What do you think are the 5 most "iconic" football cards ever?

ReggieBush22 · 08-06-2021, 10:58 AM

Mines in no particular order.

1965 Topps Joe Namath RC
1957 Topps Johnny Unitas RC
1981 Topps Joe Montana RC
1986 Topps Jerry Rice RC
2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady RC

smanzari · 08-06-2021, 10:59 AM

1935 National Chicle Rockne
1955 Topps All-American Jim Thorpe

are 2 important cards IMO

ReggieBush22 · 08-06-2021, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smanzari

1935 National Chicle Rockne
1955 Topps All-American Jim Thorpe

are 2 important cards IMO

Yeah, this happens all the time when we get into this topic. Some people name the most rarest and/or expensive cards. To me, "iconic" is more than just value. It's the significance and/or impression left on a hobby for whatever reason. For example, take baseball. The 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey card is only worth about $100 raw but anyone who lived through that era can testify it is without a doubt one of THE most iconic baseball cards ever because it ushered in the new "modern" era of cards with Upper Deck. The classic pose, card #1 in the set, etc all make it "iconic."

smanzari · 08-06-2021, 10:59 AM

dupe post

TheFrenzy · 08-06-2021, 11:09 AM

Iconic as in "most instantly recognizable"?

1935 National Chicle, Bronko Nagurski
1958 Topps, Jim Brown RC
1965 Topps Joe Namath RC
1981 Topps Joe Montana RC
2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady RC

ReggieBush22 · 08-06-2021, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheFrenzy

Iconic as in "most instantly recognizable"?

1935 National Chicle, Bronko Nagurski
1958 Topps, Jim Brown RC
1965 Topps Joe Namath RC
1981 Topps Joe Montana RC
2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady RC

Can't disagree with this list. I think the 3 bolded HAVE to be top 5 by default for various reasons. I probably should've included the 1935 Bronko too, which is sort of like the Babe Ruth version of a super early card that's significant in the hobby,

pip · 08-07-2021, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheFrenzy

Iconic as in "most instantly recognizable"?

1935 National Chicle, Bronko Nagurski
1958 Topps, Jim Brown RC
1965 Topps Joe Namath RC
1981 Topps Joe Montana RC
2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady RC

My picks as well except substitute 1976 Walter Payton for Montana. The 1952 Bowman Large Buck Lansford would be the next card out.

asujbl · 08-06-2021, 11:19 AM

I don’t think the Montana is iconic at all. Not sure why. I just don’t. I think more people would recognize, and to me that matters, something like a Barry Sanders Score before the Montana

81 just falls in that spot where it’s not “super vintage” like a Namath but is just old enough that collectors in their 30-45 range weren’t necessarily buying 81 Topps

I’d say the Marino rookie is more “iconic” than Montana.

It’s why Rice definitely is. Guys my age were 5 years old and starting to buy 86 Topps

That’s not a player judgement

84 is just more in the sweet spot

ReggieBush22 · 08-06-2021, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asujbl

I don’t think the Montana is iconic at all. Not sure why. I just don’t. I think more people would recognize, and to me that matters, something like a Barry Sanders Score before the Montana

81 just falls in that spot where it’s not “super vintage” like a Namath but is just old enough that collectors in their 30-45 range weren’t necessarily buying 81 Topps

I’d say the Marino rookie is more “iconic” than Montana.

It’s why Rice definitely is. Guys my age were 5 years old and starting to buy 86 Topps

That’s not a player judgement

84 is just more in the sweet spot

This is obviously a subjective topic but the Montana RC is absolutely iconic. I remember in 1989 when I was a teenager seeing this card sell for $175 in Beckett as he kept winning SBs. Now, keep in mind, cards sold for much cheaper back then and a Marino was selling for about $30 and Rice for about $10. This card was smoking hot and sold at prices that were unheard of back then. Everyone wanted this card.

I agree about the Barry and also thought about including it (my top 10 for sure). Like I mentioned about 1989 UD Griffey for baseball, the Barry Score kind of ushered in the "modern" era football cards.

asujbl · 08-06-2021, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReggieBush22

This is obviously a subjective topic but the Montana RC is absolutely iconic. I remember in 1989 when I was a teenager seeing this card sell for $175 in Beckett as he kept winning SBs. Now, keep in mind, cards sold for much cheaper back then and a Marino was selling for about $30 and Rice for about $10. This card was smoking hot and sold at prices that were unheard of back then. Everyone wanted this card.

