Peyton Manning’s Hall of Fame career is testament to the popular quarterback’s status as one of the NFL’s all-time greats; The 5-time NFL MVP is a popular name in the football card hobby.
In my opinion, the best Peyton Manning rookie cards are his 1998 Playoff Contenders Rookie Ticket Autograph card, which is also the most valuable, and his 1998 Skybox E-X2001 Essential Credentials parallel cards.
I’ve covered those cards, and Manning’s other best rookie card options, below.
Table of Contents
Quick Summary - Top 3 Picks
- 1998 Playoff Contenders Autograph #87
- 1998 Skybox E-X2001 #54 (Essential Credentials parallels)
- 1998 Metal Universe #189 (Precious Metal Gems parallel)
The Best Peyton Manning Rookie Cards
Collectors have no shortage of Peyton Manning rookie cards to pick from, with over 40 base rookies, and considering his status, most of them are affordable for all collectors; Although, there are a few very valuable Manning rookie cards.
Here are all the top Manning rookies, in more detail:
1998 Playoff Contenders Autograph Peyton Manning #87
Starting with a big-hitter from 1998 Playoff Contenders, this Peyton Manning Ticket Autograph card is easily the best Manning rookie card out there, and his most expensive to buy.
The 1998 Playoff Contenders set didn’t have a clear base set; Instead, it was made up of several insert subsets, which included this gem of a first-year Manning card.
Despite the lack of on-card serial numbering, which is a slight downside, there’s a confirmed print-run of just 200 copies, which, for its era, was a tiny production amount.
The hard-signed autograph and popular Contenders brand, give extra appeal to make a valuable and very desirable card.
There are a couple of parallel versions, which add even more color and value: The Red parallel, and the Gold parallel (25 serial-numbered copies).
Back in 2019, a PSA 10 graded copy of the base version sold for $72k.
1998 SP Authentic Peyton Manning #14
Another one of Peyton Manning’s most valuable and desirable rookie cards is this 1998 SP Authentic card.
The popular brand adds to the appeal of this one, which is also helped by the nice-looking design, which features both a colored and black/white image of Manning, with the words ‘Future Watch’.
The card is also serial numbered, and limited to 2000 copies, which might not seem scarce by today’s standards, but that made it a rare rookie card in the 1990s.
A BGS 10 graded copy of the card sold for $32.5k, back in 2021.
There’s also a Die Cut parallel version, which is rarer, with 500 numbered copies.
1998 SPx Finite Peyton Manning #181
The 1998 SPx Finite Peyton Manning rookie card is another that has a limited print run, with 1,998 copies which, again, for its era, is very low.
Despite it having 2 fewer copies than the SP Authentic rookie card, it’s worth significantly less; However, it’s still the rarest serial-numbered Peyton Manning rookie card.
There are also the Radiance (/50) and 1-of-1 Spectrum parallel versions, which offer collectors a harder, and more expensive, chase.
In 2023, the Spectrum parallel sold for $32.4k, graded BGS 8.5.
1998 Topps Finest Peyton Manning #121
In the 1990s, Topps Finest was one of the hobby’s powerhouse brands, with sought-after premium cards that had a foil look and popular Refractor parallels.
With other chromium focussed brands now established in the hobby, Finest has lost a bit of that hype, but that doesn’t take away the fact that this Finest Peyton Manning card is one of his top rookie options.
The base version is relatively low-cost, but the Refractor parallel adds both extra pop, and value.
In 2021, a BGS 10 graded copy of the Refractor parallel sold for $4.49k.
1998 Topps Chrome Peyton Manning #165
A slight upgrade on the regular Topps Peyton Manning Rookie Card, the added chrome of this Topps Chrome rookie card gives it a more premium look and feel.
At the time of release, Topps was the longest standing card line in football, and the brand still carries weight in the hobby today, so it gives this Manning rookie a bit of added significance.
The Refractor parallel version holds more weight and appeal than the base version, which itself is worth a bit more than some of the alternative chrome base Manning rookies, like the Finest card I mentioned above.
The Refractor version is one of the most valuable Peyton Manning football cards; Back in 2021, it sold for $39k, graded BGS 10.
1998 Bowman Chrome Peyton Manning #1
Although the Bowman Chrome brand doesn’t hold as much weight with football card collectors as it does with baseball, this 1998 Bowman Chrome Peyton Manning rookie card is still a top option.
The card is the same as the regular Bowman counterpart, but with the added chrome, and holds more value; Although the base version is still relatively low-cost.
There are a few parallel versions for this one, which add value, including the Golden Anniversary Refractor parallel; A PSA 9 graded copy of that sold for $28.2k in 2024.
1998 Upper Deck Peyton Manning #1
The 1998 Upper Deck Peyton Manning rookie card isn’t the flashiest card you’ll see, but it’s no doubt a popular option.
The popularity of the flagship Upper Deck release helps its appeal, as well as the fact it’s a short print.
It’s one of his more valuable base rookies, and there’s also a Bronze (/100) and Gold (1-of-1) parallels, which adds some more value.
1998 Leaf Rookies & Stars Peyton Manning #233
The 1998 Leaf Rookies and Stars Peyton Manning rookie card is a solid option, which holds a slight premium over many of his other base rookies, because it’s a short print, although it’s not hugely rare.
It’s a clean looking card, featuring the full-body image of Manning in action.
There are a few parallel versions as well, like the Longevity parallel, which sold for $5k in 2023, graded PSA 10.
1998 Skybox E-X2001 Peyton Manning #54
Certainly one of the more busy and bold looking Peyton Manning rookie cards, the 1998 E-X2001 card appeals with its use of mixed materials; The clear acetate mixes with the patterned foil.
It’s a tough one to keep in good condition, with the foiled letters and partial background, so not as easy to find in top condition as some of the other first-year cards.
For me, the two parallels are among Peyton Manning’s best football cards ever released; They’re also some of the most valuable: The Essentials Credentials Now (/54) and Essential Credentials Future (/7).
A PSA 10 graded copy of the Essential Credentials Now card sold for $60k in 2021, graded PSA 10.
1998 Metal Universe Peyton Manning #189
The base version of the 1998 Metal Universe Peyton Manning rookie card is a solid option, but not expensive to buy.
However, the Precious Metal Gems parallel adds rarity, and a lot more value; It’s numbered to only 50 copies, and it’s one of Manning’s most expensive cards of all time.
I personally think the Precious Metal Gems parallels of the late 90s, which we saw across multiple sports, are some of the best sports card parallels ever, and they remain very popular today.
In 2023, a PSA 10 graded copy of the PMG parallel version sold for $42k.
When Was Peyton Manning’s Rookie Season?
Peyton Manning’s rookie season was the 1998 NFL season – He was selected as the 1st pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1998 NFL Draft.
What Is The Rarest Peyton Manning Rookie Card?
The rarest Peyton Manning rookie card is the 1998 Playoff Contenders Ticket Autograph Card (#87), which is limited to just 200 copies, although it doesn’t include serial-numbering on the card.
It’s worth noting that some collectors do not consider the card as technically a rookie card, by traditional definition, but some do, because there’s no regular base set in the 1998 Playoff Contenders release.
What Is The Most Valuable Peyton Manning Rookie Card?
The most valuable Peyton Manning rookie card is the 1998 Playoff Contenders Ticket Autograph Card (#87).
The on-card signature, and Rookie Ticket brand both contribute to the card’s high-value.
There have been numerous multiple-ten thousand dollar sales of the card in the past, and in 2019 a PSA 10 graded copy sold for as much as $72k.
