1970 Topps Football PSA 10 Cards of Unitas, OJ, & Tarkenton Almost Impossible to Find
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As the first post-merger NFL trading card set, the 1970 Topps Football set holds a special place in hobby history, not only because the set showcases some of the biggest names in the game, but also because it’s one of the toughest sets of cards to not only grade, but to grade well. In this article, I wanted to take a closer look at both the reasons as to why these cards are so tough to grade as well as some of the cards that are nearly impossible to find Gem Mint (PSA 10) versions of such as Baltimore Colts Quarterback Johnny Unitas, Buffalo Bills Running Back OJ Simpson, and New York Giants Quarterback Fran Tarkenton.
For those us who enjoy chasing perfection (i.e. PSA 10 Gem Mint versions of a card) finding such versions of these cards is incredibly difficult and nearly non-existent. The reason(s) why the grading companies have been so hard on these cards is because the centering of the cards is often shifted and contain uneven borders, the cards contain various print defects such as smudged ink and print lines, and lastly because these cards weren’t stored in cases and top loaders like the cards of today but rather rubber bands and shoe boxes (if you were lucky).
Johnny Unitas (Card No. 180) Quarterback, Baltimore Colts – When it comes to proverbial grail cards for NFL collectors, the PSA 10 version of this card is up there with the best of them. According to PSA there are a total of 1,358 graded versions of this card, but there are only three (3) PSA 10s and sixty-six (66) PSA 9s in existence. For those of you in the market for either a PSA 9 or PSA 10 version of this card here’s what you can expect. According to PSA recent sales for the PSA 9 have been roughly $585 while the PSA 10 have been roughly $5,280
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O.J. Simpson (Card No. 90) Running Back, Buffalo Bills - For NFL collectors who have a penchant for legendary rookie cards, the PSA 10 version of this card is easily in the Top 10 if not the Top 5. According to PSA there are a total of 5,425 graded versions of this card, but there is only one (1) PSA 10s and one-hundred nineteen (119) PSA 9s in existence. For those of you in the market for either a PSA 9 or PSA 10 version of this card here’s what you can expect. According to PSA recent sales for the PSA 9 have been $5042 and although there are no recorded sales via public marketplace, there's a very good chance that that PSA 10 could command upward of $50,000 (and that's being conservative).
Fran Tarkenton (Card No. 80) Quarterback, New York Giants – Vintage Football collectors have a tendency to flock towards higher graded versions of legendary quarterbacks from both a nostalgic and a value-driven perspective. According to PSA, there are a total of 1,276 graded versions of this card, but there are only twenty-three (23) PSA 10s and one-hundred sixty-seven (167) PSA 9s in existence. For those of you in the market for either a PSA 9 or PSA 10 version of this card here’s what you can expect. According to PSA recent sales for the PSA 9 have been roughly $100 and PSA 10 have been roughly $1600
There’s no doubt that the 1970 Topps NFL Football Set is one of the most sought after by collectors especially since the set is loaded with the rookie cards of some of the NFL’s greatest to ever play the game. However, it’s the scarcity of the condition of these cards, especially at higher PSA levels that’s the real attraction for both vintage collectors and high-end sports card investors.
Passionate sports card collector and writer based in Queens, NY. Lifelong fan of the New York Mets, Jets, and Rangers. Covering sports cards and collectibles with deep industry knowledge and enthusiasm, while bringing a fresh perspective to the ever-evolving hobby world on http://SI.com/collectibles.
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