..."lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel."
Jason, I'm right there with you on the grossly overrated status of rookie cards.
After 10-15 years of the organized adult hobby (69-84), collectors started to enjoy and hence created the category of rookie card collecting. Dealers immediately sensed this, and were naturally more than willing to jack up their current prices for rookie cards. I mean, they were plum pleased to take advantage of the situation. As they marked up the prices, collectors just assumed that meant they really were more important, which was kinda stupid. The only exception was the argument of Mickey Mantle's rookie card.
Those who owned the Bowman could never convince the owners of the '52 Topps which card was more significant. If they had just shut up and been content that the 51 Bowman was naturally important in and of itself, regardless of which one was recognized as the official rookie. But no, they wanted all the marbles. Truth will out, collectors love them both, but the 52 Topps is the most significant and valuable of the two. ---Brian Powell
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