[relentless1]

I started going back into collecting cards about two years ago and I decided recently to do a rookie collection of jerseys and patches. I do have some autos (mainly Colts rookies) but trying to buy a Geno Smith or Eddie Lacy auto seems to get pretty expensive. I plan on getting a hobby box or two later in the fall. Not sure if it's better to collect jerseys or parallel #'d cards for rookies. So which of these types of rookie cards should I take first priority with.

1. Parallel RC that's #'d with stats (2013 Topps Supreme, 2014 Elite)
or
2. Jersey/Patch RC that's #'d but without stats or auto (2013 Five Star jumbo patches)

[savagenate]

Whatever you like best! I like the Five Star design, but they can get real expensive, so if cost is an issue, I'd go with 2014 Elite probably. Boxes aren't out of the world priced, and singles I've seen online haven't been too bad either. I also like Supreme though, and you have some chances at some huge hits in those. But again, it's more expensive than the prestige, but less than Five Star. Last years rookie class wasn't huge, so prices may become more affordable each month, whereas 2012 and 2014 will be high priced due to Luck, Wilson, Griffin, Manziel, Watkins, and Clowney. Just my opinion.

[relentless1]

I haven't decided if I'll get a hobby box for 2013 yet. I do plan on getting a hobby box of 2012 Momentum cards and my obectives for 2014 will be Topps Valor, Platinum and Inception

[savagenate]

Valor and Inception are 2 of my favorites...I'm looking forward to getting my hands on some too

[jephthah1]

Nate's first statement is the answer--"Whatever you like best!" Collect what or who you enjoy collecting. If you are going to collect for investment then set building of any kind is probably not the way to go, i.e. all the rookies from a particular year/set (unless you are building something like '97 Legends autos). Otherwise, just have fun and collect what YOU want to. And when you settle on what you are going to get...show them off. I love seeing people's collections! That is nearly as fun as building my own collection.

[relentless1]

Nate's first statement is the answer--"Whatever you like best!" Collect what or who you enjoy collecting. If you are going to collect for investment then set building of any kind is probably not the way to go, i.e. all the rookies from a particular year/set (unless you are building something like '97 Legends autos). Otherwise, just have fun and collect what YOU want to. And when you settle on what you are going to get...show them off. I love seeing people's collections! That is nearly as fun as building my own collection.

And that's how I started collecting again, by starting with something I would enjoy having as a collection but also as an investment. I started collecting Colts rookie/veteran autos, high-end Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck cards and then went to a pc of base NFL QB cards. Now I'm concentrating on popular rookie cards, jerseys and autos on certain players and teams that I like (Broncos, Bears and Cowboys). I sometimes tend to be more satisfied with the nice jersey patch versus paying alot of money of an auto.

[savagenate]

Jersey patches can be very unique... I'd rather have an auto/patch rather than just an auto, since autos all look the same. Makes a card stand out. Prospecting is fun, and can be good or bad. One guy I heard had bought every card of Manning he could find early...and was now making a mint selling them out of his store. Another guy had bought some Ryan Leaf...need I say more? :p I look on my cards as an investment as well. If I ever grow bored, or need the money, my collection is there. In the meantime, I get to enjoy adding to it

[jephthah1]

And that's how I started collecting again, by starting with something I would enjoy having as a collection but also as an investment. I started collecting Colts rookie/veteran autos, high-end Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck cards and then went to a pc of base NFL QB cards. Now I'm concentrating on popular rookie cards, jerseys and autos on certain players and teams that I like (Broncos, Bears and Cowboys). I sometimes tend to be more satisfied with the nice jersey patch versus paying alot of money of an auto.

Understood. Just consider the risk that comes with rookies, even the popular ones. I gave up on focusing on rookies after Chad Pennington tanked. He was top of the heap for time and I was sinking tons of money into his cards. There was no reason to believe he would ever be anything but great. Well, we now know who the star of the 2000 draft was. I also lost money on David Boston, Jerry Porter, Ricky Williams, Jamal Anderson, and so on. And what of injury, i.e. Robert Edwards back in the day? Dude had a breakout season in New England and had a career ending injury playing on the beach at the Pro-Bowl. Justin Blackmon couldn't stay off drugs...top dollar rookie no more.

Everybody goes rookie crazy, and for what? Especially when you have a ton of Hall of Famers who have already proven themselves, and whose cards you can buy for the same price and (often less) than an unproven rookie. And if it is active players you want, you have a whole host of solids to choose from; proven players like Manning and Brady.

I don't know...I just don't get it. My opinion is, do the rookie thing for fun but not for profit. After I wrap up the bazillion sets I am currently building, I will be switching up my PC to strictly Mike Alstott and HOF autos and GU. Time to start investing, but keep a little fun on the side. Good conversation! I appreciate your thoughts and opinion.

[relentless1]

Understood. Just consider the risk that comes with rookies, even the popular ones. I gave up on focusing on rookies after Chad Pennington tanked. He was top of the heap for time and I was sinking tons of money into his cards. There was no reason to believe he would ever be anything but great. Well, we now know who the star of the 2000 draft was. I also lost money on David Boston, Jerry Porter, Ricky Williams, Jamal Anderson, and so on. And what of injury, i.e. Robert Edwards back in the day? Dude had a breakout season in New England and had a career ending injury playing on the beach at the Pro-Bowl. Justin Blackmon couldn't stay off drugs...top dollar rookie no more.

Everybody goes rookie crazy, and for what? Especially when you have a ton of Hall of Famers who have already proven themselves, and whose cards you can buy for the same price and (often less) than an unproven rookie. And if it is active players you want, you have a whole host of solids to choose from; proven players like Manning and Brady.

I don't know...I just don't get it. My opinion is, do the rookie thing for fun but not for profit. After I wrap up the bazillion sets I am currently building, I will be switching up my PC to strictly Mike Alstott and HOF autos and GU. Time to start investing, but keep a little fun on the side. Good conversation! I appreciate your thoughts and opinion.

I don't get too crazy over star rookies because you're exactly right, they can be a bust in a matter of a year or two (good thing I didn't start buying Ryan Leaf autos). The PC that I started in 2012 was just Colts rookies and then a month ago I started doing jerseys and autos for rookies that won a Super Bowl that year, QB rookies and one rookie from Broncos, Bears and Cowboys each draft year. Players like Johnny Manziel, Geno Smith and Blaine Gabbert I don't waste time getting autos just because those players to me seemed so overrated and overhyped. But I do concentrate on those other QBs that could be sleepers like Derek Carr and Brock Osweiler. But mostly, I do it for fun and as a collection that will bring me some enjoyment and for my boys years from now.