50 Years of Super Bowl Starters Card Set Anyone?

Easter weekend is usually a quiet time for shows around North America but during the latter part of March, I set up a couple of shows in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area and came away with a pretty good feeling. As you’ve probably figured out, I’ve been going to shows in this neck of the woods for quite a while and at both shows I again saw collectors I had never seen before. To me that is an encouraging sign. As more promoters enter the fray locally and realize that getting the word out is paramount, we are continuing to see a growth in awareness and hobby interest.

Whether that is due to the improving economy, people wanting to get back to their collecting roots or even visitors simply looking for things to do, I’m not sure. I did see people at all three shows who met any and all of these characteristics. And my biggest sale at the Addison show came from a person who was staying in the area and saw the show listed in one of the Beckett magazines and made a point to attend.

If it’s not too busy, I do try to chat with everyone who comes to my table(s). Sometimes they’re people I’ve met before who stop to say hello and talk about the hobby and sometimes they have their want lists or are working on an old (or new) project. One of those conversations with a new customer sort of fascinated me. He’s trying to collect a card of every player who started in the Super Bowl. Now with Super Bowl 50 approaching (I really wish they would have stuck with the Roman numeral ‘L’ for 50). that is a project which is sure interesting. However, the sad news is there was at least one player I remember vividly from my early days in the New York area who does not even have one card. Randy Beverly, who started Super Bowl III and had two key interceptions against the Colts never had a Topps card during his playing days.

How about with the 50th Super Bowl coming up early in 2016, we get a card set for every player (not just the stars) who started a Super Bowl game. It would be a large set indeed and would be cool even without a ton of bells and whistles. And, even better, if you could find guys like Beverly to sign autographs at a very reasonable level, it would be fun to have them included. Many of the more obscure players who sign for Topps Heritage wind up being very popular among collectors, especially those who remember them. And personally, it might even be more fun than seeing another Joe Namath autograph. I’d rather have a new signed Em Boozer or Matt Snell at this point of my collecting career ,

With 44 starters in each game—but some players who appeared in more than one Super Bowl—I’m guessing the set would consist of somewhere around 1500 players including the kicking specialists (and more if you’d include coaches). You could produce it in two series and include moments and memories cards and perhaps—if you must—Super Bowl game-used relic cards. Interest could be increased through a Super Bowl trip giveaway.

Maybe one or both of the card companies already have something up their collective sleeves for this coming season but I wonder if this notion has ever been broached? It’s an ambitious project but what better time to recognize all of the players who played an important role on the biggest stage in American sports?