Top 1993 Topps Football Cards to Collect

1993 was one of the few years that Topps released their Football product in multiple series, taking up the format that Baseball has kept for so many years. This particular year saw numerous key rookie cards in the set, including some of Hall of Famers. Interestingly enough, some players have two cards in the set, and although both are considered rookie cards, their first card in the set is technically the "true rookie". The set contains 660 cards, one of the bigger Topps Football sets that currently exist. The card design from this year keeps in the tradition of white borders, while the player name and team appear at the bottom of the card in the respective team colors. Here are the top cards to collect from the 1993 set.

1. Jerome Bettis RC (Card #166)

The top card in the set belongs to Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis. Some may forget that he started his career with the Rams, and would eventually find his way to Pittsburgh via trade later in his career. Bettis has two rookies in the set - one in both Series 1 and Series 2. When it comes to sales, the rookie from Series 1 sells for more, likely because it came out first. Bettis' accolades speak for themselves, as he was able to win a Super Bowl in the final year of his career, and rushed for 13,662 yards in his career. While his rookie can be obtained easily in ungraded condition, a PSA 10 sold recently for $110.

2. Drew Bledsoe RC (Card #130)

Like Bettis, Bledsoe also has two rookie cards in the set, following the Series 1 and Series 2 trend. Similarly, his Series 1 card sells for more as well. Bledsoe was drafted 1st overall in the 1993 draft, and was the starter in New England for a number of years. He started a Super Bowl for the Patriots when they faced the Packers, but came up short of winning the game. Bledsoe's career changed course when Tom Brady entered the picture, with Bledsoe making stops in Buffalo and Dallas before eventually retiring. Despite an interesting career arc, Bledsoe still put up solid numbers during his time in the league, passing for 44,611 yards and 251 touchdowns. Ungraded copies of Bledsoe's rookie can be obtained for as low as $1, but a PSA 9 with an autograph sold a few days ago for $99.99.

3. Giants Draft Picks (Michael Strahan/Marcus Buckley, Card #275)

Some may not remember that Michael Strahan's rookie is located in this set, in part due to the fact he shares the card with another teammate. Strahan was a key part of the Giants defense for many years, and was able to win a Super Bowl during his final year in the NFL. Strahan finished his career with 141.5 sacks, including breaking the single season sack record. Strahan also appeared in 7 Pro Bowls and was named to the All 2000s Decade Team. Strahan's rookie can be obtained at a reasonable cost, while PSA copies will run collectors a bit more money. A PSA 10 sold in the last few weeks for $60.

1993 Topps Football may be one of the more underappreciated sets of it's era. Released during the junk wax era, the set contains Hall of Fame rookie cards, and also contains key cards of other rookies and veterans of the era. It is an affordable release for collectors, as putting together a set (ungraded) will not be an extensive or expensive process. While it may not be at the top of Topps Football release rankings, the 1993 set has aged well.