In 1989, Cromy, a company based in Brazil, produced a set of skateboarding cards that went almost entirely unnoticed by the skate world at the time. The sport lacked the infrastructure it has today, and licensing was practically nonexistent—something that would be unheard of now.
One of the most fascinating cards from this set features none other than Tony Hawk, though due to what was likely an oversight by the creators, it’s mistakenly labeled as Lester Kasai. When I had Tony sign the card, he confirmed that Cromy never reached out to him in the ‘80s, further cementing its status as an unlicensed, rogue relic from skateboarding’s past.
Today, these cards are incredibly rare, with authentic versions selling for $300–$400. However, fakes have flooded eBay, so collectors need to be cautious. A telltale sign of a counterfeit is if the ink on the back appears too perfect or the white card stock hasn’t naturally aged to an off-white hue.
The card I had graded was a pop 1 of 1, making it arguably the rarest Tony Hawk card ever produced—now even more special with his signature. If this truly is his rookie card, its value could be immeasurable to the right collector. Want to take a guess at what it’s worth?!