SCU’s Biggest Giveaway Ever! Win a Box of Topps Five Star!

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Its rare that I am given this type of opportunity, and I am glad that the readers of this site will be able to benefit as much as I think they will. As part of the release of Five Star, Topps has graciously provided a box for me to give away on their behalf. Considering that this product is easily the front runner for best of the year, I think that there are a bunch of people out there who would love the opportunity to get their hands on a box. Especially for those who maybe do not have the means to afford the boxes themselves, this is a chance to experience the joy of busting the highest of the high end.

Here is how the contest is going to work:

In the comments below, post a link to your favorite Topps football card you own. It can be anything from a base card to a 1/1 Logo Auto patch. Along with the link, tell us about why it is your favorite in a short paragraph. Not only will this be a great chance to share some stories, but you will be entered to randomly be selected to win the box. After a week, I will put all the names of the people into a hat, and draw out the name of the winner. That winner will be shipped the bounty, free! ITS THAT EASY!

CONTEST RULES: ONE ENTRY PER PERSON – IP ADDRESSES WILL BE CHECKED. YOU MUST ENTER BEFORE NEXT THURSDAY AT MIDNIGHT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE DRAWING. SCANS OF THE CONTENTS OF THE BOX WOULD BE HELPFUL AND APPRECIATED ONCE IT ARRIVES. IF YOU ABUSE THE RULES OF THIS CONTEST, YOUR ENTRY WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.

MY FAVORITE STORIES WILL BE FEATURED IN THE POST DETERMINING THE WINNER. OTHER PRIZES WILL BE GIVEN TO THOSE COLLECTORS.

Thanks again to everyone over at Topps for not only putting out a tremendous product, but also for giving my readers this awesome chance.

122 thoughts on “SCU’s Biggest Giveaway Ever! Win a Box of Topps Five Star!”

  1. My favorite card is my Javon Ringer gold refractor auto card (couldn’t find gold version on ebay, http://cgi.ebay.com/Javon-Ringer-2009-09-Topps-Chrome-RC-Autograph-Auto-/400150139908?pt=US_Football&hash=item5d2ace9404). I started reading this blog in 2008 or 2009. In the 2009 Draft, my hometown Niners drafted Michael Crabtree. I wanted a Michael Crabtree rookie card. This blog loved Chrome, so i put two and two together and preordered a box of Topps Chrome from Dacardworld. What sweetened the deal for me was Crabtree on the box. I opened the box and got a Bob Sanders refractor, and a few other refractors. My favorite was Javon Ringer because that is the lowest numbered card i own. Its also extremely shiny, and the signature is spot on. I wish it was on card but I still like my Javon Ringer Card numbered to 10.

  4. Great contest! My favorite Topps card is this one:
    http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd508/jimbodious/Bears%20PC/newpics003.jpg
    2010 Topps Chrome Matt Forte Red Refractor10/25
    It’s my favorite because once I decided to try for the 2010 Chrome Matt Forte rainbow, it took me forever to find that card. Everything was easy to find but the Gold and the Red. After a few months I found the Gold, but it was a while before the first Red popped up on ebay (and I checked it every day at least once.) I ended up in a bidding war and it went up to $30, which I was not expecting, but it was worth it. Now I just need the superfractor…

  5. 1976 Topps Walter Payton RC
    http://caimages.collectors.com/psaimages/1068/11148843/1976%20TOPPS%20WALTER%20PAYTON.jpg

    When you’re 40 years old, from Chicago and a die hard Bears fan it means only one thing. You got to see Walter Payton’s entire career. From watching his rookie year on my Dad’s lap as a 6 year old boy to throwing a Bears Super Bowl party in 1985, Sweetness has and will forever be my most cherished Chicago athlete. When you are a Bears fan and a collector? That too means only one thing. When it comes to what card is my favorite, need I say more?

