If a player breaks through at just the right time, it sends a certain kind of electricity through the sports card hobby. It took place with Patrick Mahomes. It took place with Josh Allen. It’s happening to Jaxson Dart right now, in a quiet but clear way.
The second-year quarterback for the Giants went to MetLife Stadium on a Thursday night and beat the team that had just won the Super Bowl. Not in a lucky, grinding way, but convincingly on national TV. It was the first time in years that Giants fans could really breathe out. It was like a starter’s pistol going off for people who collect cards.
The market was moving even before the game was over. Collectors already paid about $1,538 for the 2025 Donruss Downtown Jaxson Dart card, which is the flashy type of insert that they look for every season. That’s more than the $1,295 price of the same card for Cam Ward, first-round pick. Travis Hunter’s Downtown was worth about $1,020, even with all the talk about the Heisman Trophy and his unique two-way appeal. Ashton Jeanty, whose name collectors were also paying close attention, was at $801. There are big differences between these. You can tell that something real is going on by the gaps.
The story behind a card is part of what drives its price, and Dart’s story almost writes itself. He was picked 25th overall—not the big name or the guy everyone wants. Collectors feel smarter when they get a player early who wasn’t supposed to be the best. Dart has also done well without just riding the wave of attention. He’s backed it up on the field in three starts, which in today’s card market is all it takes to change the whole order.
In early October, the Donruss Press Proof Gold, which was one of only 50 copies, sold for $375. The same amount as Ashton Jeanty? $154. Shedeur Sanders’ version sold for $91. Yes, there was a real talk that the Giants might pick Sanders over Dart. People who are collectors seem to like the quiet irony in that comparison. People in the hobby think that the Giants made the right choice, and the market is showing that in the most direct way possible.
The 2025 Origins Blank Slate SSP is another one. This card is very simple and almost stark in design. It only has the player on a white background. Those are sometimes the ones that get better with age. The darts went for $850. It cost $750 for Cam Ward’s. Travis Hunter’s was $450. That last number is the one you should think about. Hunter was meant to be the story of this draft class’s generations. Still, Dart’s cardboard is worth almost twice as much as his after three weeks of the NFL season.
It’s still early. Dart has only played three games, not three seasons. The card market is very good at bringing down prices when they are too high, and rookie prices tend to drop back to earth when someone gets hurt or has a bad run of games. It’s possible that some of this is just excitement that is getting out of hand.
But as these last few weeks have gone by, I get the sense that something more lasting is taking shape. The Downtown design looks great with the “Big Blue” giant in the background. The Gold Rated Rookie parallel, which is one of only fifty made, has a classic look that makes them likely to be valuable. And because there aren’t many Blank Slate SSPs, collectors choose to hold on to them instead of flipping them.
Jaxson Dart has a lot of things going for him besides just being good on the field. He has charisma, he stays calm in front of a national audience, and a big city behind him. New York quarterbacks have always done well with this hobby. That’s just the truth. This run feels different, though, because Dart seems to be earning it one good throw at a time.
There isn’t a rookie card with the first pick or the Heisman winner on it right now that everyone wants. It belonged to the guy who looked like he belonged at a Thursday night game. Those are the kinds of stories that people tend to remember.
