San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance is one of the more valuable rookies found in 2021 NFL sets. Here’s a rundown with the top five options to collect, as well as our thoughts about his future prospects. 

A broken ankle suffered in Week 2 of the 2022 season against the Seahawks put a stop to the Trey Lance hype train for a time, but it’s still worth checking out some of his best rookie cards as we head into 2023.

Lance was the third overall pick for the 49ers in the 2021 draft, after a blockbuster trade that sent four picks to the Dolphins for their No. 3 selection. The 49ers sent their 2021, 2022 and 2023 first-round choices, along with a third-round pick in the 2022 draft.

His rarest rookie cards regularly sell for four figures, so we’ve taken the opportunity to list five of the best options overall. 

The Best Trey Lance Rookie Cards

We’ve considered values, rarity, the brand, and recent sales when coming up with this list. 

5. 2020 Select Trey Lance 2021 XRC #403 (eBay)

Found in 2020 Panini Select Football as a XRC Mystery Redemptions insert, this early release is one of the first to feature Lance as an NFL player. There’s a large XRC logo above the player nameplate, and it uses a familiar Prizm-style design. 

It’s a decent entry-level card, while there’s also a more valuable auto found in the set which uses a different image on the front. You’ll also be able to find a trio of rare parallels for the XRC Mystery Redemptions insert.

• Parallels: Tie-Dye #/25, Gold #/10, Black 1/1

Check prices of 2020 Select Trey Lance 2021 XRC on eBay

4. 2021 Prizm Trey Lance RC #333 (eBay)

If you’d prefer to stick with signed cards, the Trey Lance auto found in 2021 Panini Prizm Football is an obvious place to start. It features a strong Prizm border design, and a great action shot. 

One drawback is that it’s a stickered auto, but it does come with a large selection of parallels that you’d expect from the flagship set. You’ll see an example of the Red Wave in the image above. 

• Parallels: Pink, Purple Pulsar, Red Wave #/149, Green Scope #/75, Purple Power #/49, Red Shimmer #/35, Camo #/25, Blue Shimmer #/25, Gold #/10, Gold Vinyl #/5, Green Shimmer #/5, Black Finite 1/1, White Sparkle 1/1
• No Huddle: No Huddle, Gold #/10, Black 1/1

Check prices of 2021 Prizm Trey Lance RC on eBay

3. 2021 Donruss Optic Rated Rookie Trey Lance RC #203 (eBay)

Heading over to 2021 Donruss Optic Football, the Rated Rookie subset is ideal if you’re looking for a mix of popularity and affordability. There’s an autographed Lance RC to chase, featuring an action shot of the quarterback on the move. It uses a similar design to 2021 Donruss Football, with the added benefit of an Optichrome finish which helps it to stand out from the crowd. Ice parallels are new, and are limited to just 15 copies. 

• Parallels: Bronze, Red Hyper, Holo #/125, Blue #/99, Red #/75, Purple Stars #/50, Pink Velocity #/50, Purple #/35, Black Pandora #/25, Ice #/15, Gold #/10, Green #/5, Gold Vinyl 1/1

Check prices of 2021 Donruss Optic Rated Rookie Trey Lance RC on eBay

2. 2021 Panini Color Blast Prizm Trey Lance RC #CB13 (eBay) 

Found in 2021 Panini Prizm Football, Color Blast cards are always a premium option, as a case hit that is difficult to locate despite the lack of a serial number. (In fact, they drop at a rate of one in every 10 cases.)

They’re even more valuable if there’s a rookie card logo on the front, as is the case for Trey Lance. His Color Blast RC is a high-end card that uses a now familiar design. 

Check prices of 2021 Panini Color Blast Prizm Trey Lance RC on eBay

1. 2021 Flawless Trey Lance RPA #RDPA-TRL (eBay)

Next up is an ultra-premium RPA found in 2021 Panini Flawless Football. The base version of the Rookie Dual Patch Autographs Trey Lance RC is numbered to 25, with a smattering of parallels to chase. 

This RPA has everything. The sticker is on-card, while the dual patch doesn’t get in the way, even if the memorabilia isn’t from a specific game or event. In truth, any of the rarer Flawless RPAs is a great, albeit expensive option for high-end collectors. 

• Parallels: Silver #/20, Ruby #/15 or #/10, Sapphire #/10, Bronze #/6, Emerald #/5, Platinum 1/1

Check prices of 2021 Flawless Trey Lance RPA on eBay

How much is Trey Lance’s rookie card worth?

How much is a Trey Lance RC worth? It’ll depend on the card, the condition, and whether it’s been graded by a reputable company. 

However, there’s still a general acceptance that Lance will come good despite his injuries, and that’s seen in the high asking prices for his rarest rookie cards. For example, the Color Blast RC will go for a hefty sum, even if it’s ungraded. If you’re unsure, check sites like eBay to find recent sales.

Trey Lance Rookie Cards: Final Thoughts 

The player has only started 21 football games since high school in the run up to the new season. There are lingering doubts about his durability, and that’s worrying for anyone who plans to drop a four figure fee on one of his best rookie cards. 

Prices have fallen over the past few months, while Lance’s future with San Francisco is unclear. Another trade could potentially be on the horizon. At this moment in time, there’s a lot of uncertainty.