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Let's Talk About a Set

Just Collect regularly shares the stories about the collection that we purchase. This blog post is going to veer off a bit from that standard format and share some of the unique attributes of a set that was part of a recent collection that we purchased.

We've shared several cards and sets from this collection with you in the past and we've provided a video below of this set. But we're also going to elaborate more about the 1965 Topps Football Set more than the collection that we purchased it with.

1965 Topps Football Tall Boys

Due to its large format size and eye-catching colors, the 1965 Topps set is one of the most popular vintage football releases and much of that can be attributed to the Joe Namath rookie card. Measuring in at 2 ½" x 4 11/16" and affectionately referred to as "Tall Boys," general wear has always been an issue with these cards as have been problems with centering and tilt. Namath cards have fallen prey to these detriments and imperfections over the years and combined with a desire for even causal fans to want to add a card of "Broadway Joe" to their collection, and you can begin to understand why there has been a somewhat regular increase in the valuation of his cards and why top condition cards are setting records whenever they come to market.

It Sold For WHAT!?!?!

Joe Namath's Super Bowl III guarantee cemented his place as a true sports legend and earned him a loyal group of adoring fans. A dedicated core of fans that continue to clamor for autographs on jerseys, balls, programs and vintage photos.  If it can be traced back to "Joe Willie," then be prepared to pay a premium. Namath football cards are no exception and seem to be the hottest segment of the Namath market right now. Namath's 1965 Topps #122 rookie card, graded PSA 9, set a new record when it sold privately for what was considered an unreal $60,000 in 2015. But, that record didn't last too long as a public sale on February 28, 2018 via Heritage Auction that closed for an eye-popping $264,000.00! Yes, that's more than a quarter of a million dollars!!!

It's also worth mentioning that there is a "butterfly" variation of this card, which is perceived to be scarcer than the "non-butterfly" version. Also known as the "tattoo" version, the inconsistency is an ink spot that appears on Namath's left hand in the shape of a butterfly. PSA does not currently recognize this as a variation and it does not carry much of a premium over the regular rookie card -- despite some seller's claims to the contrary.

But There's More Tall Boys in the Set

The 1965 Topps set features another dozen Hall of Famers, a former Presidential candidate and several actors as well as the rookie card of Hall of Famer Fred Biletnikoff (his PSA 9 card sells for over $10,000!) and the rookie card of Biletnikoff's All-Pro teammate Ben Davidson who would probably realize $1500-2000 in a PSA 9.

Former candidate for President Jack Kemp was a long-tossing quarterback with the Buffalo Bills in the old AFL before becoming a U.S. House of Representatives from the State of New York and regular primary contender. Fred Williamson, a defensive back with the Oakland Raiders before becoming a renowned film and television actor after retiring from football.

Schedule an Appointment to Meet Just Collect at a Show Near You

Just Collect travels to several shows on a regular basis. In the New York area, we often attend the White Plains Show at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY. If you're in the New England area, you can make an appointment to meet with one of our specialists when we're in the area for the Shriner's Show at the Aleppo Auditorium in Wilmington, MA. We also visit the Metro-DC area when we attend the CSA Show in Chantilly, VA. If you're in the South Jersey or Delaware area, you can also schedule appointments while we're in the Philadelphia area when we do The Philly Show in Valley Forge, PA.

We set up at The National Sports Collectors Convention every year and this year, it will be at the IX Center in Cleveland, OH and it has been in Chicago, Atlantic City and Baltimore in recent years. Additionally, we travel to the Sports Card and Memorabilia Expo in Mississauga, Ontario for those of you in the Toronto area that want to meet with us in Canada.

We would love to meet with you and schedule a private appointment to assess and value your collection while we are in your area, so please check out our show and travel schedule to see when Just Collect will be in your area!

Our Buying Philosophy

We've run into a wide range of people and collections over the past decade. Although we are known for buying vintage sports cards and especially vintage basketball cards, we are also extremely interested in buying non-sports cards, also!

Every collection and every collector is different and we treat EVERY collection with the respect and attention that we show for our own collections. We understand that many have put their heart and soul into building their collection. So when you're ready to sell, Just Collect understands the feelings that you're going through and we will work with you to help you reach a decision that is a WIN/WIN, because if you're not happy, we're not happy.

Won't They Be Worth More if I Grade Them Myself

We discuss all of the selling options with everyone that we meet with. In most cases, selling the collection on their own will put the most money on the bottom line, but it will also take an large commitment of time and energy and one that most are not ready or able to undertake. Another misconception is that grading the collection will return more money. When I hear people say, "You're just going to grade them and get ten times the money," I almost cringe. Grading a collection can be a money losing proposition, especially if you don't know what you're doing. And most times, we grade very few, if any cards, from average collections that we buy.

We value a collection based upon the condition and the value. If a card is worth $100 in a PSA 7 NM, we're going to value it at $100 whether it is ungraded or graded. You can spend hundreds or thousands of dollars grading your cards, but we're still valuing them the same and paying the same regardless of how much you've invested in grading them.

We Are Always Buying

Just Collect is always buying vintage sports and non-sports cards from 1879 to 1979 as well as select modern cards. If you have a collection that you are considering selling, contact us today to discuss your collection and get our industry leading purchase offer. If you have a collection that you want appraised, please contact us and we would be happy to discuss your collection and help you understand the real cash value of your collection in the current marketplace.

Don't hesitate to check out our Google Reviews left by many of the great people that have considered selling collections to Just Collect.

The "1965 Topps Football Tall Boy Pigskin Collection" Video: