What happened to the true Rookie Card?

[secbigazn]

with all the attention on Cespedes and Darvish on the 2012 Bowman released, I'm curious as to why all the focus is on their auto's and people treating them like it's their true RC?

I mean aren't their REAL true RC's the 2009 WBC Chromes? Is it just because they're auto'd that people bypass any previous non-auto versions? I understand that the auto's are SP'd in most cases and are more desirable, but I just find it odd how the color'd refractor's from 09 (which are just as limited) will be worth considerable less than the auto's pumped out from 2012.

[NonFlammable]

I think autos are always more desirable than non-auto'd cards

[Axe]

did they play in the majors in 09? there true rookie cards will be once they have played atleast one game in major league. anything else is just a prerookie card, and yet will be still highly desired, are NOT Rookie cards. Yes obviously auto'd rookie cards will be worth much more than non auto'd, but both versions will hold higher value than future cards.

[metscollector]

so many people have different ideas on what a rookie card is nowadays.
it used to be that there were no real choices on what a rookie card was because of such a limited variety of manufacturers and sets. for me now, i view the first bowman chrome as the players rookie card (auto'd or not)

[speedmasterp]

I would consider it the first card of that player in their teams uniform (NOT USA). I have little interest in the 2010 Nicky Delmonico stuff, I can understand people collecting them, but I prefer the 2011 stuff in the O's uniform.

I would think it's the same way for Harper but I'm not sure. Are the 2011 Harpers outselling the 2010 Harpers? I guess print run could be throwing off a true comparison though, since my understanding is 2010 was a much shorter print.

[BengalsJayhawks]

The whole RC card aspect has changed in this hobby. It used to be their first card issued, but now its not technically a rookie card until they play in the majors and then they can issue a card with the RC logo. So even though they have cards issued prior to those cards they are considered prospect cards. Most people value these more, because they are the first cards issued. There is still value to these rookie cards, but not as much as older generation rookie cards, because those were the first cards issued of the particular player.

[BengalsJayhawks]

I would consider it the first card of that player in their teams uniform (NOT USA). I have little interest in the 2010 Nicky Delmonico stuff, I can understand people collecting them, but I prefer the 2011 stuff in the O's uniform.

I would think it's the same way for Harper but I'm not sure. Are the 2011 Harpers outselling the 2010 Harpers? I guess print run could be throwing off a true comparison though, since my understanding is 2010 was a much shorter print.

I wouldn't consider the 2010 Harper Bowman Chrome a prospect/rc card. I'd categorize it as a Team USA insert card and if you want to get technical it wouldn't even be his first team usa card. That was released in 2008 Upper Decks team USA box set. So that card should be his Team USA xrc card or whatever you want to call it. Harper's first prospect card would be 2011 Bowman. The reason the 2010 Chrome is worth more is the fact it is much more limited then 2011 Bowman Card.