It's been quite some time since we've been able to purchase a vintage football collection. It's been primarily baseball cards for the past few months, so when we heard there was a lead on a vintage football collection, it was a nice change of pace. Last week, a New Jersey collector gave us a call. He and his son had collected football cards many years ago while most others were collecting baseball cards. They relived the father's childhood memories as he taught his son and shared the history and tradition of the game through the magic contained on both the front and the back of these cardboard treasures. Fast forward through the son's high school and college graduation and post graduate studies, and both the father and the son decided that it was time to consider selling the collection. Since dad was local, the process, from setting up an appointment, reviewing the collection and agreeing on a purchase price was very efficient.
"Scott provided a clear description of the collection's retail and wholesale value and a thorough explanation of how he arrived at those numbers. We quickly reached a mutually agreeable price and the deal was done. I would recommend Scott and Just Collect to anyone looking to sell their sports cards. You will be treated with respect and dealt with fairly" -Alan, NJ
This football collection is actually quite impressive, as it consists of complete and almost complete sets from 1956 through 1959, with both graded and ungraded cards. The cards are all in decent condition, and comprised of key Hall of Famers, such as Jim Brown, Johnny Unitas, and Bart Starr. Most people don't realize the scarcity of vintage football as it was produced in significantly lower quantities and was not as widely collected as was baseball. Professional football and their fan following has come a long way in the last 50 years, but these cards are still tough to come by! Let's take a look at my favorite part of this collection, the run of 1957 Topps Football cards. The design was ahead of it's time, putting the set aesthetically above all others from that era. Not only do the cards include a portrait of the player, but also includes an action shot, along with the player's name, team, and position. The reverse is also pretty neat, as it includes a mini bio, stats and a cartoon! Can you see why I love this set? I think it's safe to say that no football card collection is complete without a Johnny Unitas rookie card. The original "Johnny Football" was a fan favorite, and is considered one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. He was actually nicknamed "The Golden Arm," and for good reason. The 3-time MVP threw for over 40,000 yards in his career, which has only been done by a handful of players, with most of them coming decades after Unitas achieved the lofty total. The card itself has much allure to it - whether it is the vibrant colors, Johnny's charismatic smile, or his over exaggerated throwing motion - that just draws collectors in. And this rookie card example is decently centered with minimal wear and will be sure to catch the attention of the hobby. The 1957 near set also includes Hall of Famers Art Donovan, Paul Hornung's rookie card, Raymond Berry's rookie card, Dick Lane's rookie card, Gino Marchetti and Bart Starr's rookie card - all of which, are better than mid-grade.
Probably my second favorite vintage football set would be from the following year, 1958 Topps. I'm a big fan of the design of this set as well, as you get an oval image of the player inset against a colored background, with a strong, bold typography underneath. The back of the card was also pretty trendy for it's time, having a "magic answer" appear after rubbing a coin against the white spot. This near set included the ever-popular Jim Brown rookie card, which is in really good condition. The 1958 set also includes Hall of Famers Johnny Unitas, Bart Starr, Frank Gifford, Y.A. Tittle, and a Sonny Jurgensen rookie card.
The rest of the collection follows suit - mid-grade, near complete sets filled with stars and Hall of Famers from the '50s & '60s.
As you can see, we are very pleased with our recent purchase, and would love to regularly purchase vintage football sets. So, if you or someone you know is looking to sell their collection, or would just like a free appraisal, don't hesitate to contact us.