4 Essential Joe Montana cards
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The nickname "Joe Cool" is not given to just any quarterback. Joe Montana earned the respect and admiration from fellow players and fans through his leadership and poise, both on and off the field. In fact, he was widely regarded as maybe The Best quarterback ever until a certain guy named Tom Brady came along. Four Super Bowl wins and being a 3-time Super Bowl MVP have helped Montana's football cards become highly desired collectibles and investments. His legacy will not fade as the years go by, which make his cards a great choice to buy and tuck away. Like all players from his era, Montana's cards are grouped into two buckets - base cards from the 80's and early 90's and then the more modern era with relic cards and autograph inserts.
TOPPS 1981 JOE MONTANA
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In today's world where a base rookie card can have a bazillion parallels, it's refreshing to go back in time to a world where a legend has just one undisputed rookie card. A couple of things about this card - the almost neon green borders mixing with the yellow "49ers" sign is a bit jarring, and the card was produced by Topps when they didn't have an NFL license - hence the airbrushed helmet as the 49ers logo is clearly missing. Despite these quirks, this card is for many THE card of the 80's - a gem-mint copy sells for a huge premium - north of $75,000.00.
UPPER DECK 1996 GAME JERSEY
It may seem hard to believe today, but back in the 90's, Upper Deck was on fire. The card company was way out in front in terms of innovation; one great example is the Game Jersey set from 1996. These cards were almost impossible to find in packs and completely turned the hobby upside-down - no-one had ever seen something like these before. While relic cards are now in almost every product, back then it was brand new and of course "Joe Cool" was involved. These are very tough to find in high grades due to the black borders.
UPPER DECK 1997 LEGENDS AUTOGRAPH
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If you ask around as to the best autograph set, many in the hobby who have been at it a while will point you in the direction of the 1997 Upper Deck Legends set. It's easy to see why: the greats of the game captured in good photos with solid on-card autographs. What's not to like? Montana is seen here surely discussing a touchdown pass just minutes ago.
UPPER DECK 1997 SP AUTHENTIC TRADITION
Looking back on Joe Montana's career, one thing is for certain: the dream partnership of "Montana to Rice" was responsible for so many great plays throughout the 49ers amazing run of 4 Super Bowl championships. This card is amazing - it's one of the first of its kind - a dual autograph, and not just of anyone but rather two of the best to ever play the game! Nice, crisp blue signatures on top of great action shots of both.
Brian Hough became a fan of the hobby by opening packs of 1986 Donruss and 1987 Topps baseball with his dad and little brother. He has been writing about the collectibles industry for years, initially as a price guide editor for Tuff Stuff Magazine, which was a monthly sports magazine focused on sports cards and collectibles, particularly known for its price guides and checklists, that initially launched in April 1984.