[novakjr]

Well, I really didn't start collecting 'til '86, and really don't remember a huge rookie craze at the time. Perhaps, it was just because I was young and just liked cards in general...Slowly, over the next couple of years, it seemed to sneak up on me. And while I fully acknowledge that there was a bit of a rookie card premium beforehand, I believe 1989 was the year that really sent the craze into the full blown disaster that it is now. The popularity of the '89 Upper Deck Griffey seemed to be the catalyst. The craze really took off with the '89 Pro-Set and Score football sets containing draft picks. Classic really took things by the horns with their Draft Pick and 4-5 sport sets, which only made things worse. Later, Bowman seemed to make their name off of it. Bowman to me, is nothing more than an industry accepted version of Classic.

Prices tended to be higher as a player reached a milestone, or near the end of his career. Generally, after players retired, their cards slowly came down to their final resting place, and generally stay put after election to the Hall. Unexpected Hall calls will take a quick surge upon election, but then settle somewhere in the middle within 6 months.

I've got a '95, a 2000, and a 2009 Beckett and I'll read off some ridiculous rookie prices compared to today's values..1973 Schmidt-$375/200/150. 1974 Winfield-$150/40/50. 1975 George Brett-$225/80/80. Yount-$140/50/50. 1977 Dawson-$60/20/20. 1982 Topps Traded Ripken-$350/200/150. 1985 McGwire-$10/175/30. All of these cards BTW I purchased post retirement, with the exception of the '82 Traded Ripken which I paid $200 right around his 3000th hit. It's still my favorite card but I obviously regret not waiting.

Part of the drops are due to the market, but mostly you'll notice post-retirement dictating actual value. You'll notice a pattern of a players rookie card reaching their appropriate value within 3-4 years of retirement...Basically, what I'm getting at is that anyone waiting to buy '93 SP Jeter, '94 SP Arod, or '01 Pujols cards for their collections, should wait 'til after they retire to avoid wasting money.