In the realm of sports memorabilia, collectors are always on the lookout for unique and significant items to add to their collections. The recent buzz in the collecting community revolves around a card that features none other than NFL legend Tom Brady. Topps, one of the leading trading card companies, promotes this card as Brady’s first official baseball card, leading to excitement and speculation among collectors.
The card in question is part of the 2023 Bowman Draft Baseball set, a popular series known for showcasing top baseball prospects. However, this particular card features Tom Brady, not as a baseball prospect but as a 1995 draft pick. Topps’ claim about this being Brady’s first official baseball card is technically true if we consider only fully completed cards distributed in packs. However, it’s important to note that this isn’t the first time Brady has appeared on a baseball card issued by Topps.
The initial instance of Brady appearing on a baseball card can be traced back to the 2014 Topps Five Star Baseball release. In this set, Brady was listed among the autograph cards, which were included as redemptions in packs. It’s worth mentioning that nine years have passed since the release, and these redemptions have yet to be fulfilled. This delay has left collectors eagerly awaiting the chance to obtain the elusive Brady autograph card. Interestingly, other NFL quarterbacks who were also drafted by MLB teams, namely John Elway and Dan Marino, were included in the original checklist.
The 2014 release of Topps Five Star Baseball holds significance as it marked the last season that Topps held the NFL and NFLPA licenses before Panini acquired the exclusive rights. It is speculated that this shift in licensing may have played a role in the delay of the actual autographed cards being released. However, for collectors who have been patiently waiting, the reasons for the delay offer little consolation.
Fast forward to 2023, and Tom Brady, now retired from football, finds himself in the spotlight once again in the trading card world. With an exclusive autograph deal with Fanatics, the current owner of Topps, Brady features prominently in the Bowman Draft Baseball set. This set includes a total of 81 signed Brady cards, each with its own unique elements.
Collectors can find different versions of the signed Brady cards, including the Gold Refractor with only 50 copies produced, Orange Refractors with 25 copies, Red Refractors with just 5 copies, and a rare one-of-one Superfractor. Some cards even come with special inscriptions, adding an extra layer of uniqueness and personalization.
Additionally, there is a rare unsigned version of the card that showcases a young Tom Brady wearing a Montreal Expos uniform. This particular card pays homage to the time when Brady was selected by the Montreal Expos as a catcher in the 18th round of the 1995 MLB Draft. Ultimately, Brady chose the path of college football, leading to an illustrious NFL career that has solidified his status as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
Despite the excitement surrounding Brady’s inclusion in the 2023 Bowman Draft Baseball set, collectors still have lingering curiosity about the fate of the 2014 Topps Five Star Tom Brady redemption card. Inquiries have been made to Topps representatives regarding the production status of these long-awaited cards, and collectors are eagerly awaiting any future updates that may be shared with the collecting community.
As the world of sports memorabilia continues to evolve, the addition of Tom Brady’s first official baseball card to the trading card landscape adds another layer of intrigue and excitement. Whether it’s the anticipation surrounding the long-awaited 2014 redemption cards or the rush to acquire one of the signed Brady cards from the 2023 Bowman Draft set, collectors and fans alike find themselves captivated by the ever-expanding world of sports collectibles.
