Here's 30 Players With Rookie Cards for No More Than $20 Each

The 1980s and 1990s were the years in which the sports cards hobby grew -- and it's also when production numbers went up and product flooded the market.

Though there aren't a lot of cards from that era that are worth a lot of money (unlike the rookie cards of the players in my header photo), the upside to that is there are plenty of cards of Hall of Fame players that are affordable.

For people who have been thinking about getting back into the hobby but aren't certain they want to chase after current product, particularly with those buying up and flipping retail product, there are some older cards out there that are reasonably priced.

While it's not likely you'll see their values shoot through the moon, they can still be nice pieces to add to your collection.

Here's a list of 30 Hall of Fame or potential Hall of Fame players who have rookie cards that can be found for $20 or less, as long as you look for particular sets. While I recommend you track them down for the joy of the hobby, who knows -- there could be a rush for their cards on the open market and their values could increase in the future.

Baseball

We'll go with 10 here -- do keep in mind that most baseball rookie cards aren't worth a lot, but a few hold value.

Ken Griffey Jr.: First of all, there is one of his rookie cards that fetches three figures -- that's 1989 Upper Deck, his most popular rookie card. But don't overlook his cards in the 1989 Donruss and Fleer sets. Both can be easily found for $15 or less.

Barry Larkin: The former Cincinnati Reds shortstop got his name called to the Hall of Fame, but his cards are still overlooked, likely because he played in the same era as Cal Ripken Jr. and Ozzie Smith. But if you're a Larkin fan, you can pick up his 1987 Fleer rookie card for about $8.

Randy Johnson: Were it not for Nolan Ryan chasing strikeout records and throwing no hitters, Johnson might have gotten more attention earlier in his career. Johnson gained more notoriety later in his career, but his 1989 rookie cards remain at low prices. His Upper Deck rookie can be found for $12.

Craig Biggio: Second basemen don't get a lot of attention, and because Biggio played for a low-market team in the Houston Astros, it's not surprising his cards aren't highly prized. But if you liked him, you're in luck because his 1989 Upper Deck rookie card can be found for $6 or less.

Chipper Jones: It remains to be seen if the popular Atlanta Braves hitter will make it to the Hall of Fame. His most valuable is actually a second-year card from 1992 Bowman, but if you want his rookie card, you can pick up his 1991 Topps rookie for $12.

Greg Maddux: One of the best pitchers in the 1990s, Maddux has just one rookie card, that appearing in the 1987 Donruss set. Amazingly, you can find that card for $12. There may be no better bargain among rookie cards than Maddux.

Ryne Sandberg: The Hall of Fame second baseman was one of the best at his position, and playing for a popular team like the Chicago Cubs only increased his notoriety. Many of his rookie cards have been graded, and thus will cost more, but if you find ungraded copies of his 1983 Donruss rookie card, you should be able to get one for no more than $20.

Wade Boggs: Baseball card collectors often prefer to chase home run hitters, and Boggs wasn't that type of hitter. But he was one of the best at getting on base, and that's why he eventually made the Hall of Fame. Ungraded copies of his 1983 Donruss rookie card can be found for $15.

Derek Jeter: The longtime New York Yankees shortstop is one of the few players to have rookie cards in the 1990s that command double-digit prices. The good news is that most are toward the lower end of that scale. Your best bet is to look for his 1993 Upper Deck rookie card, which you can find for $20.

Alex Rodriguez: It's not certain that Rodriguez will get into the Hall of Fame, but if he does, that could spur interest in his rookie cards -- and he doesn't have that many. Upper Deck was the only company to issue cards for him in 1994. Look for the one in the main Upper Deck set, which sells for about $15.

Football

I'm going with 15 here, because there are plenty of rookie cards that get overlooked.

Jim Kelly: One of three Hall of Fame quarterbacks drafted in 1983, Kelly opted to sign with the now-defunct USFL. There were USFL sets released, but only to hobby dealers and in such limited quantities that those sets aren't considered to have rookie cards. His rookie card thus came out in 1987, and his Topps card can be found for $10 or less.

Deion Sanders: The cornerback started his career as a two-sport player, but eventually focused on football and became one of the more dominant players on defense and in the return game. His 1989 Score rookie card is his most valuable and ungraded copies can be had for $10.

Eric Dickerson: Back when running backs ruled the roost, Dickerson was one of the most dominant -- to the point that he sought to be one of the highest paid players in the NFL. His rookie card appears in the 1984 Topps set, and ungraded copies are available for $10.

