2013 Topps Gypsy Queen Anthony Rizzo Autograph

This is an unprecedented second Cubs post of the week, but I picked up a card of Anthony Rizzo.  I have actually been looking for a little while, but he's definitely someone whom I had a price range in mind.  Basically meaning that if the value of his cards had stayed high I would have skipped him over completely and done without owning his autograph.  I've explained several times on several different posts my reluctance to pour too much money into high end rookie cards, but I get even more cautious when they player actually reaches the majors and does little to maintain the value of their cardboard.

Rizzo was originally a very well thought of Red Sox prospect which always tacks a few extra bucks onto the value of the card.  It's not a bad thing and I have to deal with this as a Cardinals fan at times on certain players.  Rizzo was then traded to the Padres in a high profile trade for Adrian Gonzalez.  Collectors still kept interest in Rizzo since he was now with a team that was going to play him.

Of course, Rizzo made his Major League debut with the Padres and bombed.  He posted a line of .141/.282/.242 in roughly 50 games with only 1 home run.  The Padres package up Rizzo to the Cubs and collectors ignore the ugly line posted in San Diego.  You know the excuses with the Padres: the park is too big, pitcher friendly, etc, etc, etc.  Throw in a good half a season playing on a terrible Cubs team with a line of .285/.342/.463 and you not only had collectors maintaining the prices of Rizzo autographs, but actually driving them higher.

First off, I still remember his terrible line for the Padres.  Two, most of his line and power numbers came from one and a half really good months.  Rizzo's June splits with the Cubs were .330/.375/.567 and September was similar.  July and August were ugly.  Add in the fact that two teams traded him and I am not sure I am totally trusting anything with Rizzo.  His line for this year is not what it was for the Padres, but it's not exactly setting the world on fire either.

Yet, there are many Rizzo pieces of cardboard floating around with price tags of $20 or more.  Scary and ridiculous.  I have seen a few really cool pieces floating around from Topps Museum and Gypsy Queen, but some of those are even higher than the $20 range.  Luckily, Rizzo played against the Cardinals last week and went 1 for 11 during the series with no power.  I was trading emails with a shop owner friend from my days in St. Louis when he dropped the Rizzo card on me.

2013 Topps Gypsy Queen Anthony Rizzo Autograph 

It seems that this card was blocking up his display case with a $20 price tag.  No takers and lots of low ball offers.  Luckily, I had been working on my reorganization project and managed to float him a lot of Cardinals singles for this cool looking on-card autograph of the Cubs first baseman.  I am not sure what dollar amount I can put on a box full of singles, there were a few nice Pujols cards in there, but I think I am pretty happy with my take away.