These were really fun to discover and collect. There was a time when wrestling cards were very inexpensive — those days are long gone.

The Andre Yamakatsu card was one of my favorites. It took nearly two years to finally get that card approved for grading at PSA. I never found one, but the Andre card with the “Winner” stamp is my favorite choice for his best rookie card.

The Hulk Hogan Popy card is also very limited and a great card, in my opinion.

Does anyone have more information on the Liddell card? I was able to date it because his age was listed on the back, but I was never able to gather enough information for PSA to start grading it.

UFC / MMA

• Bruce Lee 1974 Yamakatsu Way of the Dragon
  The legend. The icon. Bruce Lee’s rare 1974 Yamakatsu card ties martial arts and pop culture into one historic piece.

• Chuck Norris 1974 Yamakatsu Way of the Dragon Series 2
  Before the memes, Chuck Norris was the tough guy — and this 1974 Yamakatsu card captures him at the height of his martial arts fame.

• Ken Shamrock 1995 BBM
  The “World’s Most Dangerous Man” hits cardboard in this early BBM release, just as he transitioned from pro wrestling to UFC stardom.

• Randy Couture 1998 Culture House - Asics Heroes of Wrestling
  Long before becoming a UFC icon, Randy Couture appeared in this U.S.-produced Culture House set honoring amateur wrestling legends.

• Chuck Liddell 2003 Sherdog
  The Iceman’s first card, included as a bonus with Sherdog’s DVD or VHS releases — a tough find that captures Liddell right before his UFC superstardom.

• Royce Gracie 2006 Pride Card Collection
  The man who dominated the early UFC scene shows up here in the Pride FC set, representing pure jiu-jitsu greatness.

Real Wrestling

• Frank Gotch 1909 Ogden’s
  One of the earliest wrestling legends on cardboard — Frank Gotch’s 1909 Ogden’s is a true piece of sports history.

• Daniel Gable 1972 Panini Munich
  Dan Gable’s Olympic gold captured by Panini, just before he went on to reshape American wrestling forever.

Wrestling (80s Heavy since that’s when I mostly watched wrestling)

• Andre The Giant 1974 Yamakatsu New Japan Pro Wrestling
  Andre’s first true card from his early dominance in Japan — before he became a worldwide phenomenon.

• Ric Flair 1982 Wrestling All-Stars Series A
  “Woooo!” The Nature Boy’s cardboard debut in the iconic Wrestling All-Stars set that kicked off the wrestling card boom.

• Hulk Hogan 1981 Popy
  Before Hulkamania, Hogan’s first appearance came via this Japanese Popy figure card — a true grail for wrestling collectors.

• Hulk Hogan 1982 Wrestling All-Stars
  The definitive early Hulk Hogan card from the Wrestling All-Stars set that changed wrestling collectibles forever.

• Mr. T 1983 The A-Team Topps
  Pity the fool who doesn’t recognize Mr. T’s cultural crossover power — immortalized in the A-Team card set.

• The Road Warriors 1985 Wrestling All Stars
  No tag team hit harder or looked cooler — The Road Warriors’ early card is as intense as their in-ring legacy.

• Randy Savage 1985 O-Pee-Chee Series 2
  “Ooooh yeah!” Macho Man’s Canadian O-Pee-Chee rookie is one of wrestling’s most colorful and iconic cards.

• The British Bulldogs 1985 O-Pee-Chee Series 2
  Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid show up in this early O-Pee-Chee release, just as they were redefining tag team wrestling.

• Roddy Piper 1985 O-Pee-Chee WWF Pro Wrestling Stars
  The Hot Rod’s fiery persona is captured perfectly in his first mainstream card from the classic O-Pee-Chee WWF set.

• Bret Hart 1987 O-Pee-Chee WWF Pro Wrestling Stars
  The Hitman’s first solo cardboard appearance — and a must for any fan of excellence.

• Sting 1987 Wonderama Test
  Before the face paint and black baseball bats, young Sting got his start with this rare Wonderama test issue.

• Ultimate Warrior 1989 WWF Super Stars Of Wrestling Series 3
  Feel the power! Warrior’s explosive first mainstream card captures his larger-than-life energy.

• Demolition 1989 WWF Super Stars Of Wrestling Series 1
  Axes and smash hits — Demolition’s early WWF card brings the heavy metal vibe to your collection.

• Steve Austin 1991 Cromy
  Before Stone Cold — Stunning Steve Austin appears on this rare South American Cromy issue. A cold start to a red-hot career.

• The Rockers (Shawn Michaels) 1989 WWF Super Stars Of Wrestling Series 1
  Before HBK became the Showstopper, Shawn Michaels debuted as part of The Rockers — fresh-faced and ready to fly.

• John Cena 2002 Fleer Royal Rumble
  The Champ’s cardboard beginnings — John Cena’s first appearance in a WWE set, just as he was getting ready to rise to the top.

• The Rock 1994 Miami Hurricanes
  Before laying the smackdown, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was chasing football dreams — captured here in his rare Miami Hurricanes card.

