Dwayne Johnson
Rookie Card Year: 1994
Investment Rating: 6.5
Overview
Few professional wrestlers have achieved the crossover success as "The Rock" Dwayne Johnson. In a short time, he became one of the biggest stars ever for the WWE. So big that Hollywood came calling in their search for a new action star. Although he hasn't wrestled full-time in many years, he has made regular appearances in the ring, even headlining Wrestlemania XXVIII against John Cena and winning the WWE Championship at the 2013 Royal Rumble. With his hand in so many projects, "The Rock" Dwayne Johnson cards and memorabilia have developed a solid following. In particular, his autograph cards continue to fare very well on the secondary market.
He started out as a defensive tackle at the University of Miami before heading to Calgary for a very short-lived stint in the CFL. After that, it was off to the wrestling ring, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. He was pushed hard as a rookie wrestler to the point that fans turned on him. Rocky Maivia was eventually repackaged as The Rock and the rest is history. With an endless supply of one-liners and catch phrases, The Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin helped bring the WWE back to prominence.
But that wasn't enough. Johnson's tough look and charisma led to an acting career, something that would largely take him out of the ring. A string of box office hits have made him one of the most popular actors in Hollywood, especially when it comes to action movies.
Over the years, "The Rock" Dwayne Johnson has appeared not only in dozens of wrestling card sets, but a handful of movie sets as well. He even got his own set with 2000 Comic Images Rock Solid. Johnson has a few autograph cards, but most are tough to find, especially now that much of the supply has dried up. Collectors can also look for event-used WWE memorabilia cards.
Top "The Rock" Dwayne Johnson Cards
1994 University of Miami Dwayne Johnson
Part of a perforated sheet, this is the holy grail of "The Rock" Dwayne Johnson cards. Extremely difficult to find, it has bright green borders. It also acts as a reminder of Johnson's football career, which lasted a short while longer in the CFL. Because it's part of a sheet, the edges are rough as they had to be separated from the other cards bordering it.
1998 Comic Images WWF Superstarz Autographs The Rock
1998 Comic Images WWF Superstarz has the first traditional pack-inserted trading cards of the Rock. Not only does he have a pair of base cards, but he has an autograph. The design mimics one of his base cards, with the wrestler delivering his patented Rock Bottom finisher. In recent years, collectors have grown to appreciate this set a little more and its excellent checklist. As a result, this card's price is seeing steady growth.
2001 Inkworks The Mummy Returns Autographs The Rock
This is another extremely tough "The Rock" Dwayne Johnson card. It also documents the launch of his acting career. While unopened wax from 2001 Inkworks The Mummy Returns has all but dried up, it's important to note that this card was a redemption. So don't go taking your chances on a box because the best you can expect is a redemption card that can't be redeemed.
2002 Inkworks The Scorpion King Autographs The Rock
Going from supporting villain to headline star for this prequel, The Rock is extremely short printed. As a result, this card, which has a similar layout as his Mummy Returns autograph, remains an expensive proposition. For those looking for something a little more reasonable, The Rock is featured in the Pieceworks set. These cards have movie costume swatches embedded in them.
2005 Artbox Doom Autographs Dwayne Johnson
The movie was a bomb and the card set didn't do much better. That said, 2005 Artbox Doom does have a couple of gems. The Dwayne Johnson autograph is the big one. Already saddled with a low print run, the card is also short printed compared to other autographs in the set. Another small but notable thing about this card is that it's the first he signed "Dwayne Johnson."
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Autograph Guide
"The Rock" Dwayne Johnson Autographed Memorabilia Buying Guide
Below you will find an example of what "The Rock" Dwayne Johnson's authentic signature looks like. We have included samples for both his name and "The Rock." 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. Reputable authentication companies include JSA, PSA and Mounted Memories to name a few. Click on any of the images below to view full size photos.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Cut Signature Exemplar
Dwayne Johnson Key Signature Attributes: An authentic Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson signature autograph will exhibit several distinguishing characteristics, depending on when in his career the item was signed. Other characteristics that play into his signature style are the particular item and venue. Johnson's signature can be found with his full name, nickname and combination of the two. Look for the following signature features:
- Whole signature is written on a relatively even horizontal plane.
- If signing his legal name, often the only discernible letters will be the letter "D" and "J" which are both over-sized.
- The "D" consists of a swooping backwards "C" with a long tail on the bottom that extends to the left, the vertical line typically does not touch the curved line.
- The "J" more closely resembles a number "9" with the loop not closed.
- Occasionally each individual letter of his legal name is clearly visible other time a line off of the letters "D" and "J" imply the other letters.
- When signing "The Rock" or "Rock", which is much more common to see than "Dwayne Johnson", the letter "R" is unique as it is written with a single pen lift in a manner that looks more like a "P" with a line crossing horizontally.
- The pen lifts for the visible "o."
- The "C" and "k" flow together with the "k" having a line that trails horizontally down and to the right.
Dwayne Johnson Signed Photograph Pricing
Active Listings for Dwayne Johnson Signed Photographs
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Figure Guide
The Rock Action Figure Highlights
The Rock - Jakks Pacific WWE Classic SuperStars Series 1
The Rock - Jakks Pacific WWE Classic SuperStars Series 19
The Rock - Mattel WWE Wrestling Basic Signature Series 4 (Sunglasses & Shirtless)
The Rock - Mattel WWE Wrestling Exclusive Elite Road to WrestleMania
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More Info
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