Drew Brees Rookie Card Market Guide

Considered an NFL legend, Drew Brees is one of those players who seemed to get better and better each year. His NFL career started when the San Diego Chargers chose him as a second-round pick from Purdue in 2001. His first breakout season came in 2004, when he won the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year Award and was selected for the Pro Bowl. But injuries and free agency deals led to him being traded to the New Orleans Saints in 2006 — and for Saints fans, the rest is history.

For the next 15 seasons, Brees led the team to nine playoff appearances, seven division titles, three NFC Championship appearances and the Saints' first Super Bowl win. Starting with his first selection in 2006, Brees was selected to the Pro Bowl 13 times and was named Offensive Player of the Year twice. He led the NFL in passing seven times, establishing an NFL record.

A Record-Breaking Legacy

In 2006, Brees brought the Saints from a 3-13 record the previous year to a 10-6 record and the NFC South division title. In Week 11, he recorded a career-high 510 passing yards with two touchdowns against the Bengals (although the Bengals won 31-16), achieving a single-game record for the Saints. By the end of the season, Brees had recorded 4,418 passing yards for a franchise record, which he then went on to break a further eight times.

Later that year, he was named as the NFC’s starting quarterback in the Pro Bowl. Along with LaDainian Tomlison, he was also a co-recipient of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. In 2009, Brees became only the second quarterback in history (behind Peyton Manning) to throw for more than 5,000 yards in a single NFL season.

Breakout Year and a Super Bowl Win

In 2010, Brees led the Saints to Super Bowl XLIV, the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance, where they defeated the Indianapolis Colts 31-17. Brees recorded 32 pass completions (tying a Super Bowl record) and was named MVP. By season's end, he had a then-record-setting completion percentage of 70.62, a record he broke twice in 2011 and then again in 2017. Brees was named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year and AP Athlete of the Year.

Brees continued to play with the Saints — and shatter records — until 2020. In 2011, he became the first quarterback to surpass 4,000 yards during the first 12 games of a season. He was also the first quarterback to break Dan Marino's longstanding season passing record with 5,476 yards that year. By the time he retired in 2020, Brees had led the NFL in passing yards a record-breaking total of seven times.

Are Drew Brees Rookie Cards Valuable?

Given his popularity coming into the NFL, it's probably not surprising that there are more than 60 Drew Brees rookie cards featuring Brees as a Purdue Boilermaker and a San Diego Charger. There is high collector demand for some of Brees’ limited edition and autographed cards as well, meaning they are selling for huge prices.

Investment Potential for Drew Brees Rookie Cards

Thanks to Brees's colossal popularity and record-breaking career, his rookie cards could continue to hold their value and potentially increase desirability over time. Prices may go even higher when Brees is inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Top Drew Brees Rookie Cards

Here's a look at eight of the most popular and valuable Drew Brees rookie cards:

2001 Playoff Contenders Rookie Ticket Autograph #124 Drew Brees ($35,250)

This iconic card differs from later Contenders Rookie Ticket issues in that the autograph is on an attached sticker rather than the card itself. However, going by previous auction sales, this makes no difference to collectors who continue to clamor for this card. It features an image of Brees about to throw a pass, set against a background of Chargers blue and gold, with an autograph sticker attached below.

SportsCardsPro shows Ungraded trending at $2,345, Grade 7 at $1,916, Grade 8 at $2,000 and Grade 9 at $6,894. Grade 9 trends at $13,500, and Gem Mint at $35,250.

At PriceGuide.Cards, Ungraded trends at an average price of $705 and a top price of $15,000. Graded trends at an average price of $3,690 and a top price of $28,645 (grades unspecified).

2001 SP Authentic Future Watch Jersey Patch #101 Drew Brees ($26,939)

SP Authentic is a popular series for fans of jersey patch cards. This Future Watch rookie card features a patch worn by Brees during the 2011 NFL Rookie Premiere Photo Shoot. It is embedded alongside a great action shot of Brees running with the ball. The card is limited to only 500 copies.

At PriceGuide.Cards, Ungraded trends at an average price of $147 and a top price of $1,900. Graded trends at an average price of $829 and a top price of $26,939 (grades unspecified).

SportsCardsPro shows Graded trending at $215, Grade 7 at $114, Grade 8 at $151 and Grade 9 at $392. Grade 9.5 trends at $1,127 and Gem Mint trends at $1,150.

2001 Topps Chrome #229 Drew Brees - #’d/999 ($9,999)

Limited to 999 copies, this fan-favorite shows an excellent action image of Brees throwing the football. The card is bordered in silver, with the Topps Rookie banner at the top.

At PriceGuide.Cards, Ungraded trends at an average price of $326 and a top price of $3,550. Graded trends at an average price of $1,360 and a top price of $9,999 (grades unspecified).

SportsCardsPro shows Ungraded trending at $717, Grade 8 at $800 and Grade 9 at $1,401. Grade 9.5 trends at $2,300, and Gem Mint at $7,623.

2001 Bowman Chrome #144 Drew Brees - #’d/1,999 ($9,880)

This card remains popular thanks to the many fans who appreciate Bowman Chrome's quality graphics. The card had a limited run of 1,999 and features an appealing shot of Brees running with the ball, framed in teal, blue, black and gray.

