Josh Allen's journey to becoming an elite NFL quarterback is one of the most improbable in recent memory. While Allen excelled at the quarterback position in high school, few schools showed any interest in the California native. As a result, Allen began his college football career at Reedley College, a two-year junior college in Reedley, California.
After his lone season at Reedley, the University of Wyoming offered Josh Allen a scholarship. However, things still didn't come easy to Allen, as he had to battle for the starting quarterback position, later suffering a collarbone injury, causing him to apply for a medical redshirt.
Once Allen returned from injury, he showed promise on the gridiron, competing as the Wyoming Cowboys starting quarterback for two seasons before declaring for the 2018 NFL Draft. The Buffalo Bills drafted Josh Allen from the University of Wyoming with the 7th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, where he's excelled at football's highest level for four NFL seasons. The 25-year-old has emerged as one of the most elite quarterbacks in the NFL and has put the Buffalo Bills on the map as one of the most feared franchises in the league.
While exceeding expectations over the course of his football career, from high school, through college and now the NFL, Josh Allen has firmly entrenched himself as one of the most skilled quarterbacks in the league, solidifying the significance of his rookie cards. On that note, the following are the top 10 most valuable Josh Allen rookie cards.
#10
2018 Panini Select Josh Allen Zebra Prizm RC #207
Recent sale: $7,800
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On February 20, 2019, Panini America released the 2018 Panini Select football set, containing Josh Allen's second most valuable card from the set and his 10th finest rookie card in existence. 2018 Panini Select offers collectors a 300-card checklist across three distinct subsets: Concourse, Premier, and Field Level. Allen's Zebra Prizm rookie card arises from the Field Level checklist as a super short print. Allen's Zebra Prizm rookie card is one of two cards that doesn't feature a serial number yet still regularly fetches four figures. Allen's Zebra Prizm rookie card has a PSA population of 15 and a BGS population of seven, as 68% have earned a PSA or BGS 10.
Josh Allen competed at Firebaugh High School in Firebaugh, California. Allen contended for the JV football team as a sophomore, throwing for 1,645 yards and 21 touchdowns compared to 10 interceptions. Allen contended for the varsity squad in his junior year, racking up 2,208 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Allen continued to improve, where in his senior year, he threw for 3,061 yards, 33 touchdowns, and just five interceptions.
Josh Allen excelled at Firebaugh High School and amassed 5,914 yards, 80 passing touchdowns, and 25 interceptions through three high school seasons. Though, he didn't receive the attention he deserved and wasn't offered any scholarships to play college football. Despite not being recognized for his quarterback prowess, Josh Allen remained determined to silence his critics, and the value of his Zebra Prizm rookie card from 2018 Panini Select reflects just that.
#9
2018 Panini Contenders Optic Josh Allen Autograph Purple RC #105 #'d/49
Recent sale: $8,400
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Released shortly after 2018 Panini Select comes 2018 Panini Contenders Optic, issued on March 1, 2019, bearing one pack of six cards containing two autographed cards, one insert card, and one parallel card. Josh Allen's most valuable rookie card from 2018 Panini Contenders Optic is his Rookie Ticket RPS Autographed Purple rookie card, limited to 49 copies. Since its release, 37 copies of Allen's blue-penned Autographed Purple rookie card have surfaced, 27% of which merited a PSA or BGS 10, including nine PSA 10's and one BGS 10.
Josh Allen's college football career began at Reedley College in Reedley, California, which competes in the California Community College Athletic Association. Allen served as Reedley's backup quarterback in the team's first three games of the 2014-15 season. Josh Allen excelled after earning the starting nod in week four of the season, completing 127 of his 259 passes (49%) while throwing for 26 touchdowns and five interceptions. Allen also tallied 120 rushes for 660 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns.
At the end of his freshman season at Reedley, Josh Allen sent an email to every college coach in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and included his video highlights. Although Allen played well in his freshman campaign, only two schools shared interest, Wyoming and Eastern Washington. Allen had a unique and gradual route to football stardom, where his Rookie Ticket RPS Autographed Purple rookie card from 2018 Panini Contenders Optic now fetches four figures.
