1969 Topps Football Forum

Yeah, Yordan Alvarez is a perfect example of this. From what I can tell, Topps hasn't included him in any of their base sets this year. He is only in prospect sets and inserts. 
 

Except for his tons of Topps Now cards, which, unlike other rookies in the set that have the RC designation, his do not, so go figure ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. 
 

They're clearly just holding back his "RC" to market their 2020 products at this point.

Look at a player's first cards and pick your favorite and its your rookie card of them. Or be like grandpa and find his first base card (a mentality that pre-dates the current cards being sold, when you could buy Topps or Topps). I'd rather have a parallel with a SN10 or an autographed version than a stack of base cards for my rookie card of a player.

Or you could wash the 80s off your hands and let go of the rookie card obsession.

Dan, I DID answer the question in regards to this specific issue. In the 1960's to 1980's, an insert is NOT a RC. The RC is the first base set card released. A multi-player base card CAN be a RC unless it is a subset card (besides a ROY card that is the first card with no other card of the players in that base set).

Then the companies muddied the waters with Update or Traded sets that had RC's in them. The industry didn't know how to deal with it and called them XRC's. Today, most RC's are SP's and/or what younger collectors would call an insert. Just b/c they are seeded like an insert card doesn't mean they aren't the RC. If they are intended to be part of the base set, they are a RC even with an AU, MEM or SN. But a base VAR of a RC is NOT the RC. No parallels are the RC either. They have the RC logo on them b/c they aren't a parallel if the company removes the RC logo from the original for the parallel. Then it would be a VAR of the RC and STILL not a Rookie Card. Did I explain that well enough to everyone's liking?

To answer your original question, "Should an insert card be considered a Rookie Card??"....NEVER

Yes, some members did answer the original question, howvever, many did not.

I am considering this matter closed. The 1971 Topps Dave Herman will continue to have the RC tag, while the 1969 4-in-1 will not.

Thanks everyone for your input.