2009 Topps Magic #TM-JR
Why? Well... I don't really have access to them "legally" and even if I did, I don't have really have the time. Isn't that what YouTube and highlight videos are for? However catching a Packers and/or Seahawks game on a Sunday morning or afternoon is much more manageable.
Today I'll be showing off a few of my favorite football cards as part of Tim B.'s 7 Day Trading Card Challenge. When people ask me about my favorite baseball card, I don't even have to think about it. Heck... even most of my readers can tell you my favorite baseball card.
But when it comes to choosing a favorite football card, I struggled to pick one. That being said, I was able to narrow things down a little:
Option #1: 1999 UD Retro Inkredible #WP
Back in the day, I pulled this Walter Payton autograph out of a pack. I'm pretty sure it's the best card I've ever pulled. I ended up selling it to a friend who is a huge Bears fan back in the early 2000's, but reacquired it when I returned to the hobby.
Option #2: 2005 Leaf Rookies and Stars #201
The Payton autograph is my best pull, but this might just be my most valuable football card. I was out of the hobby in 2005, so I completely missed the boat on Aaron Rodgers rookie cards. But I managed to land this autographed rookie card back in 2009 with a BIN offer on eBay for $77 (+ $3 shipping).
Option #3: 1959 Topps #23
Before my parents became huge Niner fans in the 70's, they were Green Bay Packers fans in the 50's and 60's. So whenever I see guys like Bart Starr, Jim Taylor, Paul Hornung, and Ray Nitschke... I will forever think of them. I've slowly been accumulating Bart Starr cards over the past few years. This card happened to be my favorite today.
If you ask me tomorrow, it might be my 1962 or 1968 Topps cards... or even one of the autographs I have. It just depends on my mood.
If you ask me tomorrow, it might be my 1962 or 1968 Topps cards... or even one of the autographs I have. It just depends on my mood.
Option #4: 2006 Sweet Spot Signatures #SSS-BF
Brett Favre is my favorite Green Bay Packer of all-time. I felt obligated to include one of his cards in this post. Unfortunately... all of his rookie cards have him featured with the Atlanta Falcons. I considered choosing one of his cool 90's inserts, but then I remembered this card. Who doesn't like a manufactured helmet card with a nice signature running across it?
Option #5: 1977 Topps #177
Steve Largent is the Tony Gwynn of football... in the sense that he's my favorite player and it's not even close. I've been a huge fan of the greatest player in Seahawk's franchise history... and it wasn't even because his nickname is "Yoda", my favorite Star Wars character. He just seemed like a nice guy who worked hard week in and week out. For decades, I wanted to add his rookie card to my collection. It finally happened in 2011. A few years later, I started chasing down PSA slabbed autographed rookie cards and picked this card up on eBay. I absolutely love it. It's so cool that Largent actually touched this card himself.
Actually... through the process of writing this post, I've come to the conclusion that this is my favorite football card. The other four are great candidates, but ultimately this card combines three things I truly treasure in collecting cards. It's a rookie card. It's vintage. And it's autographed. When you factor in that Largent is my favorite football player of all-time, it should have been a no-brainer from the beginning.
What about you?
Is there a single football card that stands out in your collection that you consider to be a favorite?
Share your thoughts in the comment section down below. Happy Thursday and sayonara!
I don't collect football cards but a while back I picked up some sports cards and it had a load of Topps Football cards from 1986 (I think) including some of the 1000 Yard Club cards. They have ornate green borders and are lovely looking cards.
ReplyDeleteNice stuff, you seem to have a lot of everything!! I like all of the cards you shared, but to me a Sweetness auto probably takes the cake!
ReplyDeleteMy football collection is sparse, though I am building a Barry Sanders PC- His Topps Traded Rookie Card is among my favorites, and I did seek out some vintage Vikings of guys like Alan Page, Carl Eller, and the rest of the "Purple People Eaters"
ReplyDeleteA Walter Payton auto certainly is a "Sweet" card to pull from a pack!
Sweetness! What a great pack pull. I understand your sentiment about the largest card, too.
ReplyDeleteAs for my favorite football card, I'll be posting it in a week or so as part of my take on the challenge.
My favorite "football" card is probably a Panini autograph of Russell Wilson, but it's actually an NC State baseball card from Panini.
ReplyDeleteThat's some serious cardage.
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm going with my 1971 Unitas.
Nice collection! I don’t know if I have a favorite football card off the top of my head. I have a Peyton Manning Topps RC, so I’ll say that.
ReplyDeleteDon't collect football. Have some good ones in a box as trade bait. In my own collection though I have a dozen 49ers police/McGruff cards from the mid 80s (Montana, Lott, Craig, Rice!) which do bring me back to when I was a football fan.
ReplyDelete'61 Fleer Lenny Moore, no doubt.
ReplyDeleteA couple others would line up right there with that one...'57 Unitas Rookie, '66 Sayers,and this 1997 Upper Deck YA Tittle. He was my father's favorite player and this card reminds me of him.
I actually collected football cards before baseball. The 1986 Topps set is so iconic in my mind. Every card in the set is epic.
ReplyDeleteI have a handful of football cards. I guess my favorite is a 1998 Bowman’s Best Mike Alstott that he signed for me after a game in 2001.
ReplyDeleteSunday morning football games - seems so weird to an East Coaster. When the Yankees play in Oakland night games start at 10pm and end some time after 1am.
ReplyDeletejongudmund - dig them out. 86T has a few hall of fame rookie cards: jerry rice, bruce smith, steve young, and andre reed. it also has rookie cards of fan favorites such as boomer esiason, vance johnson, anthony carter, bernie kosar, al toon, albert bentley, michael carter, charles mann, bart oates, joey browner, bobby herbert, gary clark, mike rozier, and william perry.
ReplyDeletethe diamond king - it was the first card that popped into my head, since it's the only card i pulled myself
brian - my father would talk about the purple people eaters when i was a kid. good choice with barry. he's someone i'd consider collecting myself... if i wasn't already collecting everything else
gcrl - looking forward to seeing your favorite
the snorting bull - sounds like a cool card. one of my favorite cards of russell is his 2010 bowman dp&p card. that nc state autograph sound cool. had no idea he played baseball there. he sure gets around. baseball in nc. football in wisconsin.
elliptical man - vintage unitas cards are always nice. i don't have a 1971 base card of him, but i have his topps poster
the lost collector - awesome card. i have a few manning rookies, but not sure i have his topps one. these day collectors are going crazy over topps flagship rookie cards.
nick vossbrink - i've seen those police sets before. i love all of those oddball issues from the 80's
commishbob - whoa. a unitas rookie? that's flippin' awesome. that 1997 tittle is cool too. i'm assuming there are coals in the pail and he's warming up his hands
sumomenkoman - yeah... and plenty of big name rookies
jeremya1um - very cool. i loved watching alstott. pretty sure i've written a post on him before. if not, i should
bo - yeah, the east coast kinda gets screwed with baseball when west coast teams are playing 7pm games. as for sunday morning football games, i've never known any differently... so it doesn't bother me
There aren't any real no-brainers in my small football card collection. I might go with one of my 1959 Topps ones ( I have 3.)
ReplyDeleteI know that I'm out of touch with what today's collectors want, but it still boggles my mind to hear that an Aaron Rodgers auto is worth more than one from Walter Payton?
ReplyDelete