards of Auston Matthews in a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey started coming out regularly. Those early mystery redemptions got fulfilled.
Collectors have plenty of variety when it comes to Auston Matthews Rookie Cards. Some are straightforward and traditional. Others are extremely scarce. Others still have things like autographs and memorabilia swatches. The key is that collectors have options to go after the cards to their liking and budget.
Below is a breakdown of all the Auston Matthews Rookie Cards and a few early cardboard appearances.
Auston Matthews Rookie Cards Checklist
The following list features cards with the ‘RC’ tag in the Beckett Hockey Card Database and Price Guide. Inserts and parallels are not included.
Cards are listed alphabetically.
2016-17 Black Diamond Auston Matthews RC #BDRAM /99
One of the earliest Auston Matthews Rookie Cards on the market, this will also likely be one of the most valuable even as other high-end sets hit the market. Highlighted by four small diamonds embedded into the card, it has just 99 copies. 2016-17 Black Diamond Hockey was also the first product to have live Auston Matthews autographs and memorabilia cards in packs.
Parallels: Pure Black (1/1)
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2016-17 The Cup Auston Matthews RC Auto Patch #180 /99
When it comes to price, the 2016-17 The Cup Auston Matthews Rookie Card is his most valuable. And it’s not that close. Instead of hundreds, expect to pay several thousand dollars to land this card in your collection. Sure it has the autograph, the patch and the low print run, but there’s a level of status involved with this card and others like it.
When it comes to modern hockey cards, The Cup is the top of the heap. It’s ultra high-end and it’s carved out its place in the hobby for over a decade. So even with other brands competing against it today with similar premium cards, The Cup still stands out.
Parallels: Gold Spectrum (/24), Gold (/12), Red Tag (/4), Green Button (/3), Black (1/1), Black Shield (1/1), Printing Plates Black (1/1), Printing Plates Cyan (1/1), Printing Plates Magenta (1/1), Printing Plates Yellow (1/1)
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2016-17 Exquisite Collection Auston Matthews RC Auto Patch #80 /34
2016-17 Exquisite Collection is like a set-within-a-set. Exquisite packs will be added to a select high-end releases throughout the season. While Matthews has several cards under the Exquisite banner, this one comes as part of the main line and was included with 2016-17 The Cup. This is another Auston Matthews Rookie Card with both an autograph and a patch. Numbered to 34, his jersey number, it’s also on the scarce side.
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2016-17 Fleer Showcase Auston Matthews RC #190 Autograph /99
2016-17 Fleer Showcase Hockey changed things up a bit with its key Rookie Cards. For the previous couple of years, major names had autographed patch cards. Those are still available but as parallels. Autographs are still in play, though. Matthews ties with teammate Mitch Marner for having the lowest print run at 99 copies. Other Hot Prospects autographs have at least 299 copies.
Parallels: Hot Prospects Autograph Patches (/35), Red Glow Autograph (/15), Hot Prospects Autograph Patches White Hot (/10), White Hot Autograph (/5)
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2016-17 O-Pee-Chee Auston Matthews RC #694
Because the main 2016-17 O-Pee-Chee set came out before the season kicked off, Matthews wasn’t included on the checklist. However, sticking with past years for the set, a group of update cards arrived in 2016-17 Upper Deck Series 2, expanding the checklist for rookies and traded players. Given the relatively easy insertion rates and the amount of Upper Deck Series 2 that’s going to be ripped, this one shouldn’t be too hard to track down.
Parallels: Rainbow, Red, Retro, Rainbow Black (/100)
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2016-17 O-Pee-Chee Platinum Auston Matthews RC #151
The 2016-17 O-Pee-Chee Platinum Auston Matthews is essentially a chromium version of his regular OPC card. It also happens to be one of his most affordable Rookie Cards thanks to the fact that it’s not signed, significantly short printed or anything else. It’s a straightforward Rookie. If you are looking for something more chase-oriented, the card has several colorful parallels. Matthews is also included on the set’s Rookie Autographs checklist.
Parallels: Blue Traxx, Red Prism (/199), Royal Blue Cubes (/99), Seismic Gold (/50), Rainbow, Rainbow Orange (/25), Emerald Surge (/10), Golden Treasures (1/1), Printing Plates Black (1/1), Printing Plates Cyan (1/1), Printing Plates Magenta (1/1), Printing Plates Yellow (1/1)
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2016-17 Parkhurst Auston Matthews RC #370
Looking for a cheap Auston Matthews Rookie Card? This is one of them. Distributed exclusively at Walmart, 2016-17 Parkhurst Hockey comes with a cheap price tag. It’s also a no-frills card that isn’t even short printed. It is worth noting that Matthews has a similar looking Parkhurst Rookie Parade insert included in specially marked 2016-17 Upper Deck Series 1 blasters. This card shows him skating versus the main Parkhurst’s close-up shot.
