Guide to Tom Brady Cards: Values and Collectability
Posted on 11/12/2023
Tom Brady is considered by most NFL analysts and fans to be the greatest quarterback of all time (with many lauding him as the greatest football player ever), and this accolade is backed by his numerous records on the field. He’s won a staggering seven Super Bowls (with two different teams), is a five-time Super Bowl MVP and a three-time NFL MVP. Brady is also a two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year and continued to shatter NFL records well into his mid-40s.
An Unexpected Rookie Star
Amazingly, Brady was only a sixth-round NFL Draft pick (199th overall), chosen by the New England Patriots in 2000. The following year, Brady was named starting quarterback, and became the NFL’s youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl (and Super Bowl MVP title) when the team defeated the St. Louis Rams 20-17.
During the 2003 season, Brady and his Patriots won 12 games in a row and went on to win Super Bowl XXXVIII against the Carolina Panthers (32-29). Brady threw for 354 yards, recorded three touchdowns and set the NFL record for most quarterback completions (32) in a Super Bowl. Brady would later break this record with 43 completions in a 2017 Super Bowl win against the Atlanta Falcons (34-28).
Becoming a Legend
Over the 2003 and 2004 seasons, Brady led the Patriots in a record-breaking 21 straight wins. In 2004, Brady threw for 3,692 yards, recorded 28 touchdowns, had a 92.6 passer rating and led his team to a third Super Bowl, winning over the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21.
Brady and the Patriots made history with a perfect 16-0 regular season in 2007. That year, he threw 50 touchdowns, breaking the NFL single-season record. He finished the 2007 season with 4,806 passing yards, 50 touchdown passes and a 117.2 passer rating.
During 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, Brady broke numerous passing leader and completion percentage records and won scores of national awards. In 2020, Brady left New England and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In only his first season in Florida, the already-iconic QB led the Bucs to a Super Bowl win (his seventh) in a 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. He also became the oldest quarterback in NFL history to start, play and win a Super Bowl and the game’s MVP Award.
Brady has been named the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year twice (in 2005 and 2021) and has been selected to the Pro Bowl 15 times. His career records include most quarterback wins, most passing completions, most passing touchdowns and most passing yards.
Are Tom Brady Cards Valuable?
As the NFL’s greatest quarterback and arguably greatest player of all time, Brady is also one of the most famous athletes to ever play the game, and his card prices reflect his worldwide popularity. One of his rookie cards — an autographed 2000 Contenders Rookie Championship Ticket — sold for $3.1 million on June 4, 2021, setting a new world record price for a football card. Another example of this card sold for $2.3 million in February 2022.
Investment Potential for Tom Brady Cards
Tom Brady’s status as an NFL legend is cemented, and his Hall of Fame selection after his recent retirement (in February 2023) is considered a certainty. As long as there are football fans, Brady’s cards — particularly his early rookie releases and limited-edition issues — should continue to rise in popularity, and prices should reflect this huge collector demand.
Top Tom Brady Cards
Here is a look at nine of the most popular and valuable Tom Brady cards:
2000 Playoff Contenders Championship Ticket #144 Tom Brady - Auto #’d/100 ($3,107,372)
This is one of the most expensive sports cards ever sold, and unquestionably the holy grail of Tom Brady cards. It consistently gets multi-million-dollar bids on the rare occasions when it appears at auction.
One thing that makes the 2000 Playoff Contenders card so valuable is that it’s the only official Brady rookie card (not counting insert cards) that’s autographed. Likewise, the Championship Ticket parallel is limited to just 100 copies. Add the great photo of Brady preparing to pass, flanked by an image of a gold Championship Rookie Ticket and an on-card signature, and you’ve got a winner.
On June 4, 2021, a Grade 9 example of this card sold for $3,107,372.40 at Leland’s, breaking the record for a football card. The previous year, on April 2, 2021, another example, Grade 8.5, sold for $2,252,854.80.
At PriceGuide.Cards, Ungraded trends at an average price of $2,015 and a top price of $73,177. Graded trends at an average price of $20,546 and a top price of $2,300,000 (grades unspecified).
SportsCardsPro shows Ungraded trending at $15,000, Grade 7 at $23,180, Grade 8 at $28,975 and Grade 9 at $31,873. Grade 9.5 trends at $35,060 and Gem Mint 10 trends at $293,180.
2000 Playoff Contenders #144 Tom Brady Auto ($1,277,350)
This is the Base version of the 2000 Playoff Contenders #144. It looks the same, but the million-dollar difference is that this has the standard Rookie Ticket graphics in black and blue.
At PriceGuide.Cards, Ungraded trends at an average price of $1,695 and a top price of $65,000. Graded trends at an average price of $9,063 and a top price of $1,277,350 (grades unspecified).
2000 Leaf Limited #378 Tom Brady - #’d/350 ($43,200)
Limited to just 350 copies, this premium gold foil card is one of Brady’s rarest cards. It features a vivid image of Brady throwing a pass, set against a striking geometric pattern in blue and copper.
SportsCardsPro shows Ungraded trending at $871, Grade 7 at $6,000, Grade 8 at $10,095 and Grade 9 at $11,105. Grade 9.5 trends at $12,214, and Gem Mint 10 at $30,005.
2000 Bowman #236 Tom Brady - #’d/2,000 ($22,500)
With a print run of 2,000 copies made, this Bowman beauty is Brady’s only chromium rookie card, and one of the only two Brady rookie cards that Topps issued. It features an in-game action shot of Brady preparing to pass the ball, framed in blue and green and bordered in gold with black stripes.
