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
1960s football rookie cards
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
1965 Philadelphia Football Set Still Looking For Respect
More than 50 years after it was produced, the 1965 Philadelphia football set still has problems getting respect. It had six rookies in its 198-card set who would become Hall of Famers, and for the first time, the NFL’s logo was placed on the front of the card. That was a pointed reminder that Philadelphia had the rights to produce NFL cards, and not Topps, who lost the … [Read more...] about 1965 Philadelphia Football Set Still Looking For Respect
5 Great Football Cards From 1967
The NFL is ingrained in our sports conscience now, so it’s hard to remember that it once was a league that battled a bitter rival for nearly a decade. The AFL secured a merger with the more established NFL at mid-decade and played the inaugural Super Bowl on Jan. 15, 1967. The two leagues would merge for the 1970 season, but the merger in football cards already had … [Read more...] about 5 Great Football Cards From 1967
Butkus Rookie Card Still Elusive In High Grades
Dick Butkus epitomized the “black-and-blue” division of the NFL when he played for the Chicago Bears. He was a blue-collar guy, tough and mean, and oh, could he hit. Check out YouTube and you can find plenty of hard-hitting footage. “He went after you like he hated you from his old neighborhood,” fellow Hall of Famer Paul Hornung said. Butkus had 22 interceptions and had … [Read more...] about Butkus Rookie Card Still Elusive In High Grades