An unprecedented third series, a legendary team and one of the top rookie cards of all-time make the 1972 Topps football set a standout.
After producing 263-card sets in 1969, 1970, and 1971, Topps decided to make its ’72 set a whopper. Just as it had done with baseball, the company expanded the checklist. Instead of just two series from the late summer to late fall, Topps added a third, pushing the total number of cards to 351. There were more individual cards but Topps really bulked up through the use of “All-Pro” cards.
The Checklist
Leaders Lead Off
Instead of selecting a player to be card #1 in their set, Topps opted to kick off the checklist with leader cards. Passing, Rushing, Receiving, and Scoring were highlighted in the first eight cards. There, you’ll find Hall of Famers Larry Csonka, Bob Griese, Len Dawson, Roger Staubach, and Fred Bilentnikoff. The 1st series also includes rookie cards of Archie Manning, John Riggins, and L.C. Greenwood.
Roger’s Rookie and the 2nd Series
The second series featured what is today considered one of the most desirable football cards ever made: Roger Staubach’s rookie card. Not only was he one of the game’s top players during the 1970s, but the card is a challenge to find in high-grade because of centering and cutting concerns. The second series includes a slew of other Hall of Famers including Joe Greene, Johnny Unitas, and Terry Bradshaw.
3rd Series “High Numbers”
The final series caught youngsters by surprise. This time, their set wasn’t complete after two series. Topps’ 3rd series didn’t sell well and packs weren’t available everywhere. Today, those cards are harder to find and more expensive than #1-263. You’ll find the All-Pro and In Action cards of some Hall of Famers along with Steve Spurrier’s rookie card, and an In Action shot of him punting for the 49ers.
The Perfect Season
1972 Miami Dolphins
They remain the only NFL team to finish the season without losing a game. The 1972 Miami Dolphins’ “perfect season” is an interesting subset for collectors. Key players from that legendary team are featured throughout the ’72 set including Bob Griese, Larry Csonka, Paul Warfield, Jake Scott, Dick Anderson, memorable kicker Garo Yepremian and more. The third series cards make it a little harder to complete.
A Worthwhile Endeavor
Despite the challenge of finding those third series cards if piecing together a set card-by-card, the 1972 Topps set is one of the most popular football card sets ever created and certainly worth owning. If you don’t have the patience for set building, you can always purchase a complete set (with or without the more expensive high numbers).
Topps would stick with larger sets as the 1970s continued. The 1973 Topps football set exploded to 528 cards, but as would be the case moving forward, all were available in one series.