1965 Topps Football A Part of Hobby History
The 1965 Topps Football set is notorious in the hobby for a variety of reasons. For one, the cards are larger than a standard card, with the 1965 issue measuring 2 1/2" x 4 11/16" (a standard card comes in at 2.5" x 3.5"). The size of the issue has made condition to be an issue over time, as toploaders and card sleeves were not being used back in the 1960s. Additionally, due to the size of the card, corner wear is very common. Another reason why this set has remained so relevant throughout the history of the hobby is its collectability. These cards can bring a premium, especially in good condition, even for common players. If one is trying to put a set together of these, it will likely take hundreds, if not thousands of dollars to complete it.
The teams included in this release were only AFL teams, so only a select number are included, those being the Boston Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Houston Oilers, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, and San Diego Chargers. This was the format that Topps followed from 1964-1968.
The setup of the cards themselves are fairly simplistic. A white background encircles the card. The city is located at the top of the card in different color fonts for different teams. For example, the Len Dawson card in the set has the city in black letters, while the "New York" on the Jets cards is in red. The player takes up most of the space on the card, with a plain colored background behind them (which again, varies depending on the team). At the bottom is the players name, followed by the position that they play. The back of the card is typical of the time period, containing the players career statistics, while also featuring a cartoon and fun fact about the player.
The most notable rookies in the set include Fred Biletnikoff (#133), Lance Alworth (#155), and Joe Namath (#122). Ungraded copies of the Biletnikoff have sold recently between $200-$375, depending on condition. A PSA 6 sold back in May for $700. The Alworth rookie is considerably cheaper, with copies selling for $10-43. A PSA 8, also sold in May, went for $148. The Joe Namath rookie is the "big" rookie of the set. A PSA 4 sold recently for $2,500, while a PSA 7 sold in March for $9,511. In the case of the Namath rookie, there are no PSA 10s known to exist, with only 5 PSA 9s in the pop report. If someone wants to purchase a sealed and graded pack, they are still out there - one sold recently for $10,000.
If we take a deeper dive in the PSA pop report, the numbers do speak to condition being an issue with this release, which makes pristine copies all the more valuable to collectors. Across the entire set, only 17 PSA 10s have been recorded. That number jumps to 798 PSA 9s, and then all the way up to 7,611 PSA 8s.
The 1965 Topps Football release has definitely earned its place in the history of the hobby. The size of the cards add to the uniqueness of the set, while condition gives collectors a fun chase element. Without question, having this set complete would be the cornerstone of anyone's collection.
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.