#8
2018 Panini Select Josh Allen Gold Prizm Die Cut RC #139 #'d/10
Recent sale: $11,500
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Josh Allen's most coveted card from 2018 Panini Select is his Gold Prizm Die-Cut rookie card, only 10 of which were ever printed. Allen's Zebra Prizm rookie card emerged from the Field Level checklist, and his Gold Prizm Die-Cut rookie card derives from the Premier Level checklist. While Allen's Gold Prizm Die-Cut rookie card benefits from only having a print run of 10, it's also tied for his second-most limited rookie card we present and features only three cards with a PSA or BGS 10.
With two schools to choose between, Josh Allen elected to attend the University of Wyoming. Serving as the backup in week 1 of the 2015 season versus North Dakota, Josh Allen completed just one of two passes for 19 yards. In week 2 of the 2015 season for the Wyoming Cowboys,
Allen got the nod versus Eastern Michigan. However, he succumbed to a gruesome broken collarbone injury after completing just three of his four passing attempts. After receiving x-rays on his throwing shoulder, Allen was unsure whether he played his last down.
Luckily, Allen recovered quickly and was able to qualify for a medical redshirt, essentially delaying his college football career to extend his eligibility. As a result of his resilience to return to the field and compete at a high level, the worth of Josh Allen's Gold Prizm Die-Cut rookie card continues to soar, becoming his first rookie card to eclipse the five-figure plateau.
#7
2018 Panini Immaculate Collection Josh Allen Rookie Patch Autograph Emerald RC #104 #'d/14
Recent sale: $14,600
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Next up on the list is Allen's Rookie Patch Autograph rookie card from the unforgettable 2018 Panini Immaculate Collection. Allen's RPA appears in the Rookie Patch Autograph checklist, though his Emerald RPA can only be discovered in First Off The Line hobby boxes. 2018 Panini Immaculate Collection FOTL hobby boxes were issued in one pack of six cards, where collectors seek Allen's Emerald RPA, serial-numbered to 14 copies. Allen's Emerald RPA has an overall PSA and BGS population of seven, two of which warranted a PSA 10, this card included.
After successfully rehabbing his collarbone, the Wyoming Cowboys starting quarterback position belonged to Josh Allen. In his first game of the 2016 season, Allen led the Cowboys to a 40-34 double-overtime victory over North Illinois, behind 245 passing yards and two passing touchdowns while garnering 70 yards on the ground, including a rushing touchdown. Allen led the Cowboys to an 8-6 record in the Mountain West Conference, earning the school's first bowl game since the 2011 season. Although the Cowboys fell to the Brigham Young Cougars in the former Poinsettia Bowl, Josh Allen performed exceptionally well throughout the season. Through 14 games, Allen threw for 3,203 yards while completing 56% of his passes and threw for 28 touchdowns versus 15 interceptions.
After outperforming expectations after his 2016 season at Wyoming, Allen nearly declared for the NFL Draft, though he ultimately decided to play one more season to benefit his draft stock. After making an applaudable decision to polish his quarterback proficiency, Josh Allen's Emerald RPA sits as his 7th most valuable rookie card.
#6
2018 Panini Flawless Josh Allen Rookie Dual Patch Autographs RC #RCD-JA #'d/15
Recent sale: $15,000
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Josh Allen's following two most valuable rookie cards appear from 2018 Panini Flawless, issued to collectors on April 19, 2019, in one pack of 10 cards. Allen's sixth most coveted rookie card is featured in the Rookie Dual Patch Autographs checklist, showcasing the top 25 NFL rookies from the 2018 season. Allen's Rookie Dual Patch Autographed rookie card is one of the set's highlights, carrying a print run of merely 15 copies. According to PSA and Beckett, Allen's Rookie Dual Patch Autographed rookie card has an overall population of nine, only one of which merited a PSA or BGS 10, cementing this as the most condition sensitive Josh Allen rookie card on the list.
After electing to spend one more season at the University of Wyoming, Josh Allen continued competing at a high level. In the 2017 season, Allen led the Cowboys to an 8-5 record, behind 1,812 passing yards, 16 touchdown passes, 204 rushing yards, and five rushing touchdowns. As a result, the Cowboys earned a bid to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. In the Cowboys bowl victory over Central Michigan, Allen excelled, completing 11 of his 19 passes for 154 yards and three touchdowns, amassing a 178.1 quarterback rating.
