With how many jerseys each of the rookies wear at the rookie premiere, its easy to see why there are so many cards with logo patches on them each year. As a result, the prestige associated with the 1/1 rookie logo shield autograph has dropped to record lows, which has in turn, elevated the pricing of other cards that never used to carry the value they do now. We are coming upon the release of the cards that will arguably be the most expensive of the year, as the Topps Chrome Superfractor Autograph 1/1s have taken their place atop the heap.

You would not believe the prices they get until you see them:

2011 Topps Chrome Blaine Gabbert Superfractor Auto 1/1

2011 Topps Chrome Mikel LeShoure Auto Superfractor 1/1

2011 Topps Chrome Torrey Smith Superfractor 1/1 – Non Auto

Even the high end cards from releases like National Treasures, Exquisite and Five Star cannot compete with Chrome’s 1/1s, especially now that Topps has switched to on card autographs from the rookies at the premiere. Collectors have started to see through the logo patch as a card worth spending thousands on, as both Panini and Topps have over-saturated the market. With the supers in Chrome, there is only one each year, and they always sport the awesome designs that Topps has brought to their base set. Collector loyalty isnt necessarily all built on what’s in the box, sometimes its just as much about what is on the cards.

Check out the shields from the recent releases this year:

2012 Panini Certified Andrew Luck Fabric of the Game 1/1 NFL Logo – Obviously, being such a hideous card wont help the price.

2012 Topps Inception Robert Griffin III NFL Logo 1/1

2012 Panini Momentum LaMIchael James NFL Logo Auto 1/1

2012 Topps Inception Trent Richardson NFL Logo 1/1

I have done posts previously that highlight how little 1/1s are really worth anymore, but the Superfractors from Chrome remain the best of the best. Even the non-autographed Superfractors can bring more money than autographed 1/1s from some of the other products, which continually shocks me. Not only that, but veteran superfractors from Topps Chrome still command an enormous premium, which is unheard of for a card that doesnt have an auto or a relic attached to it. Players that have had 5-10 years worth of Chrome 1/1s can still sell for a ton of money, a feat RARELY duplicated in any sport.

In football, like other sports, Chrome is king. There is nothing that Panini or any other company can do about it, including Leaf and their products full of similar looking cards. Copying is the sincerest form of flattery, so when you see an unrelated company try to bite on the existence of the almighty superfractor 1/1, you know its gotten to a point where nothing will unseat the king of the mountain.