Top 1977 Topps Football Cards to Collect

The 1977 Topps Football release is one of the stronger releases of the 1970s, and the arguement could be made on it's behalf on rookie cards alone. The set contains Hall of Fame rookies cards through it's 528 cards, and also has other base cards of Hall of Famers. The set features the typical white borders on a Topps flagship release, while the player is surrounded by a colored border. The team name is written on a curved banner up at the top of card that also has their position written on a small football. Beneath the banner is the player name in all capital letters. With all this in mind, let's look at the top 1977 Topps Football cards to collect.

Honorable Mentions:

It should be noted that there are other notable rookies in the set that were not able to make the list. Dave Casper's rookie lands in this set, and he was a Hall of Fame Tight End for the Oakland Raiders for a number of years. Vince Papale's RC is also in this set. His legendary story of how he got to the NFL is chronicled in the movie Invincible. While he may not be considered an NFL legend, anyone who loves NFL history should check it out.

1. Steve Largent RC (Card #177)

Kicking things off is the rookie card of Steve Largent, a name that will live on forever in Seattle Seahawks history. He is arguably the greatest Wide Receiver to ever play for them, making spectacular catches and plays every time he took the field. Largent would finish his career with over 13,000 receiving yards and 100 Touchdowns. He also made the Pro Bowl seven times, and was named to the 1980s All Decade Team. Ungraded copies of Largent's rookie have sold between $20-$42 recently, depending on condition. If collectors are searching out a high grade PSA copy, it will take a chunk out of their wallet. A PSA 9 sold on eBay for $450 a few days ago.

2. Mike Webster RC (Card #99)

Mike Webster was the definition of toughness, and he showcased that on the football field. One of the best Centers of all time (and most definitely the 70s/80s), Webster was a key part of the Steelers Super Bowl wins in the 70s. While Webster's position may not light up the stat line week after week, but his place in NFL history is soldified, being elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Webster's rookie can be obtained for between $5-$10.

3. Lee Roy Selmon RC (Card #29)

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were a struggling expansion franchise in the late 1970s, going 0-26 before ever winning a game. But, one highlight of their team was Lee Roy Selmon, their best defensive player of the era. Selmon was the worst fear of opposing Quarterbacks, often getting to them at some point during the course of a game. Selmon would finish his career with 78.5 sacks, alongside six Pro Bowls and a Defensive Player of the Year award. He continues the run of Hall of Fame Rookies in the set, and his card can be picked up by collectors for around $3-$5.

4. Harry Carson RC (Card #146)

Another eventual defensive Hall of Fame rookie card lands into the 1977 set by the way of Harry Carson. Carson spent his entire 13 year career with the New York Giants, where he was a key part of their defense that would become very dominant. Carson was named to 9 Pro Bowls during his career, and was also able to win a Super Bowl for his efforts. Carson's rookie card sales seem to be very condition dependent, as those with corner and centering issues will sell for around $1, but better copies sell in the $7-$10, with some even going higher than that (if both centering and corners are perfect). For example, a PSA 8 recently sold for $74 on eBay.

5. Walter Payton (Card #360)

The last spot on the list goes to Walter Payton, mainly due to the signifcance of this card. It is the 2nd year card of Payton, so collectors can more easily obtain this than his rookie, which comes from the prior year's release. This has caused this card to be quite collectable when it comes to the vintage world, and for football card collectors. Once again, condition is a factor with this card. Even though it is not a rookie, copies have sold for as low as $10, but as high as $51 in ungraded condition. A PSA 8 fetched $313 last week on eBay.

The 1977 Topps set is one of the best releases of the 1970s. Hall of Fame rookie cards are found throughout the set, and even base cards of other Hall of Famers can bring a premium, depending on the condition that the cards are in. If collectors are looking to obtain a complete set of these, or just cards of their favorite players, they are quite obtainable compared to earlier releases of the decade. Therefore, 1977 Topps Football deserves the attention of collectors, and should continue to have an impact as time goes on.