I agree about the Barry and also thought about including it (my top 10 for sure). Like I mentioned about 1989 UD Griffey for baseball, the Barry Score kind of ushered in the "modern" era football cards.

Disagree

But it’s absolutely subjective

RW3FAN · 08-06-2021, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asujbl

I don’t think the Montana is iconic at all. Not sure why. I just don’t. I think more people would recognize, and to me that matters, something like a Barry Sanders Score before the Montana

81 just falls in that spot where it’s not “super vintage” like a Namath but is just old enough that collectors in their 30-45 range weren’t necessarily buying 81 Topps

I’d say the Marino rookie is more “iconic” than Montana.

It’s why Rice definitely is. Guys my age were 5 years old and starting to buy 86 Topps

That’s not a player judgement

84 is just more in the sweet spot

Give me a Walter Payton RC over Joe any day.

asujbl · 08-06-2021, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RW3FAN

Give me a Walter Payton RC over Joe any day.

I would agree

Montana simply isn’t one of the first 5 cards I think of. Maybe not Top 10

And that’s iconic to me

Not that Montana is a Top 3 QB ever. Irrelevant

gmarutiak · 08-07-2021, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asujbl

I don’t think the Montana is iconic at all. Not sure why. I just don’t. I think more people would recognize, and to me that matters, something like a Barry Sanders Score before the Montana

81 just falls in that spot where it’s not “super vintage” like a Namath but is just old enough that collectors in their 30-45 range weren’t necessarily buying 81 Topps

I’d say the Marino rookie is more “iconic” than Montana.

It’s why Rice definitely is. Guys my age were 5 years old and starting to buy 86 Topps

That’s not a player judgement

84 is just more in the sweet spot

Normally, I would say that opinions, by definition, can't be wrong. Your opinion is the exception to that rule. '81 Montana is top 5 iconic.

TheFrenzy · 08-06-2021, 11:30 AM

If the list was longer, that 1993 SP foil Drew Bledsoe RC would probably surprise a lot of younger collectors with how high it would rank.

asujbl · 08-06-2021, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheFrenzy

If the list was longer, that 1993 SP foil Drew Bledsoe RC would probably surprise a lot of younger collectors with how high it would rank.

Oh man… if you had one from like 93-96? You ran the neighborhood

ssbledsoe · 08-06-2021, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheFrenzy

If the list was longer, that 1993 SP foil Drew Bledsoe RC would probably surprise a lot of younger collectors with how high it would rank.

Quote:

Originally Posted by asujbl

Oh man… if you had one from like 93-96? You ran the neighborhood

Inject this into my veins

TheFrenzy · 08-06-2021, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssbledsoe

Inject this into my veins

I mean, you could almost flip a 1993 Bledsoe SP foil PSA 10 for a raw Brady Bowman RC.

ssbledsoe · 08-06-2021, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheFrenzy

I mean, you could almost flip a 1993 Bledsoe SP foil PSA 10 for a raw Brady Bowman RC.

I could do this a few times...

Siberian13 · 08-06-2021, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheFrenzy

If the list was longer, that 1993 SP foil Drew Bledsoe RC would probably surprise a lot of younger collectors with how high it would rank.

This reminds of the movie Tropic Thunder. Never go full re…..

JeremyNick · 08-06-2021, 11:44 AM

With the new generation, 2017 Mahomes Prizm should be on the list. That card will define a generation of collecting.

tjforce · 08-06-2021, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremyNick

With the new generation, 2017 Mahomes Prizm should be on the list. That card will define a generation of collecting.

That's going to be the interesting thing...

The Prizm is the "common" rookie that a lot of collectors have a chance to get, but now the NT is the most expensive football card ever sold. You'll be seeing some version of the NT a lot moving forward.

