Rare Mike Ditka Card Sells at Auction for Over $200,000
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Mike Ditka is known for being a legendary Super Bowl winning head coach with the Chicago Bears, but he also had a respectable career playing tight end in the NFL prior to entering the coaching ranks. He was drafted in 1961 at 5th overall by the Chicago Bears and spent six seasons there, prior to playing on the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys. By the end of his playing career, Ditka compiled 427 receptions for 5,812 yards and 76 touchdowns. He also won a Super Bowl as a player in Dallas.
Recently at auction, a card featuring Ditka from the 1962 Topps Football release sold at auction for $207, 526. The card itself features a profile of Ditka that takes up the entirety of the right hand side of the card, with a standard background behind him. The top left of the card is an action shot of Ditka in black and white catching a pass. The bottom left of the card features his name, the team he was playing for, and his position. A big part of why the price was so high is that it is one of four PSA 9s - the highest graded copies of the card. The 1962 Topps football set is prone to condition issues, due to it's black borders. Back in the 60s, centering issues were also prevalent, as technology was not as advanced as it is today.
DITKA GRAIL SALE!
— Goldin (@GoldinCo) June 22, 2025
Final Sale Price on this Extraordinary 1962 Topps #17 Mike Ditka Rookie Card – PSA MINT 9 – POP 4; Highest PSA Graded Example: $207,526
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Looking at the PSA pop report with this specific card reveals only 54 PSA 8s, and only 193 PSA 7s. PSA 7s have sold between $1,800-$2,200 recently. For context, nearly 1200 copies of the card have been graded through PSA. Across the entire 1962 Topps Football set, only 2 PSA 10s exist of any player.
Mike Ditka is among the legends of the NFL not only for his coaching, but also for his playing career. This recent sale shows that the market for Ditka is still very strong, especially in the case of condition sensitive cards. It could be argued that his market may only go up, as his playing day cards will only get harder and harder to find in good shape.
Dylan is a collector based in Central Pennsylvania, and sports fan rooting for the Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Pirates, and LA Lakers. He is currently attempting to collect a complete run of Topps flagship sets across football, baseball, and basketball. He is passionate about the history of the hobby including its continual growth and evolution.