CSG-certified Tom Brady Rookie Card Just in Time for the Start of the NFL Season

When Tom Brady was selected by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL draft, his future was anything but secure. He was pick number 199 overall and the seventh quarterback to be selected that year. In his first year in the pros, he played one game, gaining six yards on one pass completion. Collectors who pulled a Tom Brady rookie card that year would have had good reasons to toss it.

Twenty years later, however, Tom Brady is widely recognized as one of the best quarterbacks to have ever played the game. Search for “NFL GOAT” on Google and Tom Brady is the top response. As a result, Tom Brady rookie year cards have become coveted by collectors.

Certified Sports Guaranty® (CSG™) is honored to have graded a 2000 Bowman Chrome #236 Tom Brady CSG 9.5, with sub-grades of 9.0 for Corners and 9.5 for Centering, Edges and Surface.

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2000 Bowman Tom Brady among rare Refractor Cards

The Bowman #236 Tom Brady is especially sought after as one of Bowman’s Refractor Cards. Introduced to the world of sports trading cards by Topps in 1993, Refractors, as the cards are known, are printed with a reflective coating that causes a rainbow-like reflection to appear when the card is viewed at a certain angle. Only a select few cards in each set are printed as Refractors. In addition, Refractor status is often reserved for top stars or top prospects.

The 2000 Bowman Tom Brady Refractor is considered a key football rookie Refractor. Others on that list include the 1998 Peyton Manning, 2003 Ben Roethlisberger, 2005 Aaron Jones and 2011 Cam Newton.

‘Bowman Briefing’ cites Brady’s passing, leadership skills

The front of the #236 Bowman Tom Brady shows the rookie quarterback in the Patriot’s road uniform, which features a white jersey and navy pants, with his arm cocked and ready to throw the football. The back of the card provides Brady’s college passing record as well as a “Bowman Briefing” that lists the following “skills” exhibited by Brady: “Scans field well...Plays best in big games...Known for accuracy and touch...Leads with poise and determination.”

Brady’s professional career supports Bowman’s assessment. He holds NFL records for most career passing attempts, most touchdown passes, and best touchdown to interception ratio in a season. He has won seven Super Bowls, been named the Super Bowl MVP five times, been named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player three times and was named Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year in 2005.

Top graded Tom Brady cards continue to grow in value

Dozens of different Tom Brady rookie cards were printed in 2000 by several different card companies. While the Bowman #236 Tom Brady is not the most expensive of the Brady rookie cards, it is considered a top collectible. Graded examples of the card recently have secured bids of up to $15,000 on eBay.

After 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. In his first season with Tampa Bay, Brady led the team to a Super Bowl victory. As the 2021 NFL season kicks off, fans — and collectors — are eager to see what this year has in store.