When you're the younger brother of one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, it's pretty hard to make a name for yourself. And when that older sibling also happens to be one of the most collected players in the league, it's equally hard for your football cards to make noise.
Such has been the case for Eli Manning. With ex-NFL signal caller Archie as a father and superstar Peyton as a big brother, there was never any question that collectors would latch onto the Manning pedigree. But it has been hard for Eli to create his own identity.
It didn't help that Eli made a less than stellar first impression. Following his standout career at Ole Miss, Manning was widely predicted to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. One problem: the San Diego Chargers held that pick, and father and son made it clear they did not want Eli heading to California.
The Chargers picked him anyway, then traded him to the New York Giants - for picks that became Philip Rivers and Shawne Merriman, among others. Playing in the country's largest media market assured Eli of a high profile, but meant the scrutiny would also be more intense.
That scrutiny persisted during Manning's first three NFL seasons, which could be summarized as good but not great. But something funny happened during the 2007 season: Eli matured as a quarterback, and even though he still didn't post the same gaudy stats as his brother, he led his team to Super Bowl XLII. He didn't disappoint once he got there, winning MVP honors by engineering a late-game drive that upset the heavily favored Patriots.
The Super Bowl victory definitely puts Manning back in the hobby spotlight, which hasn't shined on him too much since his rookie season. There are plenty of choices in all price ranges among his 40-plus 2004 rookie cards, including some bargains among even his rarest first-year issues. His Playoff Prime Signatures # 144 (which is autographed) and his Upper Deck Finite HG # 266 are both limited to 99 copies but sell at lower prices than others with higher print runs.
Eli Manning 2004 Rookie Cards
- Absolute Memorabilia # 225 - jersey card #'d to 750
- Bazooka # 200
- Bowman # 111
- Bowman Chrome # 225 - autographed, #'d to 199
- Bowman's Best # 126 - autographed, #'d to 199
- Donruss Classics # 228 - #'d to 500
- Donruss Elite # 134 - #'d to 500
- Finest # 110 - autographed, #'d to 399
- Flair # 61 - #'d to 799
- Fleer Authentix # 103 - #'d to 750
- Fleer Genuine # 76 - #'d to 500
- Fleer Inscribed # 76 - #'d to 750
- Fleer Platinum # 136 - #'d to 299
- Fleer Showcase # 110 - #'d to 599
- Fleer Sweet Sigs # 77 - #'d to 999
- Fleer Tradition # 331
- Greats of the Game # 71 - #'d to 999
- Hot Prospects # 83 - autographed jersey card #'d to 350
- Leaf Certified Materials # 225 - jersey card #'d to 1250
- Leaf Limited # 225 - autographed jersey card #'d to 150
- Leaf Rookies and Stars # 275 - jersey card #'d to 750
- Playoff Contenders # 131 - autographed card w/ announced print run of 372 copies
- Playoff Hogg Heaven # 173 - #'d to 750
- Playoff Honors # 225 - jersey card #'d to 750
- Playoff Prestige # 151
- Playoff Prime Signatures # 144 - autographed, #'d to 99
- Reflections # 114 - #'d to 450
- Score # 371
- SkyBox LE # 61 - #'d to 99
- SP Authentic # 216 - autographed jersey card #'d to 299
- SP Game Used # 184 - #'d to 425
- SPx # 221 - autographed jersey card #'d to 375
- Sweet Spot # 290 - autographed, #'d to 150
- Topps # 350
- Topps Chrome # 205
- Topps Draft Picks and Prospects # 150
- Topps Pristine # 87
- Topps Signature # 90 - autographed, #'d to 299
- Topps Total # 350
- UD Diamond All-Star # 91
- UD Diamond Pro Sigs # 91
- Ultimate Collection # 130 - autographed, #'d to 150
- Ultra # 201 - #'d to 500
- Upper Deck # 201
- Upper Deck Finite HG # 266 - #'d to 99
- Upper Deck Foundations # 258 - jersey card #'d to 499
- Upper Deck Legends # 160 - #'d to 650