The American sports card market has experienced a massive resurgence over the last few years, as several generations of Americans seek to relive their childhood days of card collecting and trading.
While vintage cards have always garnered attention from the memorabilia market, many of the most valuable cards on the market today feature some of the brightest young stars from the current sports world. Justin Herbert memorabilia, including sports cards, are in high demand among collectors of all types.
Herbert, one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL at only 24 years old, has transformed the San Diego Chargers into an offensive powerhouse. Setting them up to be a perennial playoff contender for the next decade.
Below are the 10 best Justin Herbert rookie cards available in the market today. As well as some bonus memorabilia items.
10. 2020 Panini Mosaic, Card #204
Approximate PSA 10 Value – $95
Approximate PSA 9 Value – $35
The Panini Mosaic series was introduced in 2020. Debuting several hyped rookies from the NFL Draft including Joe Burrow, Chase Young, and Tua Tagovailoa.
Although he was the 3rd quarterback taken behind Burrow and Tagovailoa. Justin Herbert quickly established himself as an elite young player, and arguably the best of the entire 2020 NFL Draft class so far.
The Panini Mosaic series debuted in 2020, featuring Herbert on their #204 card. The Mosaic series employs a sleek, glossy look, reminiscent of the widely popular Panini Prizm series.
This card is one of the most popular Herbert rookie cards available and is a nice starter piece for any collection.
9. 2020 Panini Donruss Optic Rated, Card #153
Approximate PSA 10 Value – $225
Approximate PSA 9 Value – $95
The Panini Donruss Optic Rated card is another easily accessible Justin Herbert rookie card that has been selling frequently on eBay, Amazon, and other top online retailers.
While the #153 version is a great option in its own right. The Optic Rated series offers multiple versions of the rookie card that all possess brilliant shots of Herbert in action.
This card employs a shiny, chromium design, like so many other Panini cards, that collectors of all types gravitate toward.
The Optic Rated series also has the nostalgic appeal of employing the traditional Donruss brand. Which was a hallmark of football cards before being bought out by Panini in 2009.
8. 2020 Panini Prizm, Card #325
Approximate PSA 10 Value – $315
Approximate PSA 9 Value – $80
Continuing in the footsteps of the widely popular Panini Prism series. The #325 card is the most popular Justin Herbert rookie card in the marketplace.
With over 20 confirmed sales of this card on several different online sites in August 2022 for the PSA 9 level alone. It is one of the most sought-after NFL cards today.
As with many of the cards on this list, the Panini Prizm card continues the highly popular sleek/glossy design. Featuring Herbert centered perfectly in the middle, winding up to throw a pass in the Chargers’ white away uniforms.
7. 2020 Panini Donruss Downtown, Card #D-JH
Approximate PSA 10 Value – $4,500+
Approximate PSA 9 Value – $1,200
The first card on this list to reach the thousands threshold in PSA 9 and 10 values. The Panini Donruss Downtown series features the insert-entry card style. It incorporates beautifully designed artwork, showcasing Herbert as a graphically designed drawing instead of a traditional game-action picture.
The Donruss Downtown series specialize in including different cultural references to the player featured in their card, better connecting the player with his fanbase.
The back of the card notes that Herbert is the first Chargers quarterback taken in the 1st round since Eli Manning in 2003. In the infamous draft-day trade that eventually saw Manning traded to the Giants for Phillip Rivers.
6. 2020 Panini Contenders Autograph, Card #104
Approximate PSA 10 Value – $7,000
Approximate PSA 9 Value – $3,000
The Panini Contenders Autograph card utilizes a unique format that many collectors love. With a ticket design covering the left side of the card, and a picture of Herbert covering the right side.
The bottom of the card showcases Herbert’s signature, while the back of the card lists his college stats. Known as “Rookie Ticket” cards. Panini Contender Autograph cards are not the most expensive memorabilia cards available. But still fall into the high-end sports card market.
5. 2020 Panini Absolute Kaboom!, Card #K-JH1 & K-JH2
Approximate PSA 10 Value – $10,000
Approximate PSA 9 Value – $3,500
The most creative Justin Herbert rookie card is by far the Panini Absolute Kaboom version. Which expertly employs a cartoonish, comic-book design style throughout the entire product.
