RONALD ACUNA 2018 Topps 698 All Star rarer than Bat Down rookie PSA 10 pop 286
This Acuna rookie card has the special All Star game silver foil stamp on the front of the card, found only in a limited edition of the 2018 Topps complete sets. This card is unlike any of the other pack pulled or factory set pulled Acuna #698 rookie card as it has the silver foil All Star Game stamp. This All Star stamped version, in the long run, will prove to be a far rarer Topps flagship Acuna rookie card than the bat down version. The print run of this All Star version (estimated to be less than 3,000 cards). Has an estimated print run, which is 1/6 (or more) LESS than.
The Bat Down 698 SP short printed rookie (estimated to be up to 20,000 cards). To date (as of 7/2/23), the graded population report is in line with the print run estimates. It's been 5 years since the release of the bat down cards as well as the 2018 All Star game set. To date, 2532 (2381 on 11/20/22) bat down 698 Acuna cards have been submitted to PSA for grading, while only 398 (380 on 11/20/22) of the All Star game version has shown up at PSA. Where are all the All Star stamped Acuna cards unless the print run for those cards are indeed highly limited??That is a 6 to 1 ratio (2532 bat downs vs 398 All Star Game submitted), which may mean that the print run of the All Star game Acuna is indeed limited to only 3,000 cards! Bat down submitted to PSA to date, 891 (864 on 11/20/22) of those cards have graded PSA 10s. Again, to date, only 398 of the All Star stamped version has been submitted to PSA, with only 286 (274 on 11/20/22) of the All Star game stamped Acuna rookies have graded PSA 10s. Every 10 bat down PSA 10 Acunas, there is only 3 PSA 10 All Star game (ASG) stamped version which this one is!
Here's another interesting comparison: the 2022 Topps Series 2 SP #659 Julio Rodriguez has been a year now (June 2022). In just a year's time, over 1530 of the JRod #659 SP rookie card has been submitted/graded by PSA, with 1076 PSA 10s.
In 5+ years, only 398 of the All Star stamped Acuna rookies have made it to PSA for grading. Why so little has made it to PSA?Because the All Star stamped Acuna may truly be a SP (unlike the bat down) with a super small print run, possibly 2000 cards! If print run matters to you, here's a few others... To date, only 155 of those Sapphire Acunas have been submitted to PSA. The low pop data and the relative value of the Sapphire and Gold Update Acuna rookies to the current value of the All Star stamped cards suggest the 2018 Topps ASG PSA 10 graded rookies to be severely undervalued. And if you do find a set, there is no guarantee that Acuna card will be gem mint condition as the Acuna/Torres cards were hand inserted into the end of the set, possibly leading to one or more damaged corners.
Acuna, as a 21 year old in 2019, showed his 2018 Rookie of the Year season was no fluke by batting. 280, leading the NL in runs scored with 127, along with 175 hits, 101 RBIs, 41 home runs and 37 stolen bases which led the National League. Acuna made the All Star team, flirted with a 40-40 season and won the Silver Slugger award.What would this card be valued at if Acuna gets a 40/60 season in 2023? This card has been professionally graded a PSA 10 (which is GEM MINT), by Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), one of the top two grading services in the sports card industry. Because Beckett and PSA are the top two 3rd party grading companies in the collectibles industry. Because if you want your card to appreciate in value, the condition of the card is very important. Having the card sealed in the case & it's condition graded allows you to easily sell/trade the card online.
A portion of the proceeds from this listing will be sent to the world relief organization World Help. This water well will provide clean/usable water for a community of up to 1000 people!
Thanks in advance for your contribution towards this cause. One charity, World Help, drills and installs water wells that provide clean/usable water for villages of up to 1,000 people per location in Africa.
You played a part in that! The other 5% will go to an orphanage call Nueva Esperanza Children's Home in Tijuana, Mexico.
This orphanage cares for 30+ children and is run completely from donations from people. I have visited the orphanage 4 times over the past 10 years and it's a joy to see the children each time.