The long-awaited Grey Cup is over for another year, and football fans got the chance to see an instant classic. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers scored a 33-25 win over the host Hamilton Tiger-Cats in overtime in one of the greatest CFL games ever played. In the hobby, collectors always speculate that championships will equate to rising card values. Sometimes, that is true. For the … [Read more...] about CFL Fans and Collectors Had Great Stuff to Chase 50 Years Ago
Old Football Card Sets
1970s Wonder Bread Cards Featured Top Crust Of NFL Stars
It’s an old expression: some NFL running backs carried the football as if it were a loaf of bread. Holding the ball gingerly could lead to fumbles, and in the 1970s that was problematic since ball-carriers took some hard hits. But no matter how you sliced it, football fans had a chance to collect cards through a notable baking company. From 1974 to 1976, Topps collaborated … [Read more...] about 1970s Wonder Bread Cards Featured Top Crust Of NFL Stars
1962 Topps Football Bucks Money In The Bank For Collectors
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...] about 1962 Topps Football Bucks Money In The Bank For Collectors
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...] about Hall of Fame Rookies Lead Legendary 1957 Topps Football Set
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...] about 1969 Topps Football: Last Pre-Merger Set
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...] about Topps 1984 USFL Set A Coveted Classic
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...] about 1968 Topps Football Set Marked Company’s NFL Return
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...] about Called for Clipping: 1956 Shredded Wheat Football Set Offered Prizes for a Slice of the Card
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...] about 1978 Holsum-Gardner Football Set a Regional Rarity
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...] about 1987 Topps Football: Return to “Normalcy”