Marcus Allen: Another top running back from the 1980s, Allen's rookie card might be worth more if Topps hadn't double-printed them. Long story short, Topps reduced the size of its football sets from 528 to 396, but still printed sheets for a set size of the former. Allen’s 1983 rookie card can be found for $15 or less.

Warren Moon: He took his talents to the CFL at first because teams didn't think he could make it at quarterback. Moon eventually made it to the NFL and proved otherwise, challenging the mindset that black players weren’t good enough to play QB. His 1985 Topps rookie card can be found for $15.

Steve Young: He started his career in the USFL, but as with Kelly, his cards in the USFL sets aren't considered to be rookie cards. His rookie card thus appears in the 1986 Topps set, and while he rose to prominence with the Niners, he started his career with the Buccaneers. Ungraded copies of his rookie card remain affordable at $20 or less.

Reggie White: Another player who started his days with the USFL, White's rookie card also appears in the 1986 Topps set. One of the best when it came to rushing the quarterback and getting sacks, White's card is also affordable, with ungraded copies costing $15 or less.

Brett Favre: A 1991 second-round pick, Favre's first cards came out when football cards were produced in larger quantities. But that means ungraded copies of his rookie cards are within most everyone's price range. Consider his 1991 Upper Deck rookie card, which you can buy for $10.

Emmitt Smith: The 1990 first-round pick was late in reporting to training camp because he didn't agree to terms with the Cowboys until close to the start of the season. That meant most companies didn't include his rookie card in their sets -- but Pro Set held off on its second series until midway through the season. That allowed the company to put his rookie card in its 1990 set, and you can find it for $10 or less.

Michael Strahan: The New York Giants pass rusher gained fame after the Giants beat the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. He doesn't have a lot of rookie cards, but given the high production of football cards in 1993, they aren't that valuable. But you can pick up his 1993 Topps Stadium Club rookie card for $3, and that's a great deal for a Hall of Fame player.

Terrell Davis: The Super Bowl XXXII MVP had a short career, but a dominant one that ultimately led to his Hall of Fame induction. Had he played more seasons, his cards might be worth more, particularly because most companies didn't have rookie cards in their 1995 sets. You can buy his 1995 Select Certified rookie card for $12 or less.

Ray Lewis: Another former Super Bowl MVP, Lewis is another player who didn't have a lot of rookie cards produced, even though he was a first-round pick. Despite not having many rookie cards, there are some affordable ones out there. Case in point is his 1996 Fleer rookie card, for which ungraded copies sell for about $8.

Marvin Harrison: A recent inductee into the Hall of Fame, card companies didn't overlook the Colts first-round pick from 1996. This was the first year Topps Chrome came out, and those cards are among the most coveted from that year. Still, Harrison's card is affordable, with ungraded copies selling for $20 or less.

Peyton Manning: Believe it or not, there are affordable rookie cards for the Hall of Fame quarterback and one of the most prolific passers in the 2000s. You have to look in the right sets to find those affordable cards, though. But take his 1998 Score rookie card -- ungraded copied can be purchased for $15.

Randy Moss: Another Hall of Famer from the 1998 NFL draft class, Moss has quite a few rookie cards and most of them don't cost a lot. You can move up to the 1998 Bowman set and get his rookie card from that set for $12 or less.

Basketball

For this sport, I had to go with five, because interest in basketball cards is high and most of the Hall of Fame players appeared before 1989, when those sets weren't produced in large quantities. Also, you'll have to focus on particular sets to get good deals, but you can find them if you know where to look.

David Robinson: When the 1989-90 NBA Hoops set hit the scene, Robinson's rookie card was slipped into the set. You'll want to find the version of him on draft day, holding up his new jersey. That's the rookie card, and ungraded copies can be purchased for $10.

Shaquille O'Neal: A couple of his rookie cards are selling at high prices, but there's a few that are still reasonably priced. His 1992-93 Skybox rookie card was short printed, yet you can find ungraded copies for $8 if you take the time to look.

Kevin Garnett: By the time Garnett hit the scene, basketball cards had flooded the market. There's been more interest in those sets from the 1990s, but Garnett has several cards that haven't gotten attention. Consider his 1995-96 Fleer Ultra rookie card -- you can find ungraded copies for $10.

Steve Nash: There's been a huge increase in interest in the 1996-97 basketball sets, namely because of Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson. Nash saw a jump in some of his rookie cards, too, but not all of them. You have a good chance of finding his 1996-97 Fleer Ultra rookie card for $15.

Tim Duncan: The recent Hall of Fame inductee could see a spike in his rookie cards at some point, but many of them are easily affordable. You might not want to wait too long to pick up his rookie cards from the 1997-98 sets. Try looking for his Fleer Ultra rookie card, for which ungraded copies sell for $12.