As Allen guided the Cowboys to their first bowl victory since the 2004 season, his draft stock skyrocketed, as did the five-figure value of his 2018 Panini Flawless Rookie Dual Patch Autographed rookie card.
#5
2018 Panini Flawless Josh Allen Emerald RC #117 #'d/5
Recent sale: $15,689
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Allen's most sought-after rookie card from 2018 Panini Flawless materializes from the Rookie Gems Signatures Ruby checklist, dubbed his Emerald rookie card, with only five in existence. There is just a single Emerald Rookie Gems Signatures Ruby Josh Allen rookie card in PSA's population report and an additional two graded by Beckett. Allen's Emerald rookie card is graded a BGS 9.5 for condition and a BGS 10 for his autograph, indicating just one copy is graded higher.
Josh Allen enhanced his draft stock heading into the 83rd annual NFL Draft by remaining at the University of Wyoming for one last season, where the Buffalo Bills selected him with the 7th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. While Allen was the 7th pick off the board, two other
quarterbacks were chosen before him, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold. In Week 1 of his 2018 rookie campaign, Allen served as the backup to Nathan Peterman. Allen completed six of 15 passes for 74 yards in his first NFL action, slotting into the starting quarterback the following week. Allen finished his rookie season with 2,074 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Allen added 631 yards on the ground and garnered eight rushing touchdowns.
While Baker Mayfield went on to win the 2018 Pro Football Writers of America Rookie of the Year and finished second in the 2018 Rookie of the Year Award, Josh Allen has emerged as the franchise quarterback of the 2018 NFL class. As a result, Josh Allen's Emerald Rookie Gems Signatures Ruby rookie card endures as one of the NFL phenoms' best rookie cards.
#4
2018 Panini Prizm Josh Allen Stained Glass Prizm Gold Mojo RC #SG-8 #'d/10
Recent sale: $16,650
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2018 Panini Prizm was issued on October 26, 2018, in 12 packs of 12 cards and is home to three of the top four most valuable Josh Allen rookie cards. The first of which surfaces in the Stained Glass checklist as Josh Allen's Gold Mojo rookie card, limited to just 10 copies. Collectors have submitted Allen's Gold Mojo rookie card from the 2018 Panini Prizm set to PSA on seven occasions, while Beckett has graded just two cards. Allen's Gold Mojo rookie card merited a BGS 9.5 for centering, corners, and edges and a BGS 10 for the card's surface, warranting an overall BGS 9.5, denoting just one copy is graded higher by Beckett.
In his second NFL season, Josh Allen amassed 3,089 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and only nine interceptions and completed 58.8% of his passes. Allen guided the Buffalo Bills to a 10-6 record, good for second in the AFC East. In his first glimpse of the NFL playoffs, he completed just 24 of his 46 passing attempts, though he threw for 264 yards, ran for 92 yards, and caught a receiving touchdown on a trick play.
Despite a losing effort to the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card, Allen solidified himself as one of the rising young players in the league, illustrated by the significance of his Gold Mojo rookie card from 2018 Panini Prizm.
#3
2018 Panini Prizm Josh Allen Prizm White Sparkle RC #205
Recent sale: $26,000
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Josh Allen's second most sought-after rookie card from 2018 Panini Prizm and third most prevalent rookie card overall is his White Sparkle parallel rookie card. Allen's White Sparkle parallel is an online-only exclusive parallel card offered to hobbyists solely through Panini's website. Although Allen's White Sparkle rookie card features one of the highest populations on the list with 36 cards graded, it's endured as one of his most challenging cards to warrant a lofty grade from both PSA and BGS. Considering PSA's and Beckett's population reports, only 10 of Allen's White Sparkle parallel cards, roughly 28%, have been deserving of a PSA or BGS 10.
Coming off a solid sophomore NFL campaign, expectations were high in the Bills locker room to perform well in the 2020 NFL season. Josh Allen and the Bills did just that, tying a franchise-best 13-3 record and capturing their first AFC East Division title since 1995. Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills made a deep playoff push, defeating the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Wild Card, and the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Divisional Round, before succumbing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship.