PriceGuide.Cards show Ungraded trending at an average price of $205 and a top price of $2,875. Graded trends at an average price of $644 and a top price of $9,880 (grades unspecified).

At SportsCardsPro, Ungraded trends at $292, Grade 7 at $209 and Grade 8 at $425. Grade 9 trends at $431, Grade 9.5 at $1,530 and Gem Mint at $1,561.

2001 Fleer E-X #95 Drew Brees - Essential Credentials Parallel #’d/29 ($4,913)

Limited to only 29 copies, this attractive Essential Credentials Parallel shows an image of Brees holding the ball, hands up, preparing to throw a pass. It's set against an eye-catching blue background, with the Chargers’ lightning bolt, which is repeated twice in the design. Further, the base E-X #95 is also highly desirable and has a print run of only 1,000.

At PriceGuide.Cards, the base card trends at an average of $71 in Ungraded condition and a top price of $1,200. Graded trends at an average of $328, and a top price of $2,939 (grades unspecified). The Essential Credentials Parallel trends at an average of $237 for Ungraded opies, with a top price of $1,842. Graded trends at an average of $1,819 and a top price of $4,913 (grades unspecified).

SportsCardsPro shows Ungraded trending at $83, Grade 7 at $71, Grade 9 at $378 and Gem Mint at $1,125. The Autograph version trends at $999 for Ungraded and Grade 9.5 trends at $2,226.

2001 Topps Finest #127 Drew Brees - #’d/1,000 ($3,975)

This gorgeous card shows an action image of Brees passing the ball, set against a vivid, fiery gold background. It's limited to only 1,000 copies and features the Topps Finest logo at the top left.

PriceGuide.Cards shows Ungraded trending at an average price of $151 and a top price of $3,082. Graded trends at an average price of $342 and a top price of $3,975 (grades unspecified).

At SportsCardsPro, Ungraded trends at $250, Grade 8 at $29 and Grade 9 at $332. Gem Mint 10 trends at $450.

2001 Topps Debut Certified Autograph #101 Drew Brees - #’d/499 ($2,512)

This is a fun card to collect because it shows Brees still in his Purdue uniform and helmet. The in-game shot of Brees in the pocket is set against a colorful stadium background and topped off with a bold signature at the bottom.

At PriceGuide.Cards, Ungraded trends at an average price of $125 and a top price of $1,238. Graded trends at an average price of $423 and a top price of $2,512 (grades unspecified).

SportsCardsPro shows Ungraded copies trending at $127, Grade 8 trending at $350 and Grade 9 trending at $385.

2001 Pacific Dynagon Rookie Autographs #102 Drew Brees - #’d/199 ($1,999)

Considered to be Brees' rarest Base autograph card (limited to just 199), this gem shows a striking image of Brees from his days at Purdue, set against a silver, gold and violet background. The Pacific logos and card info are embossed beautifully in gold, setting off Brees' bold autograph in the center.

At PriceGuide.Cards, Ungraded trends at an average price of $143 and a top price of $1,012. Graded trends at an average price of $432 and a top price of $1,999.

Where Can I Find Drew Brees Rookie Cards?

You can find Drew Brees sports cards at retailers and auction houses specializing in sports memorabilia. Here's a look at popular online auction sites you may want to visit:

• SCP Auctions
• Goldin
• Heritage Auctions
• eBay
• Christie's
• Sotheby's
• EBTH
• Invaluable
• Memory Lane
• Lelands
• PWCC

You can also buy sports cards and other collectibles at sports memorabilia shows. Be sure to check social media sites and collector's forums to find out about shows coming to your area.

How Are Drew Brees Rookie Cards Graded?

Expert appraisers use a numeric grading system recognized by dealers, collectors and appraisers across the industry. Here's how it works:

Perfect 10: Gem Mint 10 grading across the four prime criteria: edges, surface, centering and corners. This card is flawless not only to the naked eye, but also under 10x magnification.

Gem Mint: Graded 10 overall, but one of the criteria scores slightly less than a Perfect 10.

Grade 9.5: Almost Gem Mint, with a minor flaw.

Grade 9: Excellent, with very minor wear.

Grades 8 and below: Visible wear or production flaws. The more issues, the lower the grade.

Raw: Newly removed from its packaging.

Ungraded: Never been graded or authenticated.

Sports card values are determined by rarity, condition and collector demand. Of the three, collector demand is the unknown quantity that can cause prices to fluctuate at any given time. Athletes may be popular one season and fade into obscurity the next. And rare cards from lesser-known athletes may not sell, while common cards in a lesser condition may spike in price if there's enough collector interest.

Likewise, online bidding wars can cause a card to skyrocket in price. That's why it is always advisable to collect what you love and buy the best condition card you can afford.

Should I Get My Sports Cards Graded?

Whether you decide to keep, sell or trade your cards, professional grading is an excellent way to authenticate their originality and help establish their quality level. During grading, expert appraisers certify a card's originality, then assess it for production flaws and condition issues, assigning a grade according to industry criteria. This information is recorded in an international database as a permanent record of your sports card.

Graded cards often are easier to sell (and often sell at higher prices) because they are professionally authenticated. By having your cards authenticated and graded by a professional, you can have a collection with an established authenticity and quality level recognizable by collectors and dealers 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.