Silver Prizm rookie cards hold a special place in the hobby for a few reasons. First, they are many times the start point for collectors when identifying a good/semi-valuable card of a rookie. Second, they are widely available with many players having a PSA 10 example of their Silver Prizm rookie sell every week or even every day. Third, Silver Prizms are indisputably iconic and give collectors the chromium feel they hold so dearly.
In this article, we will attempt to identify the top 10 Silver Prizm rookies of all-time based on several criteria ( player resumé, prospect future potential, card value relative to population, release year significance) .
10. Victor Wembanyama
Victor Wembanyama’s rookie Prizm will likely go down as one of the most iconic of all time. Despite his lack of NBA resumé, an absurd print run (2,900+ PSA 10s) and a variety of other parallels included in the 2023 release (63 in total), this card has a lot going for it. Unlike nearly any other player with a Prizm rookie, Wembanyama will have no high-end licensed RPAs or autograph rookies available. In addition, the design of the actual card is one of the most discussed in Prizm history.
If you look closely, Wembanyama has a curtain behind him. This is the first, and only, card in Prizm history to incorporate a curtain element behind the player. Many collectors believed this design choice was due to pure laziness while others actually think it makes the card stand out. Regardless, it makes for a good story and debate.
In conclusion, the limiting factors currently on Wemby’s Silver Prizm rookie are the high print runs paired with high value, a substantial parallel count, and his lack of NBA resumé up to this point. Wembanyama’s rookie Prizm will likely rise higher on this list, but there’s a limit even if he becomes one of the greatest players of all-time given the card’s negatives.
9. Anthony Edwards
Ant-Man’s Silver Prizm may not be as famous as others on this list, but it is more than deserving of being in the top 10. Although 46 parallels were created for the 2020 base Prizm cards, the quality control was considerably worse than nearly any other modern release. Wembanyama’s Silver Prizm PSA 10 gem rate is 71.4%, Luka’s is 42.5%, and Ant-Man’s is just 34.5%. In addition to Edwards’ Silver Prizm rookie being a tough one to gem, it is also graded considerably less. To date, PSA has given just over 1,880 Edwards Silver Prizm rookies a 10, over 1,000 less than Wemby (and the 2020 product is three years older). This has lead many collectors to believe 2020 Prizm has a lower print run any of the other Prizm releases of the past 5 years.
The scarcity of the card is just half the story. There are many great rookies from the 2020 class who have low pop Silver Prizm rookies, such as LaMelo Ball or Tyrese Haliburton, but Ant-Man’s long-term excitement and potential is unrivaled. The comparisons to the GOAT of basketball, Michael Jordan, definitely don’t hurt Edwards’ case and his recent deep playoff run at the young age of 22 further bolsters these gaudy projections. Coupling Edwards’ level of talent with a more reasonably priced Silver Prizm rookie than the other two young phenoms on the list, Wemby and Luka, makes owning this card an intriguing opportunity.
In summary, if the Wolves’ young superstar continues his ascension, sky is truly the limit for his Silver Prizm rookie given its unusally low print run for the era. The “if factor” is also a contributing factor to this card’s placement on the list. And even though Edwards’ Silver Prizm rookie is more limited than many modern Prizm products, it still has a substantially higher print count across the board when compared to the early releases.
8. Luka Doncic
Luka’s Silver Prizm rookie is likely one any collector in the hobby will recognize. Despite facing many of the same issues as Wemby’s Silver Prizm such as high print run (2,300+ PSA 10s) and a high parallel count (38), Luka is already a HOF player. Luka’s status as such should cement a higher floor value for his Silver Prizm rookie.
The design for Luka’s Prizm rookie is par for the course. Like many other rookie Prizms, 2018 rookies are featured as a cutout against a team-colored background.
Overall, Luka’s status as one of today’s greatest players cements his Silver Prizm rookie as one of the ten best, but there’s likely a cap on how high it can go. Much like Wemby’s Silver Prizm rookie, this is in large due to high print runs and parallel counts coupled with a astronomically high current market value given the population.
7. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Another 2018 NBA rookie finds his way onto the list, but for different reasons. Although Shai is not nearly as big of a star as Luka, his 2018 Draft counterpart, population data suggests his Silver Prizm rookie is much tougher to find in PSA 10 condition. To date, just over 660 SGA Silver Prizm rookies have earned a PSA 10. In comparison, Luka’s Silver Prizm rookie PSA 10 population is nearly four times higher (2,320+). The total Silver Prizm populations for both athletes tells the same tale. Luka’s Silver Prizm rookie total at PSA is over 5,460, and Shai’s sits just over 3,650.
It’s likely the difference in print run between Luka and Shai’s Silver Prizm rookies is not as drastic as the grading data suggests. The difference can likely be attributed to their stature coming into the league. Luka was the third overall pick of the 2018 NBA draft and quickly made headlines, winning ROTY and posting per game averages that only Oscar Robertson has matched. Shai on the other hand was a late lottery pick who wasn’t viewed as the same type of can’t-miss prospect. In the card market, potential is priced in early, especially if a player is posting historic numbers. This type of demand has led to Luka’s Silver Prizm rookie becoming one of the most expensive of all time, and as a result, one of the most graded. Since Shai did not experience this level of success till his fifth NBA season, there is much less future potential priced into his current Silver Prizm rookie market.
Overall, there are a lot of positives going for Shai’s Silver Prizm rookie given a relatively low population as well as fair value when compared to his peers. The main concern is that the long-term value of this card is tied to Shai’s success in the NBA. Shai is currently on a great path, having made 2 All-NBA teams as well as a deep playoff run, but to become historically great, it will take sustained high-level performance as well as championships. In addition, there was a staggering 38 unique parallels produced for the 2018 Prizm release, given collectors a wide array of other options. This is an issue all of the younger players on this list will face.
6. Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum’s Silver Prizm rookie is an interesting one. It likely doesn’t fall this high on the list without his most recent title win, but at this point in his career, he has likely solidified his place as a future HOFer with an opportunity to continue adding to his resumé.
The 2017 Prizm release, Tatum’s rookie year, came with just 25 total unique parallels. This was the last year of Prizm before the parallel craze truly got out of control. In addition, the total population of Tatum’s Silver Prizm rookie is much more limited than any rookie from 2018 to present. To date, just over 1500 total Silver Prizm Tatum rookies have been graded by PSA, with under 900 receiving a 10.
In summary, Tatum’s Silver Prizm rookie remains an interesting investment opportunity with a high ceiling. Despite his success at the highest level of the playoffs, his Silver Prizm value has stagnated. The main cause for concern for the long-term significance of this card is based on how much more success Tatum enjoys in his career. While he would likely make the HOF with his resumé up to this point, it will take many more championships and All-NBA First teams to solidify this card as one of the best Silver Prizm rookies of all-time.
Rankings 1-5 are coming soon! If you enjoyed, drop a comment below with your top 10 Silver Prizm rookie cards of all time.
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