Before the 2024 season began, many had low expectations for Justin Fields. After all, he was slated to be the backup to Super Bowl-winning QB Russell Wilson. However, an injury break gave Justin a lucky shot, and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands. The fourth-year QB has impressed in each of his outings, which has led to a rise in his stock — not just on social media, but also in the collector’s market.
Back in 2022, a year into his Bears stint, Fields’ 1/1 Panini Prizm Black Finite card sold for a whopping $90,000 in the collector’s market. But as the QB’s career took a downturn in Chicago, his cards’ market value followed suit.
For instance, Fields’ prestigious Flawless Shield card was sold for just under $40,000 in the summer of 2023. Things, however, have since changed. The decline from this point was alarmingly steep as Fields was nearly written off as a flop, especially after consecutive losing seasons with the Bears.
A testament to Fields’ downfall was the auction price of his Silver Prism rookie card, which was sold for a meager $700.
Unfortunately for the QB, this price plummeted to new lows, as this card was valued before this season at a mind-boggling range of $50-$100. Even the Flawless Shield card, which was sold last summer at $39,000, currently boasts the highest bid of just $3,000 at Fanatics.
But things are changing. After being handed the starting role with the Steelers, the QB is making the most of it by leading the team to a flawless 3-0 start to the season. With Wilson’s return still uncertain, Fields is expected to hold onto the QB1 spot.
Unsurprisingly, his newfound lease of life in Pittsburgh has resulted in his collector’s market valuation increasing from multiple angles.
Fields’ collector market sees a boom
As per data from Cardbase, the world’s largest collection of trading cards, Fields’ index rating [based on sales] stood at 787.14 earlier this year. Since the season began, however, his index rating [an aggregate of all Fields cards across marketplaces] has improved to 799.63, an index change of 1.5%.
Another positive trend in Fields’ card collection is the price. As per data, his cards hit an all-time low of $0.01 in 2023. Whereas the most recent purchase of his cards has been recording an average of $53.81.
With relatively favorable upcoming fixtures on the horizon, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Pittsburgh be amongst the first teams to make the playoffs this season. In this likely situation, it will be interesting to see how the auction prices for Fields’ Flawless Shield card, currently valued at $3,000, shoot up.