Parallels: Black, Red
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2016-17 SP Authentic Auston Matthews RC Autograph #146 /999
The autograph is the main attraction here, but the SP Authentic brand takes it up a notch. Comparable to Contenders in football, SP Authentic is synonymous with autographed Rookie Cards. They bring in strong values compared to other brands, especially when you look at the print run. The 2016-17 SP Authentic Auston Matthews Rookie Card has 999 copies, which isn’t rare when you compare it to many of his other high-end cards.
Parallels: Black, Limited Patch Autographs (/100)
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2016-17 SP Game Used Auston Matthews RC #101 /34
Base cards in 2016-17 SP Game Used Hockey are limited to the player’s jersey number. For Matthews, that means just 34 copies. Needless to say, even without an overly premium look, it’s worth a lot. Many of the parallels include autographs or memorabilia swatches. Because they’re more plentiful, they can actually be found for less than the plain version.
Parallels: Autographs Blue, Red Auto Jersey, Gold Jersey (/399), Rainbow Player Age (/219), Orange Rainbow Draft Year (/116), Gold Spectrum Patch (/49), Red Spectrum Patch Autograph (/25), Autographs 1/1 (1/1), Snow Storm (1/1)
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2016-17 SPx Auston Matthews RC #75 /249
The 2016-17 SPx Auston Matthews Rookie Card is done with a shadow box format. Limited to 249 copies, it has a layered look that mixes acetate and other high-end elements. Autographed versions can be found among the parallels. This is a big departure from the autographed memorabilia cards SPx has used in the past for big-name rookies.
Parallels: Red Jersey (/75), Gold Autograph Patch (/99), Blue Autograph (/25)
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2016-17 Ultimate Collection Auston Matthews RC #100
Auston Matthews does have lots of premium cards in 2016-17 Ultimate Collection, a high-end product. However, his Rookie Card isn’t one of them — at least as far as autographs go. Part of the Ultimate Introductions subset, the card is printed on acetate, which sets it apart from most of the other Auston Matthews RC cards. But without a signature or serial number, prices have been kept somewhat in check.
Parallels: Onyx Black (/25), Royal Red (/6)
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2016-17 Upper Deck Auston Matthews RC #201 Young Guns
Similar to Connor McDavid in 2015-16, Auston Matthews headlines the Upper Deck Series 1 checklist. He’s one of 49 players to have Rookies in the product under the popular Young Guns banner. The card is significant for a couple of reasons. It’s the first official Auston Matthews Rookie Card. It’s also his first in-pack card to have him in a Maple Leafs uniform.
Like all Young Guns, it is a short print, but not to a level where it’s terribly hard to get. That said, it does add to the price tag versus similar cards that aren’t serial numbered.
Parallels: Clear Cut, Exclusives (/100), High Gloss (/10)
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2016-17 Upper Deck ICE Auston Matthews RC #200 /99
Here’s another Auston Matthews Rookie Card that’s driven largely by rarity. That said, the ICE brand has a big following, particularly when it comes to big-name rookies. They’re not only scarce, but the acetate stock makes them stand out from a visual perspective. Also, there are no parallels. So the 99 cards are it.
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2016-17 Upper Deck MVP Auston Matthews #368
2016-17 Upper Deck MVP is about as entry level as you get. It’s cheap, widely available and cards aren’t generally that valuable. However, the 2016-17 Upper Deck MVP Auston Matthews Rookie Card is different. The card itself isn’t in packs. Rather, it’s one of the cards collectors received for pulling the Atlantic Division Rookie Redemption. The combination of the rare redemption card combined with the fact that many likely remained in tact as sets means that this is a surprisingly tough card to find.
It shouldn’t be confused with the #1 Draft Pick Auston Matthews, which is also in MVP as a redemption. When it comes to RCs, the Draft card is an insert.
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2016-17 Upper Deck Overtime Auston Matthews RC #180
2016-17 Upper Deck Overtime is an incentive set of sorts. Dealers got packs for ordering specific products, which were then passed on to collectors. Matthews is in Wave 3 packs, which came out later in the season.
In addition to his regular card where he’s in a white jersey, Matthews has a variation with him wearing a blue jersey.
Parallels: Autographs, Blue, Red (/99)
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2016-17 Upper Deck Premier Auston Matthews RC Auto Patch #108 /199
One of the top Auston Matthews Rookie Cards as far as value goes, this one has a massive patch (bigger than The Cup) and an on-card autograph. Numbered to 199, it also has an acetate top layer, giving it a distinct look and feel compared to his other auto-mem rookies.
Parallels: Gold Spectrum (/25)
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2016-17 Upper Deck Trilogy Auston Matthews RC #51 /999
Trilogy gets its name for having three tiers of cards. The Level 1 Auston Matthews Rookie Card is numbered to 999 copies and comes on a fairly basic foil stock. The rarer Level 2 and 3 cards are much rarer at 99 and 25 copies respectively. They also come autographed.
