Marcus Bontempelli AFL Cards: What Are They Worth?
Marcus Bontempelli — "The Bont" — is the Western Bulldogs captain and one of the AFL's premier midfielders: a 2016 premiership player, six-time club best-and-fairest and multiple All-Australian. His premium Select cards, led by his 2014 rookie signature numbered to 400, carry real value. Here's how the tiers stack up in AUD.
Why are Marcus Bontempelli cards valuable?
Taken with pick 4 in the 2013 draft and debuting in 2014, Bontempelli has become a generational midfielder: a premiership in 2016 (the Bulldogs' first flag in 62 years), six Charles Sutton Medals as club best-and-fairest, multiple All-Australian blazers and several AFLPA MVP awards. Captaincy since 2020 and a decade of elite output make him one of the most collected current AFL players.
AFL has a deeper premium card market than the NRL, thanks to Select's hit-driven lines — Optimum, Supremacy and Legacy — which produce low-numbered signatures and parallels that command real money. Bontempelli sits near the top of that market for a current midfielder.
What is Marcus Bontempelli's rookie card?
His key rookie is the 2014 AFL Select Honours Draft Pick Signature (DPS-04), an on-card autograph serial-numbered to /400, signed as a 2013 draftee. It's the definitive first-year Bontempelli card and the anchor of his market. Retailer asking prices have ranged from around A$100 up to A$450 depending on condition and serial number, and examples appear on eBay Australia — treat these as asking prices rather than a single confirmed sold value.
As with all AFL cards, his ordinary base and common cards trade for a few dollars at most. The value concentrates in the signed and low-numbered cards.
What are Marcus Bontempelli's premium chase cards?
The premium Select lines are where the scarcity lives. Highlights include the 2021 Select Optimum Headliners Gold, numbered to just /25 (a PSA 9 example has been listed around A$1,500); the 2021 Optimum Plus parallels numbered to /455 and /115; the 2021 Select Supremacy Base Red numbered to /45; the 2022 Optimum "2021 All-Australian" numbered to /195; and the 2023 Select Legacy Cornerstone (/85) and Prime Draft (/100).
These are listing and asking prices from retailers and active eBay Australia listings, not guaranteed sold figures — the AFL market is deeper than the NRL's but still worth checking against recent completed sales. The rule holds across all of them: the lower the print run, the higher the price.
What about his 2016 premiership cards?
Bontempelli played every game of the Bulldogs' drought-breaking 2016 premiership, so his cards from that year carry nostalgia even though most are commons. The 2016 AFL Teamcoach release includes his cards (an album prize card of him has sold around A$12), and Select issued Western Bulldogs premiership commemorative product that season.
One thing to get right: Bontempelli did not win the 2016 Norm Smith Medal — that was teammate Jason Johannisen — so there's no Bontempelli Norm Smith card to chase. His 2016 value sits in the premiership nostalgia and his premium signature cards, not a grand-final medal issue.
Which Marcus Bontempelli cards should I pull aside?
From most to least valuable, roughly:
- 2021 Optimum Headliners Gold (/25): one of his lowest print runs — a PSA 9 has been listed near A$1,500.
- 2021 Select Supremacy Base Red (/45): a scarce premium parallel.
- 2014 Select Honours Draft Pick Signature (DPS-04, /400): his rookie autograph — the market anchor.
- 2023 Select Legacy Cornerstone (/85) or Prime Draft (/100): low-numbered modern parallels.
- 2021 Optimum Plus (/115) or 2022 Optimum All-Australian (/195): mid-tier numbered inserts.
- Base and common cards (incl. 2016 Teamcoach): a few dollars each — common.
How do I value my Bontempelli cards now?
The AFL market has more depth than the NRL, but a specific low-numbered card can still be thinly traded. Check eBay Australia's completed (sold) listings for the exact card, set and serial range; for the rarest parallels, specialist retailer asking prices are a useful reference until sold comps accumulate.
CardLoft identifies AFL cards from a photo and pulls AUD sold data, so you can quickly see where a specific Bontempelli card sits in the current market.
Frequently asked questions
What is Marcus Bontempelli's rookie card?
The 2014 AFL Select Honours Draft Pick Signature (DPS-04), an on-card autograph numbered to /400 and signed as a 2013 draftee. It's his definitive rookie and market anchor, with retailer asking prices ranging from about A$100 to A$450 depending on condition and serial number.
What is the most valuable Marcus Bontempelli card?
Among his widely listed cards, the 2021 Optimum Headliners Gold numbered to /25 is one of the scarcest — a PSA 9 example has been listed around A$1,500. His 2021 Supremacy Base Red (/45) and 2014 rookie signature (/400) are the other blue-chip cards. Lower print runs command the highest prices.
Did Marcus Bontempelli win the 2016 Norm Smith Medal?
No — the 2016 Norm Smith Medal went to his teammate Jason Johannisen. Bontempelli played every game of the Bulldogs' 2016 premiership, but there's no Bontempelli Norm Smith card. His 2016 cards are premiership-nostalgia commons rather than a medal issue.
Where do I sell Marcus Bontempelli cards?
eBay Australia gives the widest reach and buyer protection; Facebook AFL buy/swap/sell groups also move cards quickly. For low-numbered or signed cards, specialist AFL collectors and hobby retailers are the buyers who understand the scarcity.