Top Four Topps Football Cards of the 1950's

Football cards have been around for more than 75 years, as has the Topps brand. Topps recently regained the Football license and now is a great time to look back at some of the greatest cards that they've released throughout the decades. Their first set came out in 1950, but featured only collegiate players. This would be the case up until 1956, when the first mention of team names was present. The 1950's saw the rookie cards of many key players, including some who ended up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Here are the top four Topps Football cards of the 1950's decade.

1955 Topps All American Jim Thorpe Card

The first card on the list comes from one of the earliest Topps Football set, one that does not even have NFL team licensing: 1955 Topps All American. The set features 100 collegiate stars and legends, along with some coaches. The cards themselves are simplistic in design, as the player is front and center on the card, with a collegiate logo in the top right. Behind the player is a black and white background of the stadium that they play in.

Perhaps the most coveted card from the set is of Jim Thorpe. Thorpe was a multi-sport athlete, and participated in the olympics. This set can be tough to find in good condition, so higher grades can command a good amount of money. Recently, a PSA 7 sold for $2,100.

1957 Topps Football Bart Starr Rookie Card

The 1957 Topps Football set is one of the most iconic of the decade, as it contains multiple hall of fame rookie cards. Bart Starr is one of these players. Starr won multiple Super Bowls with the Green Bay Packers, along with numerous other awards and championships. Starr was one of the foundations of the 1960's Green Bay Packers teams, serving as their starting quarterback.

The set brings a horizontal design, with the player's face on the left, and an action shot of them on the right. The only other items on the front of the card is the player's name, position, and team. This set is a hallmark of the era, when kids were putting cards in their bicycle spokes, and looking for their favorite players. Starr's rookie can also be tough to find in good shape, with the last PSA 8 selling for more than $19,000. Very nice PSA 3 copies are selling for less than $1,000.

1957 Topps Football Johnny Unitas Rookie Card

Johnny Unitas is also in the 1957 Topps Football set, and this also qualifies as his rookie card. Unitas led the Baltimore Colts for most of his career and was one of the top players in the pre-Super Bowl era. Arguably, he was one of the top players once the Super Bowl era started as well. The passing game was not as much of a focus as in his era as it is today, so he has been passed by on many statistical lists. But, this does not take away from the impact that he had on the game, and the value he carries in the hobby. Unitas' rookie recently sold for $495 in a PSA 4 condition.

1958 Topps Football Jim Brown Rookie Card

The last card on the list is from the 1958 set, and it is a rookie card of one of the best running backs of all time, Jim Brown. Brown finished his career with 12,312 yards and 106 touchdowns, which was quite the statistical feat at the time. More impressively, he only played in the league for nine seasons. Brown is viewed as one of the greatest running backs of all time, and his hobby pricing reflects this. A PSA 4 of Brown's rookie sold recently for $1,050, while a PSA 8 recently sold in a Heritage auction for more than $25,000.

The 1950's saw the beginning of Topps Football sets along with some key rookie cards being included as a part of releases. Due to the age of these sets, higher grades will demand a premium in the hobby. Depending on the card, even low condition examples can cost hundreds of dollars. All of the cards included in this list deserve their spotlight in the hobby, as they are a part of history and the ever evolving story of collecting.