Parallels: Rainbow Green Jersey (/399), Rainbow Black (/99)
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Other Early Auston Matthews Cards
2016 Upper Deck World Cup of Hockey Auston Matthews #WCH27
Here it is. The first official Auston Matthews hockey card from a major manufacturer. The 2016 Upper Deck World Cup Auston Matthews hails from a promo set released in conjunction with the tournament. Traditionally, these sorts of sets have niche appeal over the long-term. However, without any other cards to choose from beforehand, this may be an exception. It certainly will be over the short-term until Upper Deck releases his first NHL cards. On the very rare side, the card has four different Printing Plates, each being a one-of-one.
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Auston Matthews Mystery Redemptions
The following is a list of 2015-16 and 2016-17 mystery redemptions that have been confirmed as being Auston Matthews.
2015-16 Upper Deck Portfolio XRC Redemptions
One of the selling points for 2015-16 Upper Deck Portfolio Hockey was redemptions good for 2016-17 rookies. There appear to be six different players, three of which were announced when the set originally released. They were late-season call-ups. The other half of the checklist wasn’t announced until the start of the 2016-17 season. Not surprisingly, Auston Matthews is all versions of Rookie #1.
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2016-17 Upper Deck Artifacts Rookie Redemptions Toronto Maple Leafs #RED207
If you pull the Toronto Maple Leafs Rookie Redemption from 2016-17 Upper Deck Artifacts, you’ve got yourself an Auston Matthews Rookie Card. At least you will once the cards are produced and sent out. This will likely happen in the spring of 2016. 2016-17 Upper Deck Artifacts Rookie Redemptions have Emerald parallels.
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2016-17 Upper Deck Artifacts Rookie Autograph and Relic Redemptions I
In addition to the basic Rookie Redemption, Matthews headlines the Rookie Autograph and Relic Redemptions in 2016-17 Upper Deck Artifacts. The card, which is Roman numeral I, has several versions and parallels: Autographed Rookie, Rookie Relic Silver, Rookie Relic Emerald, Rookie Relic Gold Spectrum, Rookie Relic Black, Autograph Rookie Relic Silver, Autograph Rookie Relic Emerald, Autograph Rookie Relic Gold Spectrum and Autograph Rookie Relic Black.
2016-17 Upper Deck MVP NHL Draft Pick #1 SP Redemption
Well, Auston Mattews was the #1 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. And now that he’s an NHLer, Upper Deck has confirmed he’s the 2016-17 MVP Draft Pick redemption. The base version is a tough pull in 2016-17 Upper Deck MVP Hockey at 1:1,250 hobby packs and e-packs, and 1:12,500 retail packs. There’s also an autographed version that’s 1:12,500 hobby and e-packs.
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2016-17 Upper Deck Tim Hortons 2016 #1 Draft Pick Redemption
The situation here is exactly the same as the Upper Deck MVP redemption. At 1:18,000 packs, this is an extremely tough card to pull. Despite this, the odds, more than nine million packs of 2016-17 Upper Deck Time Hortons Hockey were produced. This puts the print run somewhere around 500 copies.
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That Matthews’ Diamond Relic Card!!!
The SPx and Ice cards are very sharp.
You guys are missing some amazing cards of Auston Matthews, BLUE ICE Series are one of the first Rookie’s cards also as NEXT IN LINE cards that are great looking with great color effects and there are only few series and extremely short ones. Authentic Moments gold cards numeric series, extremely RARE ! Just think, there is NO OTHER PLAYER like Auston Matthews ! There is no other first series of these cards, so they are worth mentioning even if people can’t get them that easy and for low money, … these cards are worth thousands of dollars right away! Good Luck guys!
LT
Great cards and can’t wait for the recent ones to appear!
Great cards!
Pulled a Ultimate Rookie Auto /99 Saturday from a box of Ultimate. Wanting to get it graded now.
@Raymond — Nice pull! If you need grading info, you can find it here: https://www.beckett.com/grading
Just wondering what the difference is between a Rookie card and a #1 NHL Draft pick card,if anyone could help me understand a bit better,thank you
@Liz — Not sure what set you’re referring to, but the numbers on the back should be a quick way to tell them apart.
Will there be a Auston Matthews rookie card countdown?
You guys missed so many Mathew cards by opeechee
@Wes – Which ones? Only cards with the RC tag are listed here, not inserts, which is stated in the article.
2016-17 Opc Upperdeck glossy Auston Matthews R-1?
Rookie card?
Value?
@Kevin – It’s an insert. The price guide can be accessed by clicking on the “Price Guide” link in the menu at the top of this page.
What was Matthew’s first released RPA with an on card auto? Was it SPX shadowbox gold?
@Johnny – Not sure off the top of my head, but you could use this page to cross reference release dates: https://www.beckett.com/news/2016-17-hockey-card-release-dates/
The Ice Premiere rookie is a beauty. My favourite set. And so hard to get out of /99. Still trying to get the Matthews ice premiere.