Sports Memorabilia, Trading Cards, and Americana May 16'26
Lot 390:
Description
BID PER WHAT YOU SEE IN THE PHOTO, NOT THE AI GENERATED TITLES AND DESCRIPTIONS! An Assortment of Vintage to Modern Football Trading Cards Including 1981 Topps Joe Montana and 1976 Topps Walter Payton Rookie Cards
This is an extensive collection of football trading cards, estimated to contain several thousand items, primarily spanning from the mid-1970s through the early 2000s. The lot is dominated by Topps issues but also includes various cards from Bowman, Fleer, Score, Upper Deck, Pro Set, and Stadium Club. Key rookie cards identified in the collection include at least four copies of the 1981 Topps Joe Montana number 216 and at least one copy of the 1976 Topps Walter Payton number 148. Additional notable rookie cards feature the 1977 Topps Steve Largent number 177, 1980 Topps Phil Simms number 225, 1991 Stadium Club Brett Favre number 94, and 1989 Pro Set Deion Sanders number 486. The collection also contains various issues of Hall of Fame and star players including multiple 1978 Topps Tony Dorsett rookie cup cards number 315, Roger Staubach, Joe Theismann, Fran Tarkenton, Ken Stabler, Archie Manning, Art Shell, Fred Biletnikoff, O.J. Simpson, and a 2000 Topps Chrome Champ Bailey rookie number 140. The cards are housed in multiple professional cardboard storage boxes, including two-row and single-row monster boxes. The collection shows evidence of partial organization by a previous owner, with handwritten dividers such as RC, Football older, and 83 NFL Properties.
Provenance / Authentication Note: This item originates from a single-owner collection assembled by a dedicated sports fan (with a strong focus on Notre Dame and New York Yankees memorabilia). The collector actively pursued autographs over many years through in-person events, including games, autograph shows, and visits to National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum during player events, as well as through direct mail requests to athletes and celebrities. The collection included supporting material such as handwritten correspondence sent to athletes (in some cases with payment enclosed), along with photographs of the collector with various signers. A portion of this same collection was featured in our March 21st auction, where multiple items were authenticated by James Spence Authentication (JSA). In regards to any items with signature(s): While this specific item(s) may not be individually submitted for third-party authentication, it originates from the same collection and shows consistency with previously authenticated pieces. As with many large autograph collections, there may be a small number of facsimile or clubhouse-style signatures present, but for the most part we have seen AUTHENTIC SIGNATURES within the collection. Based on the overall provenance and our review, we maintain a strong level of confidence in the authenticity of most items. Bidders are encouraged to review all photos carefully and bid according to their own level of comfort. No additional authentication documentation is included unless visible within the lot photos. Please reach out with any questions.
Condition report:
The cards are entirely ungraded. Overall condition is mixed but appears to lean toward high-grade collector quality. Many key cards show sharp corners and clean edges, while common period-specific issues such as off-center printing and minor corner softening are visible on various examples. Several of the most significant star and rookie cards are individually protected in plastic sleeves or rigid top-loaders.
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