There are two different versions of the card, the #K-JH1 and #K-JH2.
One featuring Herbert running with the football and another featuring him scrambling in the pocket looking for an open receiver.
Both the front and back of the card picture Herbert in a cartoon caricature format. Which is a nice change from many of the traditional in-game photos that categorize the majority of most sports cards.
4. 2020 Panini Flawless Autograph Patch, Card #4
Approximate PSA 10 Value – $50,000
Approximate PSA 9 Value – $5,000
The first of the dual autograph patch cards, the #4 Justin Herbert Panini Flawless rookie card can easily function as the centerpiece of most collector’s card sets.
Although different versions of the card are available, the base version, which has a total of 25 cards printed in the set, features a picture of Herbert in the pocket in the top third of the card. The game-worn patch in the middle third. And the autograph on the bottom third.
The rookie signatures and gem versions of this card have only a total of 10 printed for each set, making them even more valuable.
3. 2020 Panini Impeccable Autograph Patch, Card #103
Approximate PSA 10 Value – $50,000
Approximate PSA 9 Value – $5,000
The 2020 Panini Impeccable Autograph Patch #103 card is easily the rarest Justin Herbert rookie card on this list, and in the marketplace in general.
With only one confirmed sale of this card reported on sportscardspro.com in the last year and a half, which was an ungraded version bringing a price of $2,590. Determining a value for this card is extremely difficult.
However, given the high price of cards containing both game-worn jerseys and autographs and the extreme rarity of this card. Collectors who somehow manage to land this card could potentially inherit a small fortune.
The layout of the card itself features game-worn patches on the left of the card, a picture of Herbert on the right of the card, and Herbert’s autograph centered on the bottom of the card.
2. 2020 Panini Immaculate Collection Autograph Patch, Card #103
Approximate PSA 10 Value – $75,000
Approximate PSA 9 Value – $7,500
The 2020 Panini Immaculate Collection Autograph Patch features a design differing from all the autograph patch designs presented on this list.
Instead of listing the autograph centered on the bottom of the card. This series features Herbert’s autograph in the top left of the card. A picture of Herbert is shown on the right third of the card. With the game-worn patch centered about two-thirds of the way down the front of the card.
The unique design makes it an ideal addition to many high-end collections.
1. 2020 Panini National Treasures Autograph Patch, Card #158
Approximate PSA 10 Value – $500,000
Approximate PSA 9 Value – $75,000
The top Justin Herbert rookie card, and probably the best sports memorabilia of any type available featuring Herbert, is the 2020 Panini National Treasures Autograph Patch card.
The card itself is very sensitive to condition issues. Evidenced by the fact that just 4 of these cards in total have been given a rating of PSA 10.
According to sportscardspro, no PSA 10 version of this card has been sold on any online marketplace to date.
Recently a PSA 9 version of this card sold for an astounding $65,000, making a PSA 10 version one of the most valuable pieces of NFL memorabilia in existence.
The card showcases a picture of Herbert on the left side of the card holding the ball in the pocket. The right side of the card contains the game-worn patch, while the bottom of the card contains Herbert’s signature.
Bonus Memorabilia Items
Justin Herbert also has an impressive array of other memorabilia items other than sports cards that individuals can add to their collections.
Two different game-authentic autographed Charger helmets, a black version and a white version, can currently be purchased on sportsmemorabilia.com for $1,234.99.
Individuals with a tighter budget can opt to purchase a mini-helmet version of this item for a more affordable $379.99. Several autographed jerseys, some framed and others not, range in price from $599.99 to $799.99.
One of the best bargain memorabilia items available on sportsmemorabilia.com includes an autographed picture of Herbert, Joey Bosa, and Keenan Allen, 3 of the best players on the Chargers roster, a great gift for any Chargers fan.
When I was just starting out with my card collection, I had lots of questions about authenticity, trading, and card conditions. But with not that much information available online, I felt quite alone in my queries. Some questions still haven’t been answered to this day.
This site aims to rectify this, and now, I am passing on my knowledge!
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