John Tavares
Date of Birth: 9/20/1990
Rookie Card Year: 2009-10
Investment Rating: 7.0
Overview
John Tavares is a player on the verge. It's more a matter of when, not if, it will happen. And while John Tavares cards are very healthy on the secondary market, it won't take much to get them to the next level.
John Tavares' hockey career has been met with lots of fanfare. In 2006, he was named the CHL Rookie of the Year in 2006. Tavares followed that up by winning the Player of the Year Award in 2007. It came as no surprise that the Islanders picked Tavares with the first overall pick in the 2009 NHL Draft.
Since entering the league, Tavares has shown steady development but he still hasn't broken through. He broke the 30-goal plateau for the first time in 2011-12, notching 81 total points in the process. Despite this, collectors are still fairly bullish about John Tavares cards. His rookie cards from 2009-10 remain strong sellers. A two-time gold-medal winner for Canada at the World Junior Championships, Upper Deck has done a good job of capturing him in the red and white. In the Game did as well while he was still playing junior hockey.
There are 19 John Tavares rookie cards for collectors to chase, ranging from low-end base cards to low-numbered autographs and memorabilia cards. Some of Tavares' rookie cards are extremely tough. Six come numbered to just 99. Although numbered to 999, the 2009-10 SP Authentic John Tavares autographed rookie card is a popular choice that's readily available.
Looking ahead, many expect Tavares to continue improve. Playing for the lowly Islanders hasn't helped his stock much either. Expect him to be the face of the franchise when the team moves to Brooklyn in 2015. There's still a lot of upside to John Tavares cards and memorabilia.
Tops John Tavares Rookie Cards
2009-10 Upper Deck the Cup John Tavares RC #180 Autographed Patch #/99
Limited to just 99 serial numbered copies, the card features a patch swatch and an on-card autograph inscribed with his jersey number. The vertical layout of the card feels awkward as the type face on the front is written in the same direction.
2009-10 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection John Tavares RC #139 Autograph #/99
The 2009-10 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection John Tavares has much cleaner design than The Cup. What it lacks in memorabilia, it makes up for in aesthetic value. Also featuring an on-card autograph, the card is serial numbered to 99.
2009-10 SPx John Tavares RC #180 Autographed Jersey #/499
If you are looking for a more affordable Taveres memorabilia/autograph rookie card, as compared to The Cup, this is a very nice alternative. There are a total of 499 copies of this card and each contains an autograph (sticker, clear) and jersey swatch. A parallel version, numbered to 25, is also available with the memorabilia consisting of a patch swatch.
2009-10 SP Authentic John Tavares RC #201 #/999
Despite a much high print run and lack of memorabilia, the 2009-10 SP Authentic John Tavares rookie card consistently outsells its SPx counterpart. More than anything, it's a testament to the brand's popularity with both rookie collectors and set builders.
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Rookie Cards
John Tavares Rookie Card Checklist
Budget Rookie Cards
- 2009-10 Collector's Choice #273
- 2009-10 O-Pee-Chee #800
- 2009-10 Ultra #251
- 2009-10 Upper Deck Champ's #144
- 2009-10 Upper Deck Ovation #70
- 2009-10 Upper Deck Victory #318
Mid-Range Rookie Cards
- 2009-10 Upper Deck Artifacts #212 #/699
- 2009-10 Upper Deck Black Diamond #222
- 2009-10 Upper Deck #201
- 2009-10 Upper Deck Trilogy #170 #/499
Premium Rookie Cards
- 2009-10 Be a Player #201 #/99
- 2009-10 O-Pee-Chee Premier #61 Autographed Jersey #/299
- 2009-10 SP Authentic #201 Autograph #/999
- 2009-10 SP Game Used #200 #/99
- 2009-10 SPx #180 Autographed Jersey #/499
- 2009-10 UD Black #73 Autograph #/99
- 2009-10 Upper Deck Ice #184 #/99
- 2009-10 Upper Deck the Cup #180 Autographed Patch #/99
- 2009-10 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection #139 Autograph #/99
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Autograph Guide
John Tavares Autographed Memorabilia Buying Guide
Below you will find an example of what John Tavares' authentic signature looks like. This can be used as a first point of reference for determining the legitimacy of autograph memorabilia, but is not a substitute for having your items authenticated by a well-respected professional autograph authentication company. Some of the trusted sources within the sports memorabilia market include the following companies: PSA, JSA, and Mounted Memories.
John Tavares Cut Signature Exemplar:
John Tavares Key Signature Attributes: An authentic John Tavares signature autograph will exhibit several distinguishing characteristics. Regardless of the type of item or when it was signed, look for the following signature features:
- John Tavares signature is nothing more than a few scribbled, undecipherable characters and his jersey number "91."
- The signature displays a lop-sided sideways oval, a series of short up and down pen strokes.
- Something that looks like a "t" leaning to the left and small cross.
- This is followed by "/."
- The "91" is capped on top and bottom with two parallel lines, the top is shorter than the bottom.
- On larger items it is not uncommon for Tavares to move the numeral inscription to inside the bubble of the letter "J."
John Tavares Signed Puck Pricing:
Active Listings for John Tavares Signed Pucks
John Tavares Signed Stick Pricing:
Active Listings for John Tavares Signed Sticks
John Tavares Signed Jersey Pricing:
Active Listings for John Tavares Signed Jerseys
John Tavares Signed Photograph Pricing:
Active Listings for John Tavares Signed Photographs
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More Info
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Bill Strong
The Isles are playing really, really bad but Johnny busts his butt every night. He simply couldn’t play harder or care more but his teammates are letting him down.