  6. In 2009, I received this card from a secret santa that I participated on FCB. When the Topps Magic checklist first came out, I saw this card and knew that I had to have it, somehow, someway. When my secret santa package came, I opened it and there were 3 cards inside. The other 2 cards were nice, but they paled in comparison to this card. Living in Pittsburgh and being a huge Pitt Panther fan, this is the ultimate Pitt card for me and it’s definitely one of my favorite cards in my collection.

    http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e206/mstng99tim/LeSean%20McCoy%20collection/dorsett-marino-mccoytripleauto.jpg

  7. Mine would have to be this Barry Sanders sketch from Topps 2010:

    http://s259.photobucket.com/albums/hh308/purplehaze1967/?action=view&current=sketch_sanders.jpg

    Being a lifelong Detroit resident and Lions fan, Barry one one of the few bright spots in many dreadful seasons. Somehow, his amazing play made the disappointments easier to swallow.
    The fact that he is the subject of a card cool enough for me to want, no matter who was depicted made me have to have it when it popped up on ebay a few months ago. Definately my favorite football card and among my favorites in any sport!

  9. My favorite Topps card that I own is my 1951 Topps Magic John Karras. I have this card as part of my Illinois Alumni rookies collection, and I can’t seem to find it in a high grade. The coloring in this set is great, and I love Karras’ Heisman pose on this particular card. I also like that the backs of these cards had a trivia question and you had to use a coin to rub off the back, adding another aspect to the chase, finding examples that weren’t rubbed. Until just recently when Topps re-introduced the set, it was a very underappreciated set due to the lack of stars, but I love the set, and this card is by far my favorite from it.

    Thanks for running the contest!

  10. Wow. Until this contest I never realized how few Topps card I have in my Dolphins – PC (In no way is that a slight to Topps, simply chance and something I never realized until now). I can say that the release of Five Star has led me to Ebay in search of new cards for my-PC. It is by far the best high-end Topps I have ever seen from Topps and virtually every card I have seen is beautiful – which is why I would love a shot to open a box (thanks for the opportunity).

    Due to what I stated above – I’ve selected the following as my favorite Topps card I own.
    http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m276/rymflaherty/FOOTBALL/FT%20-%20FS/INSERTS%20PARALLELS%20RC%20%20ETC%20%20%20sorted%20by%20team/Denver%20Broncos/elway.jpg
    It’s an Elway RC. While it is in the FT-FS Bucket – you may notice it doesn’t have a price. If you look at the scan you can see part of that is because the card is mangled and no one would want it anyway, and the other part is that the card is mangled and part of my childhood, so I wouldn’t sell it anyway. It represents my earlier days of collecting – and one of the iconic cards that I was able to hold on to. The type of card that doesn’t need a grade and despite the horrible flaws you hold on to it. The kind of card you showed off to your friends and ran to Beckett to check the price on – a time before condition, odds, scarcity, ebay value and the like turned it into less of a “hobby”. So I choose a base card and a card nearly as old as I am, because really when I think of Topps, I think of those days collecting as a kid and I think of the many iconic base Topps cards that have stretched all sports and all years of my life.

  11. My favorite Topps card that I own is a 2010 Topps Unrivaled Adrian Peterson Auto Patch. This card has a 3 color game worn patch and the Peterson auto is flawless. It’s very special to me because it was the very first Adrian Peterson card that I ever bought and it definitely convinced me that Topps is the only grand to buy in football. http://cgi.ebay.com/2010-Topps-Unrivaled-Adrian-Peterson-Auto-Patch-9-10-/220738889361?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3365102691

  12. We can’t miss an opportunity like this! Thanks Gellman!

    http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/ee495/CommunityGum/2010%20Topps%20Magic%20Case/2010MagicManningAuto.jpg

    I’m normally a baseball guy, but I absolutely loved 2010 Topps Magic. I love everything about the design and they even make sticker autos look good. On the last pack of the last box of our 2nd case, we pulled an Eli Manning auto. It may not have been a case-saver, but it was certainly a thrill to pull a /15 SP auto in that fashion!

