In April 2000 the New England Patriots took Tom Brady out of Michigan in the sixth round, 199th overall. Six other quarterbacks had gone before him. Upper Deck had already decided how many of each rookie it would print in its premium SP Authentic set: 1,250, the same for every name in the Future Watch run.
The 2000 SP Authentic set has 171 cards. Numbers 1 through 90 are veterans; 91 through 150 are the Future Watch rookies, each serial-numbered to 1,250; and 151 through 171, the Rookie Update, came out separately in 2001. Brady is #118. The card is not autographed, and the serial number is stamped in silver foil on the front.
The front is mostly white, with a large 12 in the upper left and the serial number running up the right side. Brady drops back in a red jersey, number 12, the Patriots logo at his feet.
Twelve hundred and fifty copies of a sixth-round pick was not a short print in 2000. It was simply the rule for the subset, applied to every rookie alike.
1,250 copies, the same as every other rookie in the subset. Nobody knew which one to keep.
Heritage has sold a graded copy that left the factory without its serial number, the silver foil otherwise in place. Copies with signatures added after release also turn up; the card was issued unsigned.