I wanted to start a collection with real historical significance, and I decided on presidential inauguration ticket stubs. I’m not sure exactly how far back inauguration tickets exist—I’ve never seen anything earlier than Lincoln, so targeting Lincoln to present.. Since McKinley, I’m only missing one. The 1921 Warren Harding tickets seem especially rare; I haven’t seen one come up for sale yet. Since Gerald Ford never had an inauguration, I’m using a national convention ticket to represent him. One thing that bothers me is how PSA slabbed a few of the tickets in different directions, but I’ll eventually have that corrected. Most tickets from the 1900s to today are relatively affordable, but the ones from the 1800s can start to get expensive.

2021 U.S. President Inauguration-Full Full Joe Biden January 20 - Amethyst

2017 U.S. President Inauguration-Full Full Donald Trump January 20-Red

2009 U.S. President Inauguration-Full Full Barack Obama January 20-Blue

2001 U.S. President Inauguration-Pass Pass George W. Bush January 20

1993 U.S. President Inauguration-Pass Pass Bill Clinton January 20-North Standing

1981 U.S. President Inauguration- Full Ronald Reagan January 20 - President Platform

1989 U.S. President Inauguration-Pass Pass George Bush January 20- Gold

1977 U.S. President Inauguration-Full Full James E. Carter January 20-Southeast Front Capitol

1976 Republican National Convention-Full Aug.19,Kansas City/Gerald Ford Session 5

1969 U.S. President Inauguration-Full Richard M. Nixon January 20

1965 U.S. President Inauguration- Stub Lyndon B. Johnson January 20

1961 U.S. President Inauguration- Stub John F. Kennedy January 20

1953 U.S. President Inauguration- Stub Dwight D. Eisenhower Inauguration-January 20

1949 U.S. President Inauguration- Stub Harry S. Truman Inauguration-January 20

1933 U.S. President Inauguration- Stub Franklin D. Roosevelt Inauguration-January 20

1929 U.S. President Inauguration-Pass Herbert C. Hoover March 4

1925 U.S. President Inauguration- Pass Calvin Coolidge March 4

1913 U.S. President Inauguration- Pass Woodrow Wilson March 4

1908 U.S. President Inauguration- Pass William Taft March 4

1908 U.S. President Inauguration- Pass Theodore Roosevelt March 4

1897 U.S. President Inauguration- Pass William McKinley March 4

1877 U.S. President Inauguration- Pass Rutherford B Hayes March 5

1869 U.S. President Inauguration- Pass Ulysses S Grant March 4

1868 U.S. President Impeachment Trial - Pass Andrew Johnson May 7

These cards exploded in price more than any other sport. I had the most “sellers remorse” with these. It was fun discovering these sets and working with PSA to get them approved for grading. Worked with PSA to get the following sets approved for grading: 1978 Figurita Crack Mundial, 2002 Panini Mega Craques, 2009 Gol Cards. Especially notable that the Ronaldo card later appeared on the cover of SMR Magazine, years after we first got the set approved.

Soccer Rookie Cards

Pelé – 1958 Ave Ltda. Coleção Titulares

One of several Pelé cards from 1958, chosen for being made in Brazil. PSA labeled these as hand-cut. A few 1957 issues have surfaced since, including the 1957 A Americana Ltda Balas Futebol and 1957 Oliveira & Benassi Balas Equipe.

• Franz Beckenbauer – 1965 Perfetti Candy

  Early Italian-issued card of the German great, distributed with Perfetti candy products.

• George Best – 1964 Barratt & Co. Ltd Famous Footballers

  UK-issued rookie of the Manchester United icon.

• Diego Maradona – 1978 Figurita Crack Mundial

  Early Argentine release from before Maradona’s professional debut.

• Landon Donovan – 2002–03 Panini Stickers Football 2003 (#222)

  International Panini sticker featuring the U.S. star in national team gear. The set was recalled shortly after release due to licensing issues, adding to its scarcity.

• Roberto Baggio – 1985 Panini Calciatori

  First appearance in Panini’s flagship Italian domestic set.

• David Beckham – 1995 Raven Manchester Utd. Red Devils

  Team-issued release predating Beckham’s mainstream Panini cards.

• Cristiano Ronaldo – 2002 Panini Mega Craques

  Portuguese domestic release and widely accepted Ronaldo rookie.

• Lionel Messi – 2004 Panini Megacracks iconic rookie card released in Spain.

• Neymar – 2009 Gol Cards

  Brazilian release prior to Neymar’s move to Europe.

• Kylian Mbappé – 2016 Panini Foot #505

  First licensed card of Mbappé, issued during his time at AS Monaco.

Next up is Tennis. These cards were very inexpensive pre covid. Many foreign issues emerged over time. I worked with PSA to get some of these sets slabbed for the first time.

TENNIS ROOKIE CARDS

Rene Lacoste – 1926 Lambert & Butler

First tennis card of the French legend and founder of the Lacoste brand.

Fred Perry – 1930 Cloetta

Early European card of the 3-time Wimbledon champ and fashion icon.

Arthur Ashe – 1966 Ruiz Romero Fútbol Tenis Ciclismo

Spanish multi-sport issue featuring the trailblazing Grand Slam champion.

