2017 Panini National Treasures Patrick Mahomes Value & Price Guide

In July 2021, a 2017 Panini National Treasures Patrick Mahomes II Rookie Patch Autograph sold for $4.3 million. It was the most ever paid for a football card. The buyer was a private collector who had watched Mahomes win Super Bowl LIV, earn Super Bowl MVP honors, and sign a ten-year contract extension worth up to $503 million with the Kansas City Chiefs. The card that changed hands was a BGS 8.5 with a 10 auto grade, numbered to just 99 copies.

That single sale rewrote the rules for modern football card collecting. Before Mahomes, football cards lived in baseball's shadow. After Mahomes, they had their own $4 million benchmark.

Quick Value Summary

• Item: 2017 Panini National Treasures Patrick Mahomes II Rookie Patch Autograph #161

• Year: 2017

• Category: Sports Cards (Football)

• Condition Range:

  • BGS 8 (Near Mint-Mint): $25,000 - $50,000
  • BGS 8.5: $40,000 - $75,000
  • BGS 9 (Mint): $60,000 - $120,000
  • BGS 9.5 (Gem Mint): $100,000 - $250,000
  • PSA 10 (Gem Mint): $150,000 - $400,000+

• Record Sale: $4.3 million (July 2021, PWCC Marketplace, BGS 8.5/10 auto)

• Rarity: Very Rare (base numbered /99, with parallels down to /1)

• Total Auction Value (PSA RPA): Over $1.28 million across 14 tracked PSA auction sales

The Story

National Treasures is Panini's flagship football product. It arrives in a briefcase-shaped box, costs thousands per box, and delivers exactly one pack of cards. The centerpiece of every release is the Rookie Patch Autograph, or RPA. Each RPA features a swatch of game-worn or event-worn jersey material alongside an on-card autograph from the player.

Patrick Mahomes was the 10th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. The Kansas City Chiefs traded up to select him, then sat him behind Alex Smith for most of his first season. He threw just 35 passes as a rookie. But the 2017 National Treasures RPA didn't care about rookie stats. It cared about potential. And by the time Mahomes threw 50 touchdowns in his first year as a starter, those RPAs had already begun their ascent.

The base RPA is numbered to 99. Parallel versions exist in Platinum (/10), Gold (/10), Emerald (/5), and the ultimate 1/1 versions including the Laundry Tag and NFL Shield patches. A Gold parallel PSA 10, numbered to just 10 copies, sold for $96,100 in August 2025. Even base versions in PSA 10 have traded for $66,000 at auction in 2023, with values continuing to climb.

How to Identify It

• Card Number: #161 in the 2017 National Treasures set

• Front Design: Thick cardstock with a jersey patch window cut into the card. Mahomes' on-card autograph appears below or alongside the patch. The base version has a dark frame with gold accents

• Numbering: Look for the serial number on the front or back. Base copies are /99. Parallels include Gold (/10), Platinum (/10), Emerald (/5), and various 1/1 editions

• Patch Quality: The size, color composition, and number of colors in the jersey swatch significantly affect value. Multi-color patches command premiums of 20% to 50% over single-color swatches

Common Confusions:

• Do not confuse with the 2017 National Treasures base rookie card (no patch, no auto). The base rookie is worth far less

• Other 2017 Mahomes RPAs exist from products like Flawless, Immaculate, and Plates & Patches. National Treasures is the most sought-after

• Panini also produced a Collegiate version of National Treasures featuring Mahomes in his Texas Tech uniform. These are distinct from the NFL version

Value by Condition

BGS 8 (Near Mint-Mint) - $25,000 to $50,000 The card shows some minor surface imperfections or corner issues. For a card that costs thousands to pull from a pack, BGS 8 represents a below-average outcome from grading. Still, because of the player and the product, even an 8 commands five figures.

BGS 9 (Mint) - $60,000 to $120,000 A BGS 9 is a strong result for a thick, patch-bearing card prone to surface issues during production. The jersey window creates inherent vulnerability during handling. Clean surface, sharp corners, and good centering push these into the upper range.

BGS 9.5 (Gem Mint) - $100,000 to $250,000 Museum-piece territory. BGS 9.5 copies are scarce because the thick cardstock and embedded patch material make achieving near-perfect grades extremely difficult.

PSA 10 (Gem Mint) - $150,000 to $400,000+ PSA 10 is the gold standard. Three PSA 10 examples of the base /99 RPA existed as of early 2024. A PSA 10 sold for $66,000 in August 2023. The combination of extreme scarcity at this grade and Mahomes' ongoing dominance drives premium pricing.

Known Variations and Parallels

The 2017 National Treasures Mahomes RPA exists in several parallel versions:

• Base (/99): The standard version. Dark frame, gold accents

• Gold (/10): Gold-toned frame. A PSA 10 sold for $96,100 in August 2025

• Platinum (/10): Silver-toned frame

• Emerald (/5): Green-toned frame. Extremely rare at auction

• Brand Logo (1/1): Features the NFL shield patch. The most valuable single card variant

• Laundry Tag (1/1): Features the internal jersey laundry tag

Each step down in print run multiplies value significantly.

Authentication and Fakes

Counterfeiting of National Treasures RPAs is a serious concern at these price levels:

• Patch Swaps: The most common manipulation. Scammers remove the original single-color patch and replace it with a multi-color patch. Look for any signs of the card being opened and resealed

• Auto Verification: Mahomes' on-card autograph should be consistent with his known signing style

• Card Thickness and Weight: National Treasures cards have distinctive thickness due to the embedded patch. Fakes may feel lighter or thinner

• Slab Verification: Always verify the certification number on the grading company's website before purchasing. Fake slabs exist

Professional grading is essential for any purchase at this price level.

Where to Sell

• PWCC Marketplace / Fanatics Collect: The dominant platform for high-end modern cards. This is where the $4.3 million sale happened. Seller fees run 8% to 15%

• Heritage Auctions: Strong for cards valued above $50,000. Buyer's premium is 20%

• Goldin Auctions: Active in the modern sports card space with competitive seller fees

• Private Sale: For cards valued above $500,000, some collectors prefer private transactions to minimize fees

Estimated Selling Costs:

• BGS/PSA grading: $300 to $600+ for cards declared at $50,000+

• Auction house commission: 8% to 15% of final sale

• Insurance and shipping: $200 to $1,000+ for six-figure cards

Not sure about the condition of yours? Upload a photo to Curio Comp for a quick AI-powered estimate.

Explore More

The 2017 National Treasures Mahomes RPA sits at the intersection of a generational talent and the hobby's most prestigious product. Whether you pulled one from a pack or you're considering an investment, the card's trajectory mirrors Mahomes' career: always climbing. Browse all Sports Cards items ->

Related Items