Josh Allen's 2020 campaign was remarkable, tallying 4,544 passing yards, 37 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while completing 69.2% of his passes and compiling a 107.2 quarterback rating. For his efforts, Allen finished second in the 2020 NFL MVP voting, finished fourth in the NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year, earned his first nod to the NFL Pro Bowl, and was an NFL All-Pro. The tremendous value of Josh Allen's 2018 Panini Prizm White Sparkle rookie card is a byproduct of his unprecedented 2020 NFL season.
#2
2018 Panini National Treasures Josh Allen Autographed Memorabilia RC #163 #'d/99
Recent sale: $30,700
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Taking a brief pause from the 2018 Panini Prizm set, Josh Allen's second most valuable rookie card appears in the elusive 2018 Panini National Treasures set. 2018 Panini National Treasures is an extraordinarily high-end football card product, presenting one pack of eight cards in each hobby box. Collectors can expect to pull six autographed or memorabilia cards, one parallel, and either a base card or an insert card. The most desirable Josh Allen rookie card from 2018 Panini National Treasures is his Rookie Patch Autographed card, serial-numbered to 99 copies. Allen's RPA from the set may be his most prevalent rookie card on the secondary market, yet it remains one of his most condition-sensitive rookie cards, with 13 of 46 cards (28%) deserving of a PSA or BGS 10.
After nearly capturing the most coveted individual NFL award in the 2020 season, Josh Allen continued playing at a higher level without any noticeable drop off. Allen led the Bills to an 11-6 record in the 2021 NFL season, winning the AFC East in consecutive seasons for the first time since the 1990 and 1991 NFL seasons. After knocking off the New England Patriots in the AFC Wild Card, Josh Allen and the Bills lost in heartbreak fashion to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round, a game that had four lead changes in the final two minutes of play, ultimately won by the Chiefs in overtime.
In the 2021 NFL season, Josh Allen threw for 4,407 yards and 36 touchdown passes to just 15 interceptions. Garnering a 63.3 passing percentage and a 92.2 quarterback rating, Josh Allen cemented himself as one of the NFL's elite quarterbacks, leading to the whopping five-figure sum of his 2018 Panini Prizm RPA rookie card.
#1
2018 Panini Prizm Josh Allen Rookie Autographs Prizm Gold RC #RA-JA #'d/10
Recent sale: $35,000
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Without further ado, the most valuable Josh Allen rookie card is his Rookie Autographs Prizm Gold rookie card from 2018 Panini Prizm. Allen's Prizm Gold autographed rookie card has a print run of 10, five of which have been graded by PSA and Beckett. While PSA has awarded two PSA 10's, both of Allen's Rookie Autographs Prizm Gold rookie cards that Beckett graded merited a BGS 9.5, leaving a tremendous amount of potential value on the table should a higher graded copy surface.
Throughout his first four NFL seasons, Josh Allen has guided the Buffalo Bills to NFL prominence, where he's compiled a 39-21 record and led them to three straight playoff appearances. In the regular season, Josh Allen has completed 1,245 of his 1,999 passes, good for a 62.3% completion percentage, thrown for 14,114 yards, an average of 231.4 yards/game, and tallied 103 touchdowns to just 46 interceptions. Allen has added 2,325 yards rushing and a remarkable 31 rushing touchdowns. In the NFL playoffs, Allen has amassed 1,718 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and just one interception while adding 371 yards on the ground and one rushing touchdown. In doing so, the Bills have gone 3-3 in Allen's four-year tenure, making their deepest playoff run in the 2020 NFL Playoffs.
Although Josh Allen was the 3rd quarterback drafted in the 2018 NFL Draft, he's effortlessly displayed the most talent and has had the most success of any other quarterback from the 2018 draft class, hence the $35,000 price tag for his 2018 Panini Prizm Rookie Autographs Prizm Gold rookie card.
Josh Allen's Sensational Narrative to NFL Greatness
As the 2022 league year ramped up in March and the 2022 NFL Draft now complete, we look ahead to the 2022 NFL season, where Josh Allen has the second-highest odds to grasp the 2022 NFL MVP +900 just behind the Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes. Not only that, but the Buffalo Bills are sitting pretty as the betting favorites to capture the AFC East, AFC Championship, and Super Bowl 57. In his brief four-year NFL career, Josh Allen has evolved into one of the fiercest quarterbacks in the league, and the value of his rookie cards has benefited handsomely.
