Josh Allen Rookie Cards Skyrocket as NFL MVP Buzz Builds
Josh Allen continues to light up the NFL, and Sunday was no exception. The league's leading MVP candidate led the Buffalo Bills to a win over the Detroit Lions, throwing for 362 yards, rushing for 68, and accounting for 4 total touchdowns. Allen's sustained elite play has collectors scrambling for his rookie cards, pushing their prices to new all-time highs. Below is a chart illustrating the recent spike in his card prices.
According to CardLadder, a popular platform for tracking trading card values, Josh Allen’s market has surged to unprecedented levels in December. Unfortunately for collectors, this likely means the window of opportunity has passed. At this point, the expectation of him winning MVP is already factored into his card prices, so they’re likely nearing their peak - unless, of course, he makes the Super Bowl. It’s important to note that he doesn’t need to win the Super Bowl for his card prices to peak; they’ll likely reach their new ceiling as soon as he makes it. In other words, card prices rise on the expectation of accomplishments, not necessarily the accomplishments themselves.
Josh Allen's recent spike in card prices isn't a new phenomenon. A similar trend can be seen in Aaron Judge's index over the past several years, as shown in the chart below.
We can see a clear spike in his prices starting in May 2022, reaching a peak before he was awarded his first MVP. Afterward, there was a steady decline until this year's MVP expectations started to rise - this time, the downward trend began before Game 1 of the World Series even started.
All this comes to say that the Josh Allen market should correct itself. Collectors can breathe a sigh of relief knowing they’ll have another opportunity to buy his cards at a better price, no matter how brief that opportunity may be.
Jason is a dedicated basketball card collector who recently transitioned into writing and educating others about the sports card industry. Find him on Instagram @jeancardz