Better known as Gavi, Pablo Martín Páez Gavira has proven to be one of the more important players for Spain and Barcelona since making his debut in 2021/22. We’ve taken the opportunity to come up with a list containing five of the best Gavi rookie cards to collect.
Gavi has impressed ever since joining the Barcelona first team in 2021/22. Exceptionally versatile and hard-working, he was awarded the prestigious Golden Boy in 2022, and was instrumental as his side beat Real Madrid in the 2022–23 Supercopa de España final. Only 18 at the time of writing, it’s clear to see why his rookie cards continue to increase in popularity.
The Best Gavi Rookie Cards
Here’s a roundup with five of the best Gavi rookie cards on the market, including options for club and country.
5. 2021-22 Topps Merlin Gavi Renaissance RC #R-8 (eBay)
2021-22 Topps Merlin Chrome UEFA Soccer is where you’ll find this premium Renaissance insert, which is short printed. Coming in at a rate of one in every 216 packs, the unique stained glass look has made it a fan favorite with collectors. Gavi is one of 15 players found in the subset, and serial numbered parallels up the ante if you’re looking for pricier options. As with the others, it features an RC logo. You’ll find Gavi in the blue and red stripes of Barca.
- Parallels: Gold #/50, Orange #/25, Red #/10, SuperFractor 1/1
Check prices of 2022 Topps Merlin Gavi Renaissance RC on eBay
4. 2022 Panini Prizm World Cup Manga Gavi RC #19 (eBay)
2022 Panini Prizm World Cup Qatar is an immensely popular set focusing on the biggest tournament in world football. The Manga insert is an eye-catching addition, featuring 25 players from the most popular international teams. Both Gavi and Pedri are included in the Manga subset for Spain. They feature a great illustration coupled with a sleek silver border and an anime-style background. It lacks a serial number, but it’s still reasonably rare given it’s so hard to find in packs.
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3. 2021-22 National Treasures Gavi RC #200 (eBay)
The high-end 2022 Panini National Treasures FIFA Road to World Cup collection is the first time that the premium brand has focused on the biggest tournament in world football. Gavi is one of 200 cards included in the base set, and it’s his sole offering. There are numerous parallels to chase, and base versions are limited to 99. (You’ll see the color matched Ruby edition in the image above.)
Despite the lack of an auto, it’s one of the more valuable Gavi RCs on the market as of 2023.
- Parallels: Sapphire #/25, Ruby #/11, Gold #/10, Emerald #/5, Platinum 1/1, Printing Plates 1/1
Check prices of 2021-22 National Treasures Gavi RC on eBay
2. 2021-22 Topps Chrome UCL Gavi RC #25 (eBay)
This card is one of only two Gavi RCs found in 2021-22 Topps Chrome UEFA Champions League Soccer. It benefits from a strong action shot, and a sleek chrome finish. There’s a ridiculous amount of numbered parallels to chase, but it does mean that there’s an option to suit almost every budget. You’ll also be able to find 1st Edition versions that come with a small stamp on the lower right corner. Here’s an example:
- Parallels: Refractor (1:3), Black & White Ray Wave (1:4), Speckle (1:9), Purple & Gold Starball (1:37), Silver Mini-Diamond #/275, Purple #/250, Purple Mini-Diamond #/250, Night Vision #/225, Aqua #/199, Aqua Wave #/199, Aqua Lava (1:146), Pink #/175, Pink Mini-Diamond #/175, Blue #/150, Blue Lava (1:183), Rose Gold #/150, Rose Gold Mini-Diamond #/150, Neon Green #/99, Neon Green Wave #/99, Neon Green Lava (1:218), Blue Wave #/75, Blue & Gold Starball #/75, Gold Refractor #/50, Gold Mini-Diamond #/50, Gold Lava (1:256), Black & Gold Starball #/30, Orange #/25, Orange & Gold Starball (1:292) Red #/10, Red Wave #/5, Red & Gold Starball (1:329), SuperFractor 1/1
Check prices of 2021-22 Topps Chrome UCL Gavi RC on eBay
1. 2022 Panini Prizm World Cup Gavi RC #223 (eBay)
Heading back to 2022 Panini Prizm World Cup Qatar, Gavi’s base card is a massive hit if you’re looking at the rarer serial numbered parallels.
Brand awareness is one of the main reasons why it’s so popular, as it’s the set of choice for World Cup card collectors. The Prizm parallels will change the background color, and there’s an Orange example seen above. I think that this will be the most valuable option if we were to look back on his collection of rookie cards in a decade or so.
- Prizms: Green Ice, Green Wave, Hyper, Ice, Pink, Silver, White Sparkle, Red #/399, Blue #/299, Blue Wave #/199, Purple #/199, Purple Wave #/99, Red Mojo #/99, Blue Mojo #/75, Purple Mojo #/49, Orange #/25, Maroon #/22, Pink Mojo #/11, Gold #/10, Blue Shimmer #/5, Green #/5, Black 1/1, Gold Power 1/1
- Breakaway: Base, Red #/99, Blue #/49, Purple #/35, Gold #/10, Green #/5, Black 1/1
- Choice: Elephant, Red, Tiger Stripe, Zebra, Blue #/135, Nebula 1/1
Check prices of 2022 Panini Prizm World Cup Gavi RC on eBay
Why are Gavi rookie cards so expensive?
It’s not surprising to see Gavi’s rookie cards selling for four-figure sums. A lot of it has to do with his reputation as one of the more talented players to emerge from Spain in the last few years. Along with Pedri, they have to be seen as the future for club and country. Then there’s the fact that he’s so young, with the potential to play for over a decade before reaching his prime. Who knows what his ceiling is, or what he could achieve in the future?
Gavi Rookie Cards: Final Thoughts
Gavi RCs are some of the biggest hits from recent sets, and the rarest releases will sell for a significant amount of money. That’s fair considering the circumstances, even if it’s not great news if you’re looking for cheaper rookie autographs featuring the Spain international.