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About Football Cards

About Football Cards

A type of popular collectible trading card, football cards often feature one or more NFL or NCAA football player(s) printed on the card, which is typically made of paper or card stock. Football cards are sold in multiple formats including single cards, packs, boxes (hobby or retail), and factory-sealed wax boxes.
History of Football Cards

History of Football Cards

In the late 1900s, football cards hit the market, produced by Ivy League College football partners. Goodwin & Co released the first set of cards that featured football cards with cigarette packs. Following this initial set was the 1894 Mayo, which also consisted of football cards with Ivy League football players. In 1926, a multi-sport set from Spalding America Champions included football cards in their sets with a coupon for 10 cents off at their stores.

The first sole football trading card set was created by the National Chicle Company in the mid-1950s. After WWII, Leaf, Bowman, and Topps entered the football card market a few years later. After its acquisition of Bowman, Topps continued to produce football cards and remained the market leader until 1989. In the 1960s, Fleer and Post Cereal joined Leaf, Bowman, and Topps. Fleer posed a threat to Topps because of their focus on the American Football League (AFL), which later merged with the National Football League (NFL). The late 1980s brought another card manufacturer, Sportflics. Upper Deck followed Sportflics and secured licensing from the four major sports leagues. Well-known for inserts, Upper Deck cards included memorabilia from actual football games and autographs. While many other minor manufacturers produced baseball cards in the 1990s, they didn’t last long.

Fast forward to 2015 and Panini was the only licensed NFL sports card distributor. Digital cards became another product in the football trading card space, and Panini followed suit. Today, football cards remain a popular sports trading card among collectors of all ages.
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