Quote:
Originally Posted by ALR-bishop
You might look at the discussion on the main board about the Mantle rookie card. Included is a discussion about whether a true rookie card needs to occur in year the player actually played, and at what level.
As with most hobby debates there is no official hobby arbiter to decide such questions. Opinions vary. Are you using PSA ? Do all the grading companies come out in the same place on this ?
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I think the Mantle discussion is a completely different beast. Mantle was a baseball player in 1951 and Bowman made a card for him. In 1952 Topps issued a card which is arguably the most iconic card in the hobby along with the Wagner. So a lot of people refer to it as his RC. I'm sure that is part marketing and part Topps bias in the hobby.
The Jordan issue seems cut and dry. If Michael Jordan never played minor league baseball would the 1991 card be a rookie card? No. Just a fun special card to try and get people to spend more money on packs to get one. In 1994 he switches to baseball and boom 1991 is his RC? I don't think so.
Just my opinion of course.