Aaron Judge has quickly become one of the most popular players in Major League Baseball since making his debut with the New York Yankees in 2016. The 6-foot-7 outfielder has displayed prodigious power at the plate and is a three-time All-Star with a Rookie of the Year award already under his belt. Not surprisingly, Judge’s popularity and success on the field has translated to huge interest from collectors in Aaron Judge baseball cards.

While still relatively new to the big leagues, Judge has already seen many of his rookie cards become quite valuable. One of his most iconic and sought-after rookie cards is the 2017 Topps Series 1 card. Featuring a clean photo of Judge at the plate in his Yankees road grey uniform, this basic cardboard release quickly became one of the most valuable modern rookie cards. PSA 10 Gem Mint examples of this card now sell for thousands of dollars due to Judge’s immediate success and star power.

Another major Aaron Judge rookie card is the 2017 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects Green Refractor Parallel card. Numbered to just 15 copies, this hyper-rare pull features Judge in his Orange Coast College uniform during his draft year. In high grades, the Green Refractor has sold at auction for over $20,000, making it one of the priciest Judge rookie cards available. The standard 2017 Bowman Chrome Draft card also holds value, with PSA 10s selling in the $500-1000 range.

While rookie cards understandably get the most attention, Aaron Judge has also seen many of his mainstream sports card releases from his early career appreciate in value. The 2017 Topps Opening Day card, for instance, has grown quite a bit in secondary market pricing relative to other modern parallels. A PSA 10 Gem Mint example of the red parallel recently sold for over $1000. Other popular Topps parallels like the Gold, Orange, and Purple versions also command four-figure prices in high grades.

Judge’s 2017 Topps Update Series card, featuring an action shot of him rounding the bases, is also a fan favorite. The standard base version has increased to around $50-75 in PSA 10 condition. Rarer parallels like the Green /99 and Gold /50 hold substantially more value, with the latter selling for over $2000 in pristine condition. Many collectors also love the photo and design used for Judge’s 2018 Topps Series 1 base card, making high-grade versions a worthwhile long-term hold.

While the majority of increased value has been seen in Judge’s rookie cards and earliest issues, some of his later mainstream releases have also started to appreciate. For instance, his 2018 Topps Update Series “All Rise” home run call variation has grown quite a bit. PSA 10 examples now sell in the $150-250 range. Judge’s 2019 Topps Series 1 card, which features a powerful head-on swing shot, has also started to increase in secondary pricing. This is likely due to continued strong play and the growing collector demand for any quality Aaron Judge cardboard.

In addition to his base Topps cards, Judge has also seen many of his popular inserts and parallels gain value over the past few years. His 2017 Topps Chrome and Bowman Sterling refractors are excellent long-term holds, with the rarer color variations holding the most potential. Judge has also received numerous prestigious insert sets over the years from Topps, including Rookie Cup, Stars of the Topps Project 2020, and All-Time Fan Favorites cards. Many of these limited print run inserts featuring special designs have increased substantially since issue.

While still in his prime, Aaron Judge already has an incredibly impressive collection of valuable baseball cards due to his quick rise to stardom. As one of the faces of MLB and the Yankees franchise, demand for Judge’s cards shows no signs of slowing. As long as he can stay healthy and productive on the field, many collectors expect his best rookie cards and early issues to continue appreciating over the long haul. Later mainstream releases like his Topps Update and Topps Series 1 cards may also start increasing at a faster rate if Judge lives up to his superstar potential. Overall, Aaron Judge cards present an excellent investment opportunity for both current collectors and those hoping to add a blue-chip modern player to their holdings.

With each new season, Aaron Judge seems to further cement his status as one of the game’s brightest young talents. As a true five-tool player, his prolific home run power is matched by his defensive prowess and elite baserunning ability. Barring any unforeseen decline, Aaron Judge has a strong chance to put together a Hall of Fame career. If he does, many of his best early cards from brands like Topps, Bowman, and Topps Chrome could end up being worth tens of thousands of dollars or more in the coming decades. For now, simply owning pristine examples of Judge’s most iconic rookie issues makes for an enticing modern baseball card speculation play.