  14. My favorite Topps card is my 2005 Aaron Rodgers Topps Turkey Red Black Auto/10. I love the old school look of the card. It has the full player picture in uniform with the action pose. It is probably my most rare and most expensive card to date, but it was worth every penny. I live in Green Bay and I am a Packer fanatic. Don’t hold it against me SCU!!! I hope the Vikes don’t end up stealing this one too! JK
    http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-Aaron-Rodgers-packers-Turkey-Red-Black-Auto-10-10-/150550570497?pt=US_Football&hash=item230d836601

  15. Here is my favorite card. I had saved up just enough to buy one box of 09 chrome. I loved the rookie class in it and was hoping to pull one of the big ones. After half the box I finally hit
    an auto of some no namer, I knew that this box wouldn’t have that big hit, but it was chrome
    and that means there is always a chance to pull a great parallel…sure enough in the last
    pack there was another auto…Mark Sanchez!!!! I love topps chrome every year.

    http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb80/schmidtfan20/Football%20For%20Trade/Scan10001-4.jpg

  16. My favorite Topps card is the 2008 Topps Chrome Donnie Avery RC Auto.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=380312384830

    While there is no special attachment to the player or the team, 2008 Topps Chrome was the first hobby box that I busted, and none other than Donnie Avery was the RC auto. They say you never forget your first time right?

    Also what I liked about the card was how random of a picture it was. Looking at the picture, you wouldn’t think Avery would ever catch a pass. But he had a nice rookie season that year and made an impact on some fantasy teams ever since.

  17. Favorite Topps card? Definitely my Rookie Reprint Autograph of Roger Staubach. I have been a Cowboys fan since they were soooo terrible in 1988. Took a few years there, but I was able to begin my collection with stars like Aikman and Emmitt. Of course, the history of the team was so deep, that it was inevitable that I go back and collect the stars from the past. I was able to amass quite a collection of them, but it was mainly base cards and inserts because that’s all there was at the time. Well, then, in 1999 Topps Stars was released and they had RC reprints. One of them was Staubach, much to my delight. I had to track one down! It took me a few weeks to get one at a reasonable price but, I did it. I added the certified autographed rookie reprint of one of my childhood heroes to my Cowboys collection!

    http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k98/nabzy28/CCI09232009_00001.jpg

  18. http://img691.imageshack.us/i/rodgers16.jpg/

    My favorite card is my Aaron Rodgers 2005 topps rookie card.
    It’s my favorite because I have wanted one for years. I didn’t want to just buy one on eBay, I wanted to find one in some 2005 product myself.
    Well after years of searching local stores for 2005 packs with no luck, I finally found it!
    I went to a Fred’s one night to see if they still had this old pack of random football cards for $3.99. They had one last time I was there with an auto of some random player, and I had intended on getting it if they had it this time.
    Well that thing was long gone, but I did find a few factory sealed sets of 2005 topps which included an Aaron Rodgers rookie. So I bought a few sets.

  19. My favorite Topps card is this 2009 Topps Career Best Mark Sanchez Auto:

    In the summer of 2009, I was lucky to have a bit of spending money and I went out to start collecting in cards again. The 2009 Topps set just came out, and I saw that there was a set out featuring a plethora of players, and I had to get back in. The Sanchez is my favorite of the single auto set because he was the best available player for my team and also because it was the last of the 50 I needed for the complete set, my biggest set accomplishment ever.

  21. I was lucky enough to play baseball with one of the funniest human beings alive…years later, my buddy’s younger brother would end up getting drafted by the Pats and killing it in his first year at TE. I’m trying to collect Robby Gronk and so far this is my favorite auto in my collection. I was really impressed with Platinum this year and the Black Refractor auto’s are BEAST:

    http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/ac156/TDiddy532/Football/SKMBT_C35200022707531-1.jpg

  23. After his extraordinary performance in the 2005 National Championship I became a fan of Vince Young. Besides the fact that he is a Houston native and one of the best qb in Texas U. History make him even more appealing so I decided to collect all his Topps and Bowman chrome rookies. I never thought I could get his Topps Chrome auto since it was way out of my budget though. Anyway I found a PSA graded one some time ago on eBay which I could win for a very reasonable price and it became in one of my favorite since that moment on.

    http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/michelrivolta/Autograph%20Collections/Certified%20Autographs/Football/2006ToppsChromeAutograph223.jpg

    By the way thanks for this awesome contest.

