Highly touted prospect RJ Barrett has been one of the few bright spots in a disappointing New York Knicks season.
After a slow start, Barrett’s play has been nothing short of outstanding in 2022. His form has caused a significant uptick in attention to his best RCs, which are what we’re looking at today.
Here’s a roundup with a trio of the best RJ Barrett rookie cards, along with buying and selling advice for the next few seasons.
The Best RJ Barrett Cards
RJ Barrett RCs were released during the 2019-20 season. As he was selected third overall in the 2019 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks, there are various patches and autos included in the majority of sets.
3. 2019-20 Panini Contenders Rookie Ticket Stub RJ Barrett RC #128 (eBay)
Numbered to only nine copies, the Rookie Ticket Stub found in 2019-20 Panini Contenders Basketball is a great pick for anyone interested in the rarest Barrett cards.
It follows the traditional Rookie Ticket design, with a large on-card auto at the bottom.
For a more affordable option, there’s always the many ticket parallels contained within the base set, which we’ve listed below.
- Ticket Parallels: Playoff #/99, The Finals #/49, Cracked Ice #/25, Championship 1/1, Printing Plates 1/1
- Premium Tickets: Base, Green Shimmer, Blue Shimmer FOTL #/20, Gold #/10, Gold Vinyl 1/1
2. 2019-20 Spectra Color Blast Prizm RJ Barrett RC #23 (eBay)
2019-20 Spectra contains the super short print Prizm insert Color Blast, highlighting 25 of the best NBA players from the season.
(Expect to find a Color Blast card at a rate of one for every 1-3 boxes opened.)
Barrett makes the cut, surrounded by the unique paint effect in an eye-catching card. The RC logo on the bottom left corner is another reason for increased interest.
The best Color Blast cards will sell for large sums, and graded copies are seen as a viable long-term investment.
1. 2019-20 National Treasures RJ Barrett RC #128 (eBay)
The combination of a serial number (99), an on-card auto, and a large patch make Barrett’s 2019-20 Panini National Treasures Basketball RPA another solid option for collectors interested in his very best rookie cards.
National Treasures is a popular premium set, while there’s a handful of parallels to be on the lookout for. It’s also exceptionally expensive, with an ungraded copy of the Emerald version selling for $6,188 in February 2022.
- Parallels: Gold #/10, Emerald #/5, Logoman 1/1
- FOTL Parallels: Stars & Stripes #/30, Stars & Stripes Blue #/3
RJ Barrett Rookie Cards: Buyers Guide
RJ Barrett has seen a resurgence in form in 2022. It’s a clear reminder why he was selected with the fifth pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Here’s what we think of the state of the current market.
There are so many cheaper Barrett RCs to choose from, making it difficult to identify any hidden gems. We’d stick with numbered parallels if possible, while you could always look to unsigned versions to make further savings.
We’re big on Color Blast cards, so we’d go for the 2019 Spectra SSP above all. We think it has the best potential for profit in the future, depending on the player and his progress over the next few seasons. The 2019-20 Panini National Treasures Basketball RPA is another card that could be worth five figures in the future, depending on how his career pans out.
RJ Barrett Rookie Cards: Buying/Selling Advice
Barrett has been one of the few positives in a difficult season for the Knicks, and it’s only helped to underline his talents for all to see.
This attention has also encouraged investors and collectors. This is why his card prices have remained steady over the past few years despite Barrett winning no individual awards.
For example, they could have dipped significantly after the player was left out of the NBA All-Rookie Team following the premature end of the regular 2019-20 season due to Covid-19.
Instead, they’ve retained value, as the average buyer still thinks he has what it takes to be an All-Star.
As such, we think that they’re a great alternative investment to the likes of Zion Williamson, with the added bonus of being far cheaper.