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 towering right fielder’s combination of mammoth home runs and outstanding defense have made him a fan favorite in the Bronx. Unsurprisingly, Aaron Judge’s dominance on the field has translated to huge demand for his rookie cards and top rookie season cards.
Some of Aaron Judge’s most coveted and valuable baseball cards from his early career include:
2017 Topps Series 1 #168 Aaron Judge Rookie Card – As arguably the most widely produced Aaron Judge rookie card, the 2017 Topps Series 1 remains one of his most sought-after. Though there were plenty produced to meet demand, hardcore collectors still love to add this iconic first Judge rookie to their collections. Graded gem mint (GM) 10 examples have sold for over $10,000. Even in a PSA 9 or Beckett 9 condition, they often sell for $1,000-2,000.
2017 Topps Archives #165 Aaron Judge Rookie Card – As part of Topps Archives Series 1 release in 2017, this photo-style card mimicking old 1960s baseball cards is highly collector-preferred. With a much lower print run than the base Topps flagship release, PSA 10 versions typically sell for $3,000-5,000. Even raw copies still demand $500-1,000 even in good condition without grading.
2017 Bowman Chrome Superfractor #BO-J Aaron Judge Rookie Card – Out of the many options in the Bowman release that year celebrating Judge’s rookie season, the 1/1 superfractor parallel stands out as his true Holy Grail card. As the lone copy printed with this subset designation on the Bowman Chrome stock, its rarity and the refractor technologies place it as a true trophy card for any collection. Its value is essentially priceless for any serious Aaron Judge collector.
2017 Bowman Chrome Rainbow Foil Refractor #152 Aaron Judge Rookie Card – A more attainable yet still incredibly scarce parallel from Bowman Chrome, the Rainbow Foil Refractor carries parallel numbering around /10 or less, making it one of the most visually striking Judge rookie cards. Even very high grade versions typically trade hands between $10,000-15,000 depending on exact parallel number and condition.
2017 Topps Chrome #168 Aaron Judge Rookie Refractor – As one of the more prominent refractors across flagship and Chrome releases that year, this refractor version of the Topps rookie is highly sought. It maintains similarly strong values to the regularTopps rookie in top grades, with PSA 10 copies valued over $5,000.
2017 Topps Triple Threads #43 Aaron Judge Jersey-Autographed Rookie Card – A true game-used memorabilia card from Topps’ high-end product, Aaron Judge signed copies with included jersey swatches are some of his most valuable rookie cards available. PSA/DNA 10 graded versions have sold in the $15,000 range, while 9.5 grades still net over $7,500. Even unsigned jersey cards still hold $1,000+ in top condition.
2017 Topps Chrome Gold #168 Aaron Judge /2017 Gold Refractor Rookie Card – As one of Judge’s earliest limited parallels, the Topps Chrome gold refractor is indeed a true treasure for collectors. With numbers possibly around /50 copies or even lower, PSA 10 realize upwards of $7,000.
Of course, Aaron Judge’s truly elite play in 2017 helped propel interest in capturing his rookie seasons in these various baseball cards at their peak. As one of the most hyped offensive prospects upon his Yankees debut, issuing his 52 home run rookie season broke numerous franchise and AL records. This breakout amplified just how special those initial Judge cards would become for collectors.
To this day, as Judge continues establishing himself as one of MLB’s true superstars still in his prime, those first great rookie cards remain highly sought. Even lesser parallel and lower grade versions command four figures due to their scarce print runs at a moment capturing the start of his blossoming star power. For serious Yankees PC builders and high-end collectors, these seminal Aaron Judge early cards stand as crucial trophies to acquiring. Their values remain locked in for the long run barring unforeseen issues affecting his Hall of Fame caliber career that still has many chapter left to write. No matter what transpires, Aaron Judge’s initial baseball cards enshrining that record-setting rookie season will endure as some of the most iconic modern issues to surface in the hobby.
