If you’re looking at the most popular NBA collectibles right now, it’s hard to ignore Anthony Edwards rookie cards.
Anthony Edwards is one of the biggest talents in the NBA right now, selected with the first overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2020 Draft.
He made the NBA All-Rookie First Team (2021), and became the youngest player in NBA history with 10 three-pointers in a game in December 2021.
It’s easy to see why Anthony Edwards rookie cards are some of the most popular within the sport, so we’ve put together a list containing five of the best options overall.
The Best Anthony Edwards Rookie Cards
If you’re looking for a roundup of the best Anthony Edwards rookie cards, look no further! (Of course, Edwards RCs are found in sets released during the 2020-21 season.)
5. 2020 Donruss Optic Anthony Edwards RC #151 (eBay)
One of 50 Rated Rookies contained within 2020-21 Donruss Optic Basketball, don’t let the lack of a signature put you off of this premium Edwards card. An insane number of parallels can be found, either changing the colour of the borderline, or the background surrounding the point guard.
If you’d prefer, there’s also a signed version with the same card number (#151), and it uses an alternate image.
- Base Parallels: Checkerboard, Holo, Hyper Pink, Photon, Purple, Purple Shock, White Sparkle (Rewards), Orange #/199, Lime Green #/149, Red #/99, Blue #/59, Pink #/25, Purple Stars FOTL, Gold #/10, Lucky Envelopes #/8, Green #/5, Black 1/1, Gold Vinyl 1/1
- Choice: Base Choice, Dragon, Red/Green, Red #/88, Black/Gold #/8, Nebula 1/1
- Fast Break: Holo, Purple #/95, Red #/85, Blue #/50, Pink #/20, Gold #/10, Black 1/1
- Pulsar: Blue, Green (Fanatics), Purple (Target), Red, Gold #/10
- Velocity: Blue, Pink #/79, Black #/39
- Wave: Gold, Red
- Box sets: Target Set, Fanatics Set, Premium Set #/249
4. 2020 Panini One and One Downtown Anthony Edwards RC #5 (eBay)
2020-21 Panini One and One Basketball is aptly named, as boxes come with just two cards. (Or, one and one more.)
The Downtown insert is a major hit, as one of 20 players given the artistic treatment for this short print.
Edwards is the only Minnesota Timberwolves player to make the cut, using nature as a theme alongside a black background.
It’s not to be confused with a second Downtown insert found in 2020 Panini Prizm DP.
3. 2020 Panini Prizm Anthony Edwards RC #SSAEW (eBay)
The Sensational Signatures subset of 2020 Panini Prizm Basketball is where we’re heading for the next Anthony Edwards RC.
An autograph is an interesting addition, while Choice and Silver Prizm parallels are reasonably abundant, and make for some of the most affordable cards to make the list. The same can’t be said for the numbered parallels, of which there are only a handful.
Of the cards to make the list, we think this has the best action shot overall.
- Parallels: Silver, Mojo #/25, Gold #/10, Black 1/1
- Choice: Base, Green #/8
2. 2020 Contenders Optic Rookie Ticket Anthony Edwards RC #137 (eBay)
2020-21 Panini Contenders Optic Basketball is a popular choice when it comes to rookie releases.
The Edwards Rookie Ticket uses a familiar design, with the inclusion of an on-card auto found at the bottom of the card. The ticket is on the left, alongside an image of the player preparing to shoot.
One again, there’s a range of coloured parallels, which correspond with the background. If there’s a serial number attached, you’ll find it on the reverse.
Parallels: Red Wave, Red #/149, Blue #/99, Orange #/25, Gold #/10, Gold Vinyl 1/1, Printing Plates 1/1
1. 2020 National Treasures Anthony Edwards RPA #111 (eBay)
Rookie Patch Autographs are where we finish up, in the high-end 2020-21 Panini National Treasures Basketball collection.
Featuring top NBA rookies, the RPA cards feature oversized swatches and on-card autographs. You’ll also find a trio of exclusive parallels in FOTL boxes. (Base copies are serial numbered to 99.)
In Edwards case, that also includes an RC logo, and one of the most exciting cards you could find within the set. A PSA 10 graded copy of the base card sold for $99,100.00 in November 2021.
Parallels: Gold FOTL #/24, Gold #/10, Purple FOTL #/8, Emerald #/5, Blue FOTL #/3, Logoman 1/1
Anthony Edwards Rookie Cards: Buyers Guide
We’ve put together a guide with our thoughts on the current market for Anthony Edwards rookie cards. Let us know if you agree in the comments below!
If you’re on the lookout for cheaper options, you could always check base copies of some of the cards seen above, or unnumbered parallels of the Donruss Optic. We’ve also listed another alternative below.
- 2020-21 Panini Prizm #258 Anthony Edwards RC (eBay)
As for pricier options, hard to disregard any of the cards seen above, especially if you’re looking at pristine graded parallels. If we were forced to choose, we’d probably go for the National Treasures RPA, budget permitting.
Anthony Edwards RCs: Final Thoughts
Edwards is a highly talented player who is gunning for the MVP award, even if he lacks a little something defensively at this early stage of his career. He makes up for it in numbers, as well as being a great character off the court.
For now, the guard is focused on guiding the Timberwolves to the playoffs, and collectors are banking on his ability to keep performing over the next decade. It’s proving to be tough so far, with the team booed off the court after five losses in six games during the early 2022/23 season. It’s all the more disappointing considering the recent addition of Rudy Gobert.
The $99,100.00 paid for his National Treasures RPA might turn out to be a bargain in the long run, and we’d keep tabs on prices if you think he has what it takes to earn multiple MVP awards.
We didn’t have space for impressive sets like Panini Flawless, Panini Chronicles, Panini Certified, Panini Select, or budget options like Panini NBA Hoops. There are multiple high-end parallel versions and autograph versions, matching up to the likes of LeBron James and Steph Curry in terms of pure values.
Anthony Edwards has a wide range of cards that have been highly coveted since his rookie season. The average price continues to rise, and the sports card market has taken note.
Basketball card collectors are still interested in Anthony Edwards, and numerous rare parallels can be found on the secondary market.
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