The Most Iconic Topps Football Cards of the 1980's (Part 3)
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The end of the 1980's saw some of the most iconic rookie cards of Hall of Fame quarterbacks and running backs. In addition, 1989 saw the first release of a Traded set in the Football hobby, even though it would be a short-lived addition. The most iconic Topps Football cards released at the end of the decade are nothing to look away from, as they represent a great run of years in the hobby.
Here are four more iconic Topps Football cards that round out the 1980's decade.
1987 Topps Football Jim Kelly Rookie Card
There are a few key rookie cards in the 1987 Topps Football set, but the most notable belongs to Jim Kelly. Kelly started his career in the USFL, but then took his talents to Buffalo. While there, Kelly took the Bills to four straight Super Bowls, falling short in each, unfortunately.
This career achievement is both astounding and unlikely to be replicated. Because Kelly did not win a Super Bowl, his hobby pricing is lower than that of other quarterbacks of the era. Recently, a PSA 9 sold for $66.
1988 Topps Football Bo Jackson Rookie Card
1988 saw the inclusion of Bo Jackson's rookie card in the set. Jackson burst on the scene and became one of the NFL's top running backs in a short period of time. A career-ending injury ended his time in the NFL, but Jackson still has some strong hobby pull.
He is known as a two-sport athlete, and his popularity is high among collectors because of this. Collectors looking to obtain his rookie card in PSA 10 will pay multiple thousands of dollars.
1989 Topps Traded Football Barry Sanders Rookie Card
When people think of running backs in the late 80s/early 90s, Barry Sanders is one of the top names that comes to mind. His rookie card is included in the 1989 Topps Traded set. While not technically part of the flagship set, these cards have more gloss and were included in small factory sets.
Due to the packaging, PSA 10s can be hard to obtain due to corner issues and centering. Despite this, some could view the value of a PSA 10 as a bargain - a recent sale saw the card fetch $305.
1989 Topps Traded Troy Aikman Rookie Card
The 1989 Traded set also featured Troy Aikman's rookie card, and the recent sales of this card are a bit puzzling. Aikman won three Super Bowls during his playing days with the Dallas Cowboys. Despite these achievements, Aikman's hobby value seems low compared to some of his counterparts.
One of the most recent PSA 10 sales of Aikman's rookie card clocks in at $62. While many copies of the card do exist, most collectors would be happy to have a PSA 10 rookie card of a multi-Super Bowl-winning and Hall of Fame quarterback in their collection.
The final years of the 1980's brought key rookie cards of legends such as Barry Sanders, Bo Jackson, and more. While these cards might not command crazy high dollar amounts like older vintage cards, these are still items that would be great additions to anyone's collection, and will not always break the bank.
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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.