Trey Lance Rookie Card Market Guide

For San Francisco 49ers fans, Trey Lance might be the quarterback they've been looking for. Although injuries have limited his playing time, his rookie season showed that he's a promising newcomer with the potential to become an NFL star.

From College Star to 49ers Gold

From an early age, Trey Lance was trained for football by his father, Carlton Lance, a former cornerback for the Canadian Football League and World League of American Football. In middle school, young Trey was already playing quarterback; by high school, he was considered Minnesota's best quarterback prospect.

He joined the North Dakota State Bisons in 2017 and became their starting quarterback in 2019. That same year, he led the team to another FCS Championship, where he was named MVP. That season, he achieved a NCAA season record by completing 192 passes (for 2,786 yards) with no interceptions, which was an NCAA record for most passes in a season without a turnover. This breakout performance led to his winning two awards from the Football Championship Subdivision: the Walter Payton Award for the most outstanding offensive player and the Jerry Rice Award for the best freshman player.

As one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft, Lance was chosen as the No. 3 overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers. He began the season as a backup to starter Jimmy Garoppolo and made one play in Week 1, in which he threw a five-yard touchdown pass that helped win the game. After playing backup for several games, he was named starter when Garoppolo was injured. For the rest of the season, he gave stellar performances when he played, although injuries kept him off the field for multiple games. Finally, he earned his first victory as a starter in Week 17, throwing for 249 yards and two touchdowns for a 23-7 win against the Houston Texans.

For the 2022 season, Lance was named the starting quarterback. He appeared in two games but suffered a season-ending injury to his ankle while playing the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2. Nevertheless, hopes are high that he'll progress into a leading quarterback who can bring the 49ers back to another Super Bowl.

Are Trey Lance Cards Valuable?

In 2021, Lance made headlines when his 2021 Panini Flawless Platinum NFL Shield Patch Autograph card sold for a staggering $132,000 at auction. While the rookie card was one-of-a-kind, several other Lance rookie cards have also reached stratospheric heights, with the previous record reaching $61,000.

Thanks to his status as a college superstar and his excellent performances during his rookie season, Trey Lance has quickly developed an enormous fan base with high collector interest in his football cards.

Investment Potential for Trey Lance Cards

When a player's card sells for sky-high prices at auction, high-roller investors might also start to take an interest in the player's other cards. Several Lance rookie cards have done exceptionally well at auction, which could bode well for collectors, especially if Lance goes on to have a Hall of Fame career.

If Lance has a less-than-stellar career, this could impact his card values significantly. But if he can hold onto the starting quarterback position and continue to excel, there's a better chance that collector interest in his cards will remain strong.

Top Trey Lance Rookie Cards

As one of the top draft picks of 2021, Trey Lance has a wealth of rookie cards available, including many that came out before he even suited up for San Francisco. Collectors can choose between rookie cards that show him still wearing a North Dakota uniform or cards that show him in his 49ers uniform.

Here are seven of the most popular Trey Lance rookie cards to look for:

2021 Panini Prizm Color Blast #13 Trey Lance ($8,988)

Collectors who appreciate Lance's early rookie cards but prefer seeing Lance in a 49ers uniform might want to check out this 2021 Prizm Color Blast card, which features a full-length action image of Lance getting ready to throw a pass. It's set against a Color Blast burst of reflective colors on a white background. This iconic rookie card also came in a variety of background color parallels.

SportsCardsPro shows prices trending at $1,079 for Ungraded and $8,988 for Gem Mint.

At PriceGuide.Cards, prices trend at an average of $2,332 for Ungraded and $6,702 for Graded, with a top price of $8,988 (grades not specified).

2021 Panini Prizm Draft Picks Autograph (Green Pulsar) #DPA-TLA Trey Lance ($3,500)

As one of the most popular Lance rookie cards, this gem vividly shows Lance wearing his North Dakota uniform while running the ball. The graphics show a kaleidoscope of reflective jewel-like colors enhanced with an Optichrome finish. In addition, there's a sticker autograph across the bottom half and a shining hexagon logo in the lower left corner.

These cards are available in various limited-edition parallel versions, including Red, Blue Shimmer, Blue Ice, Green Pulsar, Orange Pulsar and Gold.

At SportsCardsPro, the Base card trends at $87 for Ungraded, $79 for Grade 8 and $168 for Grade 9. Grade 9.5 trends for $241, and Gem Mint for $322.

Of the many color parallels, these are the highest trending prices: trends at $255 Ungraded and $3,500 for Gem Mint. Mojo trends at $499 Ungraded and $3,057 for Gem Mint. Blue Shimmer trends at $1,147 for Ungraded and $2,324 for Gem Mint. Red Circles trends at $274 for Ungraded and $1,000 for Grade 9.

2021 Panini Gold Standard Rookie Jersey Autograph #204 Trey Lance #’d/49 ($2,752)

This golden release shows an action shot of Lance in his 49ers uniform, set against a stunning background of red overladen with rich gold graphics. It features three jersey patch squares, as well as a sticker autograph, and comes in a strictly limited edition.

At PriceGuide.Cards, trends show average prices at $959 for Ungraded, with a top price of $2,752.

At SportsCardsPro, prices trend at $143 for Ungraded, $126 for Grade 8 and $208 for Grade 9. Grade 9.5 trends for $382, and Gem Mint for $507.