  24. My favorite Topps card?

    Easy…

    Patrick Roy Topps RC, 1986-87 (http://cdn1.iofferphoto.com/img/item/146/501/257/3pxc.jpg)

    My favorite player growing, from my all-time favorite sports club.

    Hockey in Canada is a religion and Roy, at is apex, was better than any god we could have read about.

    When he shut down Wayne Gretzky’s Kings in the 90’s, it was one of the greatest moment of my life. This Stanley Cup, followed by ‘The Wink’ will forever be one of my favorite sports memories ever.

    This card is the only one that I will never ever sale under any circumstances, and that says a lot.

  26. My favorite Topps card that I own is the 1991 Topps Super Rookie Emmitt Smith card. The card is not valuable on the secondary market and my original copy of this card is in extremely rough shape. However, it was in the first box of sports cards I ever opened that my Grandma gave me as a birthday gift and he was/is my favorite athlete. That box got me hooked on sports cards and I’m still an “addict” today.

  28. I had been out of the collecting game for nearly 20 years when I bought my first pack of 2009 Topps Chrome Football. One look at the fantastic design and it was like I was 15 again. In my first pack was a shiny new Clay Matthews bronze refractor rookie card. It isn’t even close to my most valuable card money-wise, and I’m not even a Packers fan but I will always root for Matthews just because of the connection I made with this card, and how it got me back in the game.

    http://showcase.netins.net/web/swanssy/cmatthews.jpg

  31. My Favorite Topps Card is my 2007 Topps Chrome Patrick Willis White Refractor. I wasn’t back into the Hobby until 2008, so I wasn’t around when 2007 Topps Chrome Football came out. But Once I set my eyes on it, I knew i had to have it. I loved how the white borders gave it a clean and crisp look to a already good base card design. The card itself was rather hard to track down initially but luckily I was able to pick the card up in a lot that luckily didn’t have a large photo nor did it have any detailed description talking about the contents of the lot. I ended up picking up the lot for a few bucks and was extremely happy when I received it.

    http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq113/JohnfromtheBay/Patrick%20Willis%20Collection/Base/toppschromewhite036.jpg

    Thanks for the Awesome Contest !

  32. Easy choice, and for odd reasons:

    http://cgi.ebay.com/1981-Topps-Football-110-Dave-Jennings-PSA-9-GIANTS-/370422892131?pt=US_Football&hash=item563eecc663

    His name is the same as my fathers, and people used to mail me this card all the time when I was a boy. Why my favorite? I have about 150 of them, and it is possibly the eeriest card ever made.

    Hands down the pants? Check
    Tongue sticking out? Check
    Burglar style stocking cap? Check
    Fly mustache? Check

    All this on a card that says “All Pro.”

    It’s my favorite because it still makes me laugh today.

  35. The favorite topps card that I own is this Joe Flacco. The main reason it is so special to me is that it was one of the first BIG autograph pulls for me when I began collecting a few years ago. It helped push me into the addiction that I have with cards today.

