When Did RC Become Most Important?

[HistoricNewspapers]

Originally Posted by rats60

The 1969 Topps Reggie Jackson has two years of MLB stats on the back. Is it no longer a rookie card?

The hobby adopted the definition of a rookie card to be inclusive. They knew that if the hobby was to grow and survive, a player's best card had to be accessable to everyone, not just to dealers and wealthy adults. That is why Jackie Robinson's RCs are 1949 Leaf and Bowman and Michael Jordan's RC is 1986 Fleer. It doesn't stop you from collecting earlier cards.

The hobby is no different today. Julio Rodriguez's RCs are in the 2022 products. It doesn't matter that he had a 2021 Bowman's Best card.

Jackson's card would most certainly not be a rookie card if he had cards in each of the two year's prior like Jackie Robinson or Michael Jordan did.

If you hold up a 1986 Fleer Jordan and say this is his rookie card....then what the heck are the two cards made two years prior? So they aren't cards? If they are cards and pre-date another card, then it seems awfully foolish to still cling to the third year card as a rookie card. Well, either foolish, or done by design to arbitrarily bump its value. You can still collect the third year card. It just isn't a rookie card, regardless of what the arbitrary 'rules' state.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by HistoricNewspapers

Jackson's card would most certainly not be a rookie card if he had cards in each of the two year's prior like Jackie Robinson or Michael Jordan did.

If you hold up a 1986 Fleer Jordan and say this is his rookie card....then what the heck are the two cards made two years prior? So they aren't cards? If they are cards and pre-date another card, then it seems awfully foolish to still cling to the third year card as a rookie card. Well, either foolish, or done by design to arbitrarily bump its value. You can still collect the third year card. It just isn't a rookie card, regardless of what the arbitrary 'rules' state.

The 1985 Star is an XRC. The 1986 Star is nothing. The 1986 Fleer is a RC. You may think it is foolish, but the hobby does not.