Björn Borg – 1974 Panini Sport Vedettes

European release predating most of his Grand Slam dominance.

Jimmy Connors – 1980 Deportistas Argentinos

Long considered his first card until a 1976 Americana München #203 was discovered, now recognized as the true rookie.

John McEnroe – 1980 Deportistas Argentinos

Argentine release capturing the young American star early in his career.

Andre Agassi – 1987 Panini

Pre-professional appearance of the Las Vegas prodigy.

Pete Sampras – 1991 NetPro

First licensed U.S. card of the 14-time Grand Slam champion.

Andy Roddick – 2001 NetPro

Released just before his U.S. Open win in 2003; key early-2000s card.

Roger Federer – 2003 Czech Stadion

Often overlooked Czech card released before NetPro; Early, rare Federer card.

Rafael Nadal – 2003 NetPro

Released ahead of his Grand Slam breakout; cornerstone of modern tennis rookies.

Continue with the non major sports… here are the boxing “rookies” I had. before I sold the collection a few years ago.

1887 John Sullivan – Allen & Ginter

The bare-knuckle era’s biggest star, Sullivan was the first recognized heavyweight champion of gloved boxing. His colorful 1887 Allen & Ginter card is not only a key piece of boxing history but one of the earliest sports cards ever produced.

1909 Jack Johnson – Ogdens

Jack Johnson broke racial barriers as the first Black heavyweight champion. His 1909 Ogdens card is a striking pre-war tobacco issue from the UK, offering an iconic image of this trailblazing legend.

1922 Jack Dempsey – Boys Magazine

“The Manassa Mauler” was a cultural icon of the roaring ’20s. His 1922 Boys Magazine card captures Dempsey at the peak of his ferocity, making it a must-have early issue of one of boxing’s most feared champions.

1935 (1942) Joe Louis – United Tobacco

Before he was the “Brown Bomber,” Louis was a rising star featured in this South African tobacco release. A truly rare international card, it predates his dominance of the heavyweight division.

1948 Sugar Ray Robinson – Leaf

Regarded by many as the greatest pound-for-pound fighter of all time, Sugar Ray’s 1948 Leaf card is his most iconic issue and a post-war cardboard classic with bold colors and a sharp design.

1951 Rocky Marciano – Topps Ringside

The only heavyweight champion to retire undefeated, Marciano is immortalized in this gritty 1951 Topps Ringside card—an essential piece of any serious boxing card collection.

1965 Muhammad Ali – Lampo

While Ali has earlier oversized and hand-cut cards, this 1965 Italian Lampo sticker is a standout early choice. It captures the charisma and rising greatness of “The Greatest” .

1964 Joe Frazier – Bobbie Bubble Gum Tokio

A rare release, this Frazier rookie is a hidden gem. Long before his legendary battles with Ali, “Smokin’ Joe” was making waves internationally—and this card reflects that global recognition.

1966 Sonny Liston – Panini Campioni Dello Sport

Liston’s rookie comes from an elegant Italian sports sticker series. A fierce and feared puncher, his card is a perfect representation of his presence in the ring.

1973 Roberto Duran – Panini Campioni Dello Sport

“El Cholo” made his debut in this sleek Panini sticker issue. Before his “No Más” moment, Duran was a ferocious lightweight terror, and this card captures that early fire.

1973 George Foreman – Panini Campioni Dello Sport

This early Panini card predates Foreman’s title reign and later comeback. A youthful, raw version of “Big George,” it’s a snapshot of his pre-dominant years.

1981 Sugar Ray Leonard – Panini Sport Superstars

Leonard’s dynamic style and Olympic pedigree are on display in this flashy early ’80s European sticker, making it a standout rookie for one of the sport’s most charismatic champions.

1979 Rocky – Rocky II Topps

While fictional, Rocky Balboa’s inclusion in this Topps movie set cements his cultural impact. The “Rocky II” card is a fan favorite that blurs the lines between cinema and boxing lore.

1986 Mike Tyson – Panini Supersport Italian

Iron Mike’s raw power and intimidation factor were unmatched, and his earliest card in this Italian multi-sport set is as iconic as the man himself. A cornerstone of 1980s boxing cardboard.

1986 Evander Holyfield – Browns Boxing

Before he was “The Real Deal,” Holyfield was a lean, determined up-and-comer. This Brown’s Boxing card marks the start of one of the grittiest and most decorated careers in heavyweight history.

1991 Roy Jones Jr. – Kayo

Jones brought flair, speed, and skill into the ring like no one else. His 1991 Kayo card captures the young phenom before he became a pound-for-pound legend in multiple weight classes.

1997 Floyd Mayweather Jr. – Brown’s Boxing

Before “Money” became a marketing machine, he was a sharp, focused technician with Olympic pedigree. His Brown’s Boxing rookie is the earliest glimpse at a career that ended with an undefeated record.

1999 Manny Pacquiao – Word Boxing

Hailing from the Philippines, this Word Boxing card is the first cardboard appearance of a future eight-division world champion. A true global superstar with humble beginnings.