1970 Topps NFL Sonny Jurgensen PSA 10: A Near Impossible Vintage Find
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When it comes to the world of sports card collecting, vintage collectors have always placed a premium on the super scarce high-grade examples of legendary players, and one of the rarest finds comes in the form of a 1970 Topps NFL Sonny Jurgensen football card.
The former Washinton Redskins Quarterback, who was known for his exceptional accuracy and deep-threat ability, had a career that was filled with its fair share of achievements and accolades, but for collectors the ultimate achievement comes in the form a PSA 10 1970 Topps Football card and that’s because there are only three that are known to exist.
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For his career, which spanned a total of 18 seasons with Philadelphia (1957-1963) and Washington (1964-1974), Jurgensen was named to the NFL Pro Bowl games five times while also being named to the NFL All-Pro First Team twice. Sonny finished his career with 32,224 passing yards, 2,433 completions, 255 passing touchdowns, and 15 rushing touchdowns.
The 1970 Topps Sonny Jurgensen card (No. 200) is one of the most sought-after in the set for several reasons. First, it was among the first football cards issued after the AFL-NFL merger, marking a pivotal moment in the history of modern professional football. Second, and as I’ve mentioned in previous articles, cards from this set are notoriously difficult to grade due to centering issues, print blemishes, and edge chipping. Finally, its sheer scarcity, especially at the PSA 9 (29 copies) and PSA 10 (just 3 copies) levels, adds an element of mystique that’s rarely found in modern-day cards.
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From a pricing perspective you can find PSA 3s starting at about $5 and PSAs selling for roughly $25-$35, but for those of you in the market for either a PSA 9 or PSA 10 version of this card the prices are 10x – 15x higher. According to PSA recent sales for the PSA 9 have been roughly $225 and PSA 10 have been right around $950.
When it comes to the 1970 Topps NFL Football set the Sonny Jurgenson card not only represents the perfect blend of history, rarity, scarcity, and investment potential, it also offers collectors a great point of entry for those looking to enter the vintage realm. This is because the card, even at a PSA 9, is still a fairly affordable option for collectors who want to own such a unique piece of trading card history.
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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