  36. My favorite Topps card is my Jake Peavy Bowman Chrome Xfractor. In my first two years of collecting I did not really have a PC I just busted wax and sold/traded for other stuff I could move. It wasn’t til about 4 years ago that I started a PC, and I decided on Jake Peavy. At the time I started collecting him he was kinda expensive and I couldn’t afford high end stuff. It wasn’t until his injury that I was able to not only get 1 but 2 xfractors.
    http://s959.photobucket.com/albums/ae78/PadresFanatic/Jake%20Peavy/Refractors/?action=view&current=PeavyX.png

  37. My favorite card is my 2008 Topps Mayo 1/1 cut signature of Amos Alonzo Stagg.

    http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j21/Rocketman_12/Football/HOF%20Cut%20Signatures/2008MayoCutsStagg.jpg

    I think cut signatures are a terrific way for fans to connect with and learn about the great players, coaches, and founders of the sport they love. I have always loved learning about the history of sports, and Stagg was one of the most important men involved in the inventions of both football and basketball. Collecting that card was my way of honoring him for his contributions, and when I look at it, the unique connection to him never fails to make me smile.

  38. This is my favorite Topps football card in my collection. It’s the Alan Branch Superfractor autograph from 2007 Bowman Chrome. I am a big collector of U of Michigan alumni, and have been on the lookout for 1/1’s from the 6 guys who went to the NFL and were included as RC’s in 2007 product. I had run searches on ebay regulary for these guys, and this popped up over 3 years after release. I was thrilled when I saw it and knew I had to have it.

    [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/Dustanh1/Michigan%20Collection/Football/BranchSuper.jpg[/IMG]

  39. Great contest, love your site! I must come here at least once a day to read the wit, insight, and entertainment you bring to the Hobby. Keep it up!

    My favorite Topps card of all time is the 2008 Mayo Matt Ryan Autograph (http://www.checkoutmycards.com/Cards/Football/2008/Topps_Mayo_Autographs/AMR/Matt_Ryan_140). After at least 10 years of not collecting, I was beginning to get “the bug” again. I tried to resist but finally gave in and bought a Mayo blaster on ebay, looking for Colt Brennan’s RC. The day it arrived, I unpacked it and tore into the wrapping like a kid on Christmas. As I opened pack after pack, it was like being 13 all over again, admiring the design of the cards and relishing the anticipation of what was behind each wrapper. Four or five packs in…. bam. Matt Ryan. A couple years later and a few thousand dollars poorer, I’m still hooked, and that was the single card that got me. I figure no matter whether I continue in the hobby for many years to come or not, I’ll never part with that card.

    Thanks for the chance to share my story.

  40. http://cgi.ebay.com/1984-Topps-John-Elway-RC-/370265363986?pt=US_Football&hash=item5635891612

    1984 Topps John Elway rookie!

    I went to the drug store to buy packs and they were out of baseball ones. The football ones were in and I decided to buy a few and see what football cards were like since I only collected baseball. I must have had a few good packs because I pulled the Elway in one and a Dan Marino in another one, but the Elway stands out the most to me because I live in Cowboys and Broncos territory so Elway was really popular around here because his Broncos were on TV every week and he was the star of the team.

  42. http://s50.photobucket.com/albums/f347/Slette/Chad%20Greenway%20PC/?action=view&current=GreenwayRed.jpg

    Without a question, this is my favorite Topps release I own. While AJ Hawk got the invite to the Rookie Premiere in 2006, and subsequently was featured on a lot more cards, this card gets to serve as one of Chad Greenway’s nicest releases from 2006. No fantastic patch, nor an autograph – just a bright, bold red refractor that just glows when light hits it. Red refractors are my favorite of all of the different versions, and I was incredibly happy to finally track this card down. Its beauty is in its simplicity, and it’s one of my favorite Greenway pieces I own.

  46. Favorite Card: 1990 Score Supplemental Emmitt Smith RC

    The original set left a little to be desired, but the 1990 Score Supplemental set was a definite collectors favorite. Hidden within this boxed-only set was one of the most beautifully designed rookie cards of one of the greatest running backs to ever suit up on a Sunday. The black-to-purple-to-white gradient that outlined the photo on the card bled perfectly into the background of the photo, showing Emmitt in his trademarked pose eluding a Giants defense. The card defined my collection as a kid and is still one of my favorites today.

