Ten Terrific CGC-certified Cards of Buffalo Bills Star QB Josh Allen

NFL football is officially back! Preseason is in full swing and every weekend from now through mid-February will be filled with gridiron excitement. To celebrate the 2023 season, we've chosen one of the young stars of the NFL in quarterback Josh Allen and are revisiting 10 of his best CGC-certified cards. From rookie issues to limited parallels to autographed inserts, Allen's cards are in high demand by collectors, and rightfully so.

After being drafted out of Wyoming in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills with the seventh overall pick, Allen has helped turn around a franchise that struggled for decades. Now, the Bills are a perennial playoff contender once again and expectations are higher than ever for this team to make it to the Super Bowl. Buffalo fans were filled with hope of a deep postseason run after a 13-3 regular season record in 2022; however, the team faltered in the playoffs. Now, in 2023, the Bills will look for their fourth straight division title, while also hoping to take the next step of making it to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1994.

With Allen under center, it gives Buffalo a chance every season. He's well-known as one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and he has the stats to back it up. In each of the last three seasons, Allen has thrown for over 4,000 yards and at least 35 touchdowns. He's also a dual-threat QB who can scramble when needed, as proven in each of the last two seasons, when he gained over 700 yards rushing and added at least an additional six TDs to his total tally.

Allen is also typically clutch when it counts, with nine fourth-quarter comebacks in his five seasons to date. Add in a couple of Pro Bowl appearances, a career passer rating of 92.2 and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 138-60, and the Bills are in good hands for the foreseeable future. If Allen and his teammates can carry over their regular season success to the playoffs in 2023, Buffalo could be in store for their first Super Bowl victory ever.

Ten Terrific Josh Allen Cards

2018 Donruss Optic #154 Josh Allen

Any Josh Allen card collection is preferably going to feature several of the quarterback's rookie cards. Many of his rare rookie issues can be worth thousands of dollars, but even the most expensive collections still need the staples. One of the staples of modern rookie cards are the debut issues from Donruss Optic. Printed on glossy, high-quality card stock and including the famous "Rated Rookie" logo, this Optic #154 rookie card is a must-have for any Josh Allen card collector or fan.

2018 Donruss #304 Josh Allen - Press Proof Blue

The regular Donruss set is still as popular as ever with collectors, especially the rookie cards that feature the "Rated Rookie" logo. However, rookie cards like this Press Proof Blue parallel are even more desirable due to their rarity. Featuring the same design and image as the #304 base card, Allen is seen posing with a football and without his helmet on. The Press Proof Blue parallel stands out with its vibrant blue coloring throughout the card, which matches Buffalo's team colors.

2018 Panini Illusions #19 Josh Allen / Jim Kelly

Why have only one Buffalo Bills great on a single card if you can have two? The 2018 Panini Illusions #19 includes not only Josh Allen but also Bills legend Jim Kelly. Kelly is famous for leading the Bills to four Super Bowls in the early 1990s, and arguably the two QBs are the greatest at the position in Buffalo's football history. So, it was appropriate to combine the pair on this stellar card that has an in-game image of Allen, with a holographic image of Kelly in the background.

2018 Donruss Optic Downtown #DT-14 Josh Allen

Returning to Donruss' Optic series, the Downtown inserts are one of the most highly sought-after cards from each year's set and their prices reflect that. The fun and playful inserts include an artistic design featuring elements from the city of each player's team. The 2018 Optic Downtown #DT-14 has Buffalo's skyline in the background and an artistic rendering of a portion of Niagara Falls behind an image of Allen about to throw the football, making this one of the most visually exciting rookie cards of the Bills quarterback.

2018 Panini Contenders Draft Picks College Ticket Autographs #103 Josh Allen - Brown Jersey-Ball Low/Bowl Ticket #'d/25

For many of the top players entering the NFL, card companies will make cards featuring the athletes from their college days. And in some cases, like the 2018 Panini Contenders Draft Picks College Ticket Autographs #103, the cards can include an autograph, which are extremely limited and valuable. At only 25 examples made with Allen's signature, this rarity features an image of the QB in his Wyoming uniform alongside a college bowl ticket design.

2018 Panini Absolute Rookie Premiere Material Autos #154 Josh Allen - #'d/365

Any limited inserts that include a player's signature or game-worn materials will always be popular with collectors. Yet, it's rare when collectors get their hands on a card that includes both. The 2018 Absolute series gives collectors the opportunity to combine all in one card with the Rookie Premiere Material Autos #154. With a limited run of only 365 copies, the card features three different materials from Allen's career (a piece of a football, jersey and turf) and a hand-signed autograph.

2018 Panini Unparalleled Rookie Jersey Autographs #RJA-JA Josh Allen - Hyper #'d/25

The Panini Unparalleled sets feature a great mix of veteran and rookie cards, with a standout from the series being Allen's debut autograph card. The #RJA-JA comes in multiple parallels, with various print runs. The Hyper parallel (only 25 cards made) is a rare card that features a patch with a piece of Allen's game-worn number from his jersey and a bold signature just below it.

2020 Panini Origins Future Fabrics #FF-16 Josh Allen - Green #'d/5

One of the rarest inserts in the Panini Origins set, this 2020 Future Fabrics #FF-16 Josh Allen - Green parallel is limited to only five ever made. Like the last card on our list, the patch features a piece of the quarterback's game-worn jersey. Considering the jersey patch appears to include a portion of the quarterback's last name from the back of his Bills uniform (the "E" in Allen), this would be another gem in any football card collection.

2020 Panini Spectra Vested Veterans Autographs #VV-JA Josh Allen - Neon Green / White Box #'d/1

While there are numerous rare cards on our Top 10 list, the Neon Green / White Box parallel of the 2020 Spectra Vested Veterans Autographs #VV-JA is one-of-one. With only one in existence, the Panini card from the popular Spectra series has everything you could want in a high-end insert. With a unique design, game-worn jersey patch and hand-signed autograph, this would be a centerpiece of any Josh Allen collection.

2022 Donruss Optic #20 Josh Allen - Gold #'d/10

Coming full circle, we return where we started with a more recent Donruss Optic offering. While any Optic card featuring a top star in the NFL is popular, the limited parallels are sought after the most. The 2022 Optic #20 features a great in-game shot of Josh Allen throwing the football in Buffalo's white jersey and helmet. However, if you come across the Gold parallel of the card, with only 10 ever printed, you've hit the jackpot.

Related Links:

• CGC Registry Featured Set: Josh Allen Player Set
• Josh Allen Rookie Cards: The Ultimate Guide