Our next round of Liquid Auctions open this Thursday, and to get you prepared, here’s a look at some market trends, insights, highlights of available assets and more.

‍

‍

Auctions Info

Start date: Thursday, 3/17, 6pm PT / 9pm ET

Close date: Thursday, 3/24, 6pm PT / 9pm ET

Total number of investment-grade assets: 500

‍

‍

Fun Fact

Last week, MLB’s players and owners came to an agreement to save the 2022 baseball season from a lockout. And speaking of saves, while the statistic was talked about as early as 1960, and adopted by MLB as an official statistic in 1969, the first individual player card to feature saves as a statistic was a 1981 Donruss Rollie Fingers. Which was a good omen, as Fingers went on to win the American League MVP and Cy Young award that season, his first with the Milwaukee Brewers.

‍

‍

‍

Market Trends

‍

‍

Juan Soto

Soto has been an impressive performer since his 2018 debut. In four seasons he’s finished on the All-MLB First Team twice, the Second Team once, and celebrated a World Series championship. In just over 450 regular season games, Soto has a .981 OPS and nearly 100 home runs. His cards are impressive performers as well. During the 2021 MLB season, Soto’s Index showed a 27.48% decline but recovered with strong gains after the season ended with a +24.05% increase from November through last week.

‍

‍

‍

Tom Brady

At the start of the 2021 season, Brady’s cards were trading near their lowest point in the last 12 months, but they gained steadily as he put together a solid season that seemed like it would be his last...until it wasn’t. Brady’s index ultimately posted a 14.82% gain from September through February 2, when Brady announced a retirement that lasted a brief 40 days.

‍

‍

‍

‍

Luka Dončić

Luka had strong gains between the end of the 2020 Season and the opening of the 2021 Season, posting a 21.28% increase over those four months. And while his cards aren’t where they were at their peak, his recent play for the surging Mavericks has them back on the upswing for sure.

‍

‍

‍

Expert Selection

‍

‍

Big 3 Gems

‍

2003-04 Bowman Chrome Lebron James Gold Refractor | Alt Value $245,372.21

LeBron had a number of Gold Refractors in his rookie year, but a few stand above the rest. While not on the same level as Topps Chrome from a value perspective, Bowman Chrome is every bit as aesthetically pleasing, possibly even more due to its true gold shine. This is undoubtedly one of LeBron's best rookie cards, and an incredible long-term investment given the rarity, high grade, and collectors' affinity for all things gold.

‍

‍

‍

2006-07 Exquisite Collection Michael Jordan Limited Logos | Alt Value $154,863.63

Take a poll of the best-looking cards ever made, and Limited Logos is sure to be at the very top. A sleek design with gold foil, a huge patch swatch, bright blue auto, and low numbering make this a very special card. It’s even more rare thanks to the BGS 9 grade, which is always a tough get for thicker Exquisite cards.

‍

‍

‍

‍

2007 Exquisite Collection Kevin Durant Jersey Auto | Alt Value $115,569.03

This iconic Exquisite RPA is KD’s most recognizable and investable card on the market. PSA 9 is extremely rare for a card of this age and thickness, and it has a pop of four, with only two graded higher. While the patch may seem underwhelming at first glance, many Durant RPAs were sadly swapped with fake patches following release. The winning bidder on this one can rest assured that this card is 100% legit, with a perfect auto and highly elusive grade.

‍

‍

‍

‍

Featured Gems

Our curated selection of assets in all price ranges.

‍

‍

Superstar assets to look out for

‍

‍

2002 Topps Tom Brady Super Bowl MVP | Alt Value $81,370.34

One of Brady's most desirable non-rookie autographs, this card features a piece of a game-used football from Super Bowl XXXVI, an incredibly bright blue signature, and hand numbering to 150. Since the card is 20 years old, most of the 150 signatures have not withstood the test of time, and this is undoubtedly one of the best examples you will find.

‍

‍

‍

‍

2003-04 Exquisite Collection Dwayne Wade Jersey Auto | Alt Value $81,012.41

A soon-to-be Hall of Famer, Wade won three championships in Miami and is frequently recognized as one of the five best shooting guards of all time. His Exquisite RPA gets a lot of love, since it's from the inaugural first release which also included LeBron's iconic RPA. But like Wade himself, the card still feels a little underappreciated. This is one of the best you’ll find, considering the three-color patch, perfect autograph and BGS 9 grade.

‍

‍

‍

‍

2004 Exquisite Collection Lebron James | Alt Value $44,454.41

PSA 10s are almost unfathomable when it comes to older Exquisites, and couple that with the 10 auto and you’re looking at a true unicorn. The 2004 Enshrinements set features holofoil and gold bordering, and is among the nicest sets to come out of Exquisite. This card is a Pop 1, and that will never change.

‍

‍

‍

All-star assets to look out for

‍

‍

2013-14 Immaculate Giannis Antetokounmpo Auto | Alt Value $38,008.31

Giannis remains one of the hottest players on the market, with his Bucks gearing up to defend their title. This is his second-best RPA in terms of value, but most would agree that it’s #1 by a longshot from a visual standpoint.

‍

‍

‍

‍

2009 - 10 Exquisite Collection Steph Curry Rookie Auto | Alt Value $29,321.97

Unfortunately, Curry was drafted the year after Upper Deck lost their basketball license, so his presence in Exquisite was relegated to non-RPAs in his college uniform. However, the Exquisite brand still carries a lot of weight, and these are a top 5 rookie card for #30.

‍

‍

‍

‍

2005 Spectrum Aaron Rodgers Patch Auto | Alt Value $25,540.13

Fresh off becoming the highest-paid player in NFL history, Aaron Rodgers will enter the 2022 season seeking his elusive second Super Bowl victory. SPX is one of the staple Upper Deck brands of the 2000s, with the Spectrums featuring gold holofoil to match the gold BGS label, which is a pop 8.

‍

‍

Starter assets to look out for

‍

‍

2021 Panini Priz UFC Alexander Volkanovski Gold Prize | Alt Value $1,890.53

This Alexander The Great is currently the defending featherweight champion, and ranked 3rd in the UFC as the best pound-for-pound fighter.

‍

‍

‍

‍

1999 Metal Universe Michael Irvin Precious Metal Gems | Alt Value $1746.53

An iconic 90s player from an iconic 90s set in an ultra-rare PSA 10 grade. Precious Metal Gems was the decade’s premier insert set, originating in basketball before spreading to baseball and football. And though younger fans know him as a chatty commentator, Irvin was one of the top receivers of his era, winning three Super Bowls with the Cowboys.

‍

‍

‍

‍

Liquid Auctions Preview

Check out a few more of the gems you can find in this week’s Liquid Auctions.

Make sure to fund your Alt account so you can bid in Liquid Auctions. Once funded, you can bid up to 3X your account balance. Find out more on our FAQs page.

‍

‍

‍