At PriceGuide.Cards, Ungraded trends at an average price of $289 and a top price of $20,400. Graded trends at an average price of $1,230 and a top price of $22,500 (grades unspecified).
SportsCardsPro shows Ungraded trending at $460, Grade 7 at $495, Grade 8 at $728 and Grade 9 at $1,180. Grade 9.5 trends at $2,345, and Gem Mint 10 trends at $5,369.
2000 Upper Deck Pros & Prospects #124 Tom Brady - #’d/1,000 ($15,100)
This rarest of Upper Deck Brady rookie cards features a striking photo of Brady about to pass the ball while wearing his collegiate Michigan uniform. The card is set against a vibrant background of eye-catching gold foil outlines and multi-directional text, both Upper Deck hallmarks.
At PriceGuide.Cards, Ungraded trends at an average price of $534 and a top price of $11,250. Graded trends at an average price of $1,445 and a top price of $15,100 (grades unspecified).
SportsCardsPro shows Ungraded trending at $1,700, Grade 7 at $2,217, Grade 8 at $1,138 and Grade 9 at $1,150. Grade 9.5 trends at $2,219, and Gem Mint 10 at $3,849.
2020 Panini Absolute Kaboom! #K-TB Tom Brady ($7,455)
This collectors’ favorite shows an image of Buccaneer Brady running with the ball, set against a flashy reflective zigzag background with the “Kaboom!” logo on top.
SportsCardsPro shows Ungraded trending at $125, Grade 8 at $81, Grade 9 at $1,380, Grade 9.5 at $1,518 and Gem Mint 10 at $7,455.
2020 Donruss #230 Tom Brady ($6,000)
For collectors who appreciate a bit of history, this is Brady’s first Tampa Bay Buccaneers card. It features an in-game shot of Brady setting up a pass, framed in an edgy, red-and-white patterned border.
At PriceGuide.Cards, Ungraded trends at an average price of $33 and a top price of $1,999. Graded trends at an average price of $291 and a top price of $6,000 (grades unspecified).
2002 Topps #248 Tom Brady ($5,700)
This sought-after card features a great in-game shot of Brady about to pass the ball, framed in dark green with a creative Topps/Brady football logo at the lower left.
At PriceGuide.Cards, Ungraded trends at an average price of $35 and a top price of $1,213. Graded trends at an average price of $172 and a top price of $5,700 (grades unspecified).
SportsCardsPro shows Ungraded trending at $10, Grade 7 at $30, Grade 8 at $37 and Grade 9 at $73. Grade 9.5 trends at $86, and Gem Mint 10 trends at $367.
2020 Panini Donruss Downtown! #4 Tom Brady ($3,997)
The Downtown inserts are another fan-favorite card that shows an illustration of Brady set against a backdrop of patriotic New England imagery, including a bald eagle, a red-white-and-blue lighthouse and best of all, a miniature drawing of Benjamin Franklin waving a “6 Time Champs” flag.
At PriceGuide.Cards, Ungraded trends at an average price of $512 and a top price of $1,948. Graded trends at an average price of $1,322 and a top price of $3,997 (grades unspecified).
Where Can I Find Tom Brady Cards?
You can find Tom Brady cards at sports specialty shops, sports collector shows and online auction sites. Here are 10 of the top auction sites to visit:
Sports collector shows are held year-round across the country. You can find one coming to your town by checking Facebook, newspaper listings and sports collector forums.
How Are Tom Brady Cards Graded?
In grading, sports card experts use a numeric system, ranging from Ungraded to Pristine 10, to assess condition. This system is universally recognized by everyone in the industry, from dealers to collectors. Here’s how it works:
Pristine 10: This card has scores of 10 across the board in all four criteria: corners, edges, surface and centering. Even when viewed under 10x magnification, the card is flawless.
Gem Mint 10: This card has three criteria with scores of 10, but the fourth criteria has a slightly lower score, due to an almost-imperceptible issue.
Grade 9.5: Almost Gem Mint, with a minor and unimportant flaw.
Grade 9: Almost Mint, but with a minor manufacturing flaw or tiny bit of condition wear.
Grades 8 and below: Various wear, condition and production issues, with grades given according to the amount and severity of these flaws.
Raw: Just removed from its packaging.
Ungraded: Not graded.
Fair market values for sports cards depend on rarity, condition and customer demand. Rarity and condition are universally recognized according to accepted standards, but customer demand can change unexpectedly. A player whose cards sell for high prices may fall from favor due to poor career performance, and subsequent lower prices will reflect this drop in popularity. Likewise, auction bidding wars for a certain card may cause other cards from that athlete to skyrocket.
With so many variables in sports card investing and collecting, it’s always best to focus on buying the cards you really want, and getting the highest-grade examples you can afford.
Should I Get My Cards Graded?
Grading can authenticate your cards and provide an established rating that certifies their quality level. During the grading process, qualified experts assess each card’s originality, and check for any manufacturing or condition flaws. Once the card is graded, this information is stored in an international database that’s kept as a permanent record.
Typically, graded cards can be easier to sell than Ungraded ones, and they may even sell for higher prices. Whether or not you intend to sell your cards, grading can give your collection a quality rating that will always be recognized by future generations of card collectors and dealers. For further information on CGC Cards’ 10-point Grading Scale and to find out more about our industry-leading services, visit CGCcards.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.
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