Rookie Card parallel featuring rookie jersey serial number … sorta
When it comes to Clayton Kershaw, there is one jersey number he will forever be remembered for wearing … and it’s 22.
But truth be told, he not only has worn 22. He has worn 54 for the Dodgers during his rookie season, and he has worn 46 and 75 as documented on various 2006-2008 Topps products.
The other day while checking for newly listed Kershaw cards on eBay I came across a tough rookie-year parallel, a 2008 Stadium Club Blue Photographer’s Proof parallel of Kershaw’s TSC rookie card. The card is serial numbered 75/99 … the 75 is significant because that is the jersey number Kershaw is wearing on his 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter and Topps Update rookie cards, among others.
For what it’s worth, I had only seen one other of this parallel card on eBay in recent history and it is still priced way more than I wanted to pay. But when this one popped up at a lower Buy It Now price and with a Best Offer option, I shot over an offer and within 20 minutes had negotiated a purchase price for about half of what the original BIN was. The card arrived earlier this week.
Regardless of the serial number, I decided the card was going to me mine. But the fact that this card had a serial number with some “importance” makes it a bit sweeter.
Player collectors have different methods for their madness. They sometimes only collect base cards, or chase the hits. And when it comes to serial numbered cards they sometimes can be very specific about THE one they need to own. I’m not entirely biased in that way, but I will often shop for a serial number that is appealing, and will pay a slight premium for cards featuring the serial number matching the player’s jersey number. In the case of this Stadium Club rookie parallel, I admit it’s a bit of a stretch, but it is a nice bonus to own this tougher find with a serial number matching the jersey number Kershaw is wearing on one of his significant rookie cards — it’s just too bad he’s not shown on this specific card wearing that number. Then again, if that were the case, I might have been able to get this card at the price I was able to negotiate.
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