2021 Mosaic Draft Picks (Red Parallel) #7 Trey Lance #’d/99 ($296)

Released as an online exclusive, this shimmering card shows a powerful full-length image of Lance in his North Dakota uniform, preparing to throw a pass. The Base card has a black background, while the parallel versions have a glittery reflective background with a wide range of colors. The graphics are accented with shiny striping and a bright Mosaic logo at the top right-hand corner.

At PriceGuide.Cards, the Base version, Ungraded, trends at an average price of $9 and a top price of $35. Blue trends at an average Graded price of $62 and a top price of $99. Silver trends at an average Ungraded price of $17 and a top price of $30. Red trends at an average Ungraded price of $107 and a top price of $296.

At SportsCardsPro, the Base card trends for less than $10 for Grades 8 and below, $14 for Grade 9, $27 for Grade 9.5 and $39 for Gem Mint. For ungraded cards, blue trends at $33, pink at $108, purple at $44, red at $42 and silver trends at $25 Ungraded.

2021 Panini Chronicles Select Draft Picks #260 Trey Lance ($76)

Another notable selection from the Chronicles Draft Picks hobby box, this affordable card has a lot going for it thanks to its eye-catching graphics. There's a great action shot of Lance running with the ball tucked under his arm, framed by black, silver and gold swirls. The gold "Select" logo is featured at the top left corner, with the "RC Rookie Card" emblem on the right lower half.

At SportsCardsPro, prices for the Base card trend at $2 for Ungraded. For Red, Ungraded trends at $6, and Gem Mint trends at $76. For Purple, Ungraded trends for $27.

At PriceGuide.Cards, prices for Red Ungraded trend at $22, with a top price of $29.

2021 Panini Prizm Collegiate Draft Picks #120 Trey Lance ($69)

When this card was released, it quickly became one of the most popular Lance cards on the market, even though it still shows him in his Bisons uniform. The striking image shows him in gameplay action, running with the ball. White, black and silver swirls frame the photo, which features the Prizm logo at the top left and the hallmark hexagon at the bottom.

PriceGuide.Cards shows Ungraded versions at an average price of $3, with Graded versions averaging $14. The top price trending is $69, with grades unspecified.

At SportsCardsPro, prices trend at $1 for Ungraded, $3 for Grade 8 and $5.50 for Grade 9. Grade 9.5 trends at $13, and Gem Mint at $18.

2021 Donruss Optic Rated Rookie #203 Trey Lance ($41)

This exciting issue is part of the 2021 Chronicles Draft Picks hobby box, which features around 15 Lance rookie cards, showing him in his North Dakota State uniform. One fan favorite in this collection is the Donruss Optic Rated Rookie card, which shows an image of Lance in action, running with the ball as he looks for a receiver. The Base card features dark red striping against a white edging, with other colors available in parallel versions.

SportsCardsPro shows prices trending at $3 for Ungraded, $10 for Grade 8 and $17 for Grade 9. Grade 9.5 trends for $28, and Gem Mint for $41.

Where Can I Find Trey Lance Cards?

You can find Trey Lance cards for sale at a wide range of online auction sites, including:

• eBay
• EBTH
• Invaluable
• Heritage Auctions
• Memory Lane
• SCP Auctions
• Robert Edward Auctions
• Sotheby’s
• PWCC
• Goldin
• Pristine Auction
• Christie’s

You'll also find Trey Lance cards at sports card and memorabilia shows, which are held regularly across the country. To find a show coming to your area, you can do a Google search or check with sports forums and social media sites for updated schedules.

How Are Trey Lance Cards Graded?

All sports cards are graded through an established numeric system, ranging from Ungraded to a Perfect 10. Here's how it works:

Perfect 10: Gem Mint in all four criteria: corners, surface, edges and centering. Even at 10x magnification, it's flawless.

Gem Mint: Perfect, with no wear, damage, fading or manufacturing flaws.

Grade 9.5: Near-Mint card, with just one minor flaw.

Grade 9: Excellent, with a few minor flaws.

Grades 8 and below: These cards have condition issues or manufacturing flaws and are priced accordingly.

Raw or Ungraded: Raw cards are new to the collectors market and have just been removed from their packaging or boxes. Ungraded cards have never been graded.

Three components drive sports card prices: condition, rarity and collector demand. Unlike condition and rarity, which can be easily assessed, collector demand is an unknown quantity and can change at any time. Because demand fuels the market, a Gem Mint example of a rare card may stagnate in value, while a more common card in lesser condition may catapult in price if enough people want it. Online auctions can drive prices up, too, especially if there's a bidding war among enthusiastic collectors.

Should I Get My Cards Graded?

Getting your cards graded can help enhance your collection because grading provides an established authenticity and quality recognized everywhere in the sports card industry. When your cards are graded, they're authenticated by a certified expert and given a condition number that's entered into an international database as a permanent record of your collection.

As time passes, you may decide to keep your cards, sell them, donate them or bequeath them to someone. Whatever you decide to do, your professionally graded collection will have an established quality that people will recognize for generations to come. For further information on CSG's 10-point Grading Scale and to find out more about our industry-leading services, visit CSGcards.com.

*Any mention of "investment potential" is for entertainment only and should not be construed as investment advice. The Certified Collectibles Group does not provide investment advice and is not liable for any buy, sell or trade decisions made by any parties.