None of the above. IMO, to qualify as a "ROOKIE card," the card should be produced either the year of or after a player's ROOKIE year.
If a player doesn't have a card that that fits that criteria, then he doesn't have a rookie card. He could have a first Topps card, first Bowman card, etc, but should not have what is considered to be a rookie card.
In the early to late '90s, a lot of companies were snapping pictures of players as soon as they were drafted and calling them "rookie cards." That's ridiculous! Take Derek Jeter for example, his "RC" is 1993 Topps, SP, etc, but he didn't brake into the majors until 1995. How can you call it a rookie card if the player wasn't a rookie the year the card was produced? Makes no sense.
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