There may have been some outstanding passing performances during the first week of the 2020 season but no one has ever had a better opening day than Norm Van Brocklin. Even in an era when most passing records are being set, broken and then broken again, what “The Dutchman” did on September 28, 1951 still hasn’t been touched. He’s a Hall of Famer, but it’s worth … [Read more...]
Packs of Sports Cards Were Once a Grocery Enticement
Ever since tobacco companies used them as collectible package stiffeners for fragile boxes of cigarettes, baseball cards have been inserted into consumer products. They've been in smokes, soda, snack cakes and razor blades--just to name a few. Sometimes, though, the promotion went between their traditional home inside bubble gum card packs and the food products that … [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...]
1958 Topps Football Cello Pack Rip Yields Plenty of Goodies
It's the type of vintage pack break that generates a buzz even among those who have no skin in the game. The 1958 Topps football set houses one of the hobby's top rookie cards with ten cards in each cello pack, there's a fighting chance that one could be inside. Last Wednesday, Just Rip It took a PSA 4 '58 cello and made it available to participants in their regular … [Read more...]
Vintage Pack Facts: 1954 Bowman Football
In the mid-1950s, the NFL was still a few years away from becoming a growing juggernaut. It did have a football card contract, though. Bowman Gum had a run of success that would soon come to an end but the Philadelphia-based gum maker was the name of the game to kids who followed pro football and names like Tittle, Layne, Groza and Gifford. This week's Vintage … [Read more...]
Editor’s Blog: At Quarterback for the 49ers, Number 16…Arnie Galiffa?
One of the best things about collecting sports memorabilia is that you don’t have to be wealthy to own things that have great stories behind them. Sure, it’s nice to be able to afford a high-grade Mickey Mantle rookie card or one of Ty Cobb’s old bats but even decades-old relics can sometimes be acquired for a pretty modest investment. If you know sports history, … [Read more...]
One of Hobby’s Top 1957 Topps Football Collections Went Unregistered
Not every PSA-graded set of cards is listed on the company's Set Registry. Some are quietly pieced together by collectors who opt not to put them in the data base. Now, those who do chase one of the hobby's most notable vintage football sets will have a chance to own cards from one of those sets. Baseball Card Exchange (BBCE) recently acquired a … [Read more...]
60th Anniversary: 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...]
1958 Topps Football Set Built Around Brown
The 1958 Topps football set can be defined by one player — Jim Brown. Brown’s rookie card (No. 62) is one of the top football cards of all-time and the key piece of this 132-card set. The rookie out of Syracuse would become a force in the National Football League, leading the league in rushing in eight of his nine seasons. He rushed for 12,312 yards on the ground and … [Read more...]
High-Grade 1957 Topps Johnny Unitas Rookie Cards Tough To Find
His rookie card is one of the most coveted among football collectors, and his career was even more magnificent. You never had to say his full name, either. Just “Johnny U,” and football fans knew who you meant. Johnny Unitas. He threw for 40,239 yards and 290 touchdowns in an era when the National Football League was ground-oriented. That included 47 straight games … [Read more...]