Way before the NFL became a lucrative business, it was money in the bank for Topps. The company’s 1962 Football Bucks insert assigned money values to players in a 48-piece set, and there was some bang to those bucks. The NFL was beginning to emerge as a “money” sport. The league signed a large television deal in 1962, and players were beginning to command higher … [Read more...]
Hall of Fame Rookies Lead Legendary 1957 Topps Football Set
The 1957 Topps football set is one of the most prized vintage football issues of all time. While there are some big name stars and a key error card, there's no question that the numerous Hall of Fame rookie cards have made this issue so popular -- and valuable. Here's a closer look at this landmark set. 1957 Topps Football Basics The 1957 Topps football set is known for its … [Read more...]
1969 Topps Football: Last Pre-Merger Set
They were printed just months after Joe Namath proved the AFL was worthy of a merger with the 50 year-old NFL. The 1969 Topps football set was the company's largest to date, accommodating a league that was welcoming new teams and already starting to give baseball a run for its money in popularity. 263 Cards, Two Series You didn't need to tell Topps about the AFL. The … [Read more...]
Topps 1984 USFL Set A Coveted Classic
It’s hard to believe the USFL has been gone for 35 years. As the first league to challenge the NFL since the American Football League took the field in 1960, the USFL was innovative. The league introduced ideas that are now common in the NFL — the 2-point conversation, coaches’ challenges and the salary cap. The USFL also holds a soft spot for football card collectors. The … [Read more...]
1968 Topps Football Set Marked Company’s NFL Return
Topps returned to the forefront of football cards in 1968, as it reclaimed rights to print cards of not only NFL players and retained its AFL players too. Football collectors would be treated to a Hall of Fame lineup. For the first time since 1961, one Topps set contained players from each league. Topps had lost its right to issue cards of NFL players in 1964 when the … [Read more...]
Called for Clipping: 1956 Shredded Wheat Football Set Offered Prizes for a Slice of the Card
When American youngsters were spotting Topps NFL football bubble gum cards for the first time, kids in Canada were seeing them in their cereal boxes...assuming of course, they didn't mind eating a non-sugary cereal for breakfast. The 1956 Shredded Wheat set offered a single card of a Canadian Football League player per box. Today, the cards are among the rarest … [Read more...]
1978 Holsum-Gardner Football Set a Regional Rarity
If you lived in Minnesota or Wisconsin in the late 1970s and early 1980s and collected sports cards, you probably ingested a lot of carbohydrates. It's where Holsum and Gardner's brand breads kept collectors full by offering a few different sets as promotions aimed at youngsters. They cranked out three different football issues during the time period including … [Read more...]
1987 Topps Football: Return to “Normalcy”
There were once again 396 cards to collect, but the 1987 Topps football set was hard-pressed to match the 1986 version in terms of key rookie cards. The 1986 set had a bumper crop of future Hall of Famers as rookies, including Jerry Rice, Reggie White, Steve Young, Bruce Smith and Andre Reed. However, the 1987 set was sort of a return to tradition in that it was much less … [Read more...]
Pre-War Football Card Sets Includes Those Issued with Candy, Gum, Matchbooks
While football cards are included in the pre-war era, they aren't nearly as abundant as baseball issues. That's mostly because the professional version of the sport was really just beginning while baseball had been well established by that point. But by the 1920s and 1930s, card companies began catching on and football cards became more popular in those decades. Several of … [Read more...]
Underrated Rookies Highlight 1983 Topps Football Set
The 1983 Topps football set doesn't include the big name rookies found in other 1980s sets. But it is an affordable set that's nearly 35 years old and includes some key players. Here's a closer look at the issue. 1983 Topps Football Basics Topps' focus appears to have shifted slightly in 1983. That year, they produced their smallest set in more than a decade. You have to go … [Read more...]