ookie Card (rook’e kard) noun
1.  A player’s first appearance on a base card from one of the major card manufacturers (Topps, Pacific, Upper Deck, Donruss/Playoff, In The Game). Often abbreviated as RC
2. The hottest, most desirable card collectibles today

In the early days of collecting, a player usually would have just one Rookie Card. That’s because, for many years, there was just one company, Topps, producing cards.

Today, there are several manufacturers licensed to produce trading cards by the respective leagues. And each brand can offer a true Rookie Card of any first-year player. That means plenty of choices, at least one of which will be perfect for any collection.

What’s The Best Rookie Card?
Think of Rookie Cards as being kind of like automobiles. Some are entry-level types that are both affordable and practical, meaning anyone with a lawn mowing gig can pick up a few cards of their favorite young prospect without breaking the bank.

Of course, if you’re blessed with a little extra scratch, you can buy cards from more expensive and desirable products that are equipped with autographs, pieces of game-worn jerseys and serial numbered production.

So which ones should you buy? For many collectors, the bottom line is production run. The basic rule of thumb: the scarcer a card is, the more popular it will be on when collectors and dealers try to resell them.

To assure collectors of that scarcity, many brands include serial numbering to designate exactly how many copies were printed. The most popular cards tend to be limited to less than 1,000 copies, although some products can feature print runs of less than 100 cards. Seriously, that’s all they make. No wonder these cards draw the biggest bucks.

Why Are Rookie Cards So Important?
With so many tight new cards coming out each year, why do so many in the hobby focus on unproven players over established stars? Simple – it’s all about potential, both on the playing field and investment-wise.

For example...before he retired, a guy like NHL goalie Patrick Roy had already done everything he could possibly do by winning Cups and setting the all-time victories record. That’s why his cards were prized by collectors, but it’s also why his cards eventually hit the hobby glass ceiling – there was nothing else he could do to make them all that much more valuable.

But take a relatively unproven kid like, say, Scottie Upshall of Nashville or P-M Bouchard of Minnesota. At this point in their career, they’re like penny stocks. But imagine what their cards could be worth if they live up to their potential? That’s the thrill of buying RCs – the raw kid you purchase today may become the Wayne Gretzky or Patrick Roy of tomorrow. And you, smart guy that you are, will have picked up his cards before they cost more than a compact car!