Patrick Mahomes
The essential Patrick Mahomes card checklist: grails, key inserts and must-haves.
Patrick Mahomes went from Texas Tech's dual-sport star to a 10th overall pick to the most electric quarterback of his generation, with three Super Bowl titles and two Super Bowl MVPs by his fourth season as a starter. His card history begins even before the 2017 NFL Draft, with a redemption oddity printed into 2016 packs and a Texas Tech college card, and runs through the record-setting $4.3 million National Treasures rookie patch autograph. This set collects his verified firsts, cross-referenced against the actual 2017 product release calendar rather than assumed order.
RCGrailAn unusual pre-draft oddity: a redemption card printed into 2016 Panini Select packs before the 2017 draft, carrying only a placeholder 'QB2' identity until he was selected by the Chiefs and the card was fulfilled. Some collectors date this as his earliest-printed card; GrailBot credits Elite Draft Picks as the first fully-realized Mahomes card since this one wasn't fulfilled with his name and photo until after the draft.
RCGrail1st CardHis first-ever trading card, from Panini Elite Draft Picks, released March 29, 2017, a month before the NFL Draft. Pictures him in his Texas Tech uniform, predating every other fully-realized Mahomes card on record.
RCGrail1st RPAHis first rookie patch autograph, an on-card signature paired with a jersey swatch, limited to 99 copies. Released in July 2017, nearly eight months before the marquee National Treasures RPA.
RCGrailFlagship RCHis flagship Panini Prizm rookie card, the most universally recognized and liquid Mahomes rookie despite being roughly the fifth major 2017 product to actually hit shelves.
RCGrailThe record-setting card of the Mahomes market: a 1-of-1 Platinum parallel with an NFL Shield logo patch sold for $4.3 million, the most expensive football card ever sold. Despite the price tag, National Treasures was actually the last major 2017-class product to release, arriving in March 2018.
RCKey1st Pro CardHis first card carrying Kansas City Chiefs branding, from 2017 Panini Prestige, released June 7, 2017. The photography still shows him in his Texas Tech uniform, since it predates his first NFL training camp; no early-release 2017 product pictures him in a Chiefs jersey.
RCKey1st AutoHis first certified autograph, an on-card Signature Xtra Points parallel of his Prestige rookie, released the same day as the base card. Comes in tiered print runs from Platinum /25 down to Bronze /10.
RCKeyThe Silver Prizm parallel of his flagship rookie, the most popular and valuable non-numbered version of the card thanks to its refractor finish.
RCKeyHis Donruss Optic rookie card, a chrome-finish issue released in December 2017 that anchors a deep parallel ladder of its own.
RCEssentialA widely collected college-era rookie card, released in April 2017 and still picturing him in his Texas Tech uniform ahead of the NFL Draft.
RCEssential1st RelicHis first true memorabilia card, a two-swatch relic insert with no autograph, limited to 99 copies. Released alongside National Treasures' marquee RPA in March 2018.
RCEssential1st On-DemandThe print-to-order card marking his first career start, against Denver in Week 17 of the 2017 season. Numbered to 107, one of the scarcer short prints from the release.
RCEssentialThe Field Level tier of his 2017 Panini Select rookie, one of his two primary rookie cards in the set alongside the Premier Level version.
RCEssentialThe Premier Level tier of his 2017 Panini Select rookie, a die-cut design and the higher of his two primary rookie cards in the set.
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Frequently asked
What is Patrick Mahomes' rookie card?
His first trading card of any kind is the 2017 Panini Elite Draft Picks #145, released a month before the NFL Draft in his Texas Tech uniform. His flagship pro rookie is the 2017 Panini Prizm #269, the most widely recognized and liquid Mahomes card.
What is the most valuable Patrick Mahomes card?
A 1-of-1 2017 National Treasures Rookie Patch Autograph Platinum with an NFL Shield logo patch sold for $4.3 million, the most expensive football card ever sold at the time.
How many cards are in the Patrick Mahomes grail set?
Fourteen, spanning a pre-draft redemption oddity, his first card, his first card as a pro, his first autograph and rookie patch autograph, his flagship Prizm rookie and its Silver parallel, both Select rookie tiers, key rookie-class cards from Score and Donruss Optic, his first true relic, his first on-demand card, and the record-setting National Treasures RPA.
Why isn't National Treasures tagged as Patrick Mahomes' first RPA?
National Treasures did not release until March 2018, nearly a year after his rookie season. The 2017 Panini Certified Freshman Fabrics #207, limited to 99 copies, released in July 2017 and is his actual first rookie patch autograph.
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