Whereas Jim Brown has 1 rookie. Montana has 1 rookie. Brady has a bunch, but only 1 rookie auto, and its from an important set.

hermanotarjeta · 08-06-2021, 12:17 PM

1958 topps Jim brown
1976 topps Walter Payton
1981 topps joe Montana
1989 score Barry Sanders
2000 contenders Brady

JeremyNick · 08-06-2021, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjforce

That's going to be the interesting thing...

The Prizm is the "common" rookie that a lot of collectors have a chance to get, but now the NT is the most expensive football card ever sold. You'll be seeing some version of the NT a lot moving forward.

Whereas Jim Brown has 1 rookie. Montana has 1 rookie. Brady has a bunch, but only 1 rookie auto, and its from an important set.

I guess it’s back to how you define iconic.

To me NT isn’t iconic. It’s not a singular card. The Prizm base (silver) Mahomes is a singular iconic card. Even the variations are still just different colors of that singular image.

People can’t even grasp what the true NT RPA is at times.

asujbl · 08-06-2021, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremyNick

I guess it’s back to how you define iconic.

To me NT isn’t iconic. It’s not a singular card. The Prizm base (silver) Mahomes is a singular iconic card. Even the variations are still just different colors of that singular image.

People can’t even grasp what the true NT RPA is at times.

This is correct

I have no idea what the actual RPA even looks like

I’ve seen multiple horizontal cards? Vertical? I honestly have no idea what is what… and I’ve been around a while

It’s not iconic

It’s just expensive

I don’t know when that stopped… maybe Andrew Luck? That’s the last RPA where I knew what the hell I was looking at

altaeria · 08-06-2021, 12:05 PM

hmmm.... So far it sounds like maybe only 2 truly fit the bill, regardless of "subjectivity": Namath and Brady.

08-06-2021, 11:19 AM	#8
asujbl Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 64,543 ohiosundevils	I don’t think the Montana is iconic at all. Not sure why. I just don’t. I think more people would recognize, and to me that matters, something like a Barry Sanders Score before the Montana 81 just falls in that spot where it’s not “super vintage” like a Namath but is just old enough that collectors in their 30-45 range weren’t necessarily buying 81 Topps I’d say the Marino rookie is more “iconic” than Montana. It’s why Rice definitely is. Guys my age were 5 years old and starting to buy 86 Topps That’s not a player judgement 84 is just more in the sweet spot __________________ https://ohiosundevils.smugmug.com/ Browns/Cavs/Tribe/Buckeyes/Jackets/Devils TheFrenzy - “Blowout ain't a place for normies”

08-06-2021, 10:58 AM	#1
ReggieBush22 Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 1,674 lionpride	What do you think are the 5 most "iconic" football cards ever? Mines in no particular order. 1965 Topps Joe Namath RC 1957 Topps Johnny Unitas RC 1981 Topps Joe Montana RC 1986 Topps Jerry Rice RC 2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady RC

08-06-2021, 10:59 AM	#2
smanzari Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: N/A Posts: 10,800	1935 National Chicle Rockne 1955 Topps All-American Jim Thorpe are 2 important cards IMO

08-06-2021, 11:09 AM	#5
TheFrenzy Banned Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Texan in AZ Posts: 44,115	Iconic as in "most instantly recognizable"? 1935 National Chicle, Bronko Nagurski 1958 Topps, Jim Brown RC 1965 Topps Joe Namath RC 1981 Topps Joe Montana RC 2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady RC

08-06-2021, 11:30 AM	#14
TheFrenzy Banned Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Texan in AZ Posts: 44,115	If the list was longer, that 1993 SP foil Drew Bledsoe RC would probably surprise a lot of younger collectors with how high it would rank.

08-06-2021, 11:44 AM	#20
JeremyNick Banned Join Date: Jun 2019 Posts: 22,801	With the new generation, 2017 Mahomes Prizm should be on the list. That card will define a generation of collecting.

08-06-2021, 12:17 PM	#22
hermanotarjeta Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 23,347	1958 topps Jim brown 1976 topps Walter Payton 1981 topps joe Montana 1989 score Barry Sanders 2000 contenders Brady

08-06-2021, 12:05 PM	#25
altaeria Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: CenterCityPhiladelphia Posts: 1,934 altaeria altaeria	hmmm.... So far it sounds like maybe only 2 truly fit the bill, regardless of "subjectivity": Namath and Brady.