  47. http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv341/marcus42mOSU/PC%20-%20not%20available/100_3953.jpg

    This was a much tougher decision than I imagined. I love on card signatures, and Eddie George’s signature is just plain awesome. I was 7 years old when George won his Heisman trophy at Ohio State. I was quite impressionable at that age. I knew I was a Buckeye fan, but did not know why I was. Watching Eddie George play that year really made me realize what being a Buckeye fan was all about. At the beginning of the football season Ohio State used to hold a public photo day where players could meet and greet with fans and get signatures. I wanted two autographs that day, Eddie George and Orlando Pace. They were hounded the whole day, so I did not get the autographs. The cool part about that day was as Eddie was leaving the event I shouted out ‘good luck this year Eddie!’ and he gave me a high five. I was on cloud nine. Once I got back into collecting in 2006 I was picking up autographs of my favorite Buckeyes, Eddie did not have a lot of autographs out in 2006 (one in 06 Playoff Contenders, but that was a sticker). I started sifting through eBay auctions, and came across this Topps Gallery autograph of George. Definitely one of my favorite cards in my collection, and I have it on display in my man cave!

    Sorry for the long story, just did not want to get off the soapbox. Thanks for running a great contest, this is a great blog.

  48. My favorite football card is practically brand new, and of an “Average Joe” so to speak. It’s 2010 Panini Score #310, Blair White’s Rookie Card. White really did nicely this season, all things considered, and I’m looking forward to watching him play for years. The card shows him at the NFL combine, which I like better than showing rookies in their college unis. And I just like the Score design. Always been one of my favorites.

    http://www.checkoutmycards.com/Cards/Football/2010/Score/310/Blair_White_RC

  49. In 2004, I had started collecting cards again after a long hiatus. I didn’t have a ton of money to throw into high-end products, but the local shop owner recommended a box of 2004 Topps Jumbo to me, because there was decent chance to get a hit out of a reasonably priced box (I think it was $65 at the time). Never did I imagine I’d pull a card like this out of a box of regular Topps:

    http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e338/B20Sandman/Football%20Harder%20to%20Get/04toppssjacksonkjones.jpg

    At the time, it was a huge hit because the card was pretty short-printed (#’d out of 50) and both Steven Jackson and Kevin Jones were up and coming stars. This is the card that singlehandedly pulled me back into the hobby and I’ve been an avid card collector ever since.

  50. My favorite Topps card wouldn’t get you more than 25 cents on eBay, but it’s one that represents the culmination of a lot of good memories at a college that had one of the more pitiful college football programs in the country. I was a junior at Rutgers in 2006 when the football came just a game short of making its first BCS game ever and after I graduated, I started collecting again. My first few boxes were 2009 Topps Chrome, a product in which a handful of my favorite players (who I also had classes with) appeared for the very first time. This Tiquan Underwood rookie card really helped solidify (at least for me) that Rutgers had solidified itself as a legitimate college football program. Kenny Britt might have gotten more of the attention, but it was guys like Tiquan who really summed up the 2006 season for me — not a lot of star power after Rice, Leonard and Britt, but a team full of guys who were overlooked and worked their tails off to put a middling program like Rutgers on the map. I couldn’t have been more excited to see him on a football card, and it will always be my favorite.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Tiquan-Underwood-2009-Topps-Chrome-Refractor-RC-Jaguars-/200580326875?pt=US_Football&hash=item2eb384e5db

  53. My favorite card is the 1982 topps Car Ripken rookie. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51FSACY3RBL.jpg Cal has always been my favorite player and this is card I always wanted. I remember finally buying an off center copy of it when I was 13 for $20 that I borrowed from my dad. It is still front and center in my display case.

  54. My favorite Topps card is my 2010 Sam Bradford Triple Threads auto jersey. I just got back into card collecting this year and this was the first box I opened. I was ecstatic to pull a Bradford and, yes, maybe it did spoil me a little since I haven’t had that kind of luck since. Anyway, I am full on hooked on football cards again thanks to this gem. Here’s a link to what it looks like:

    http://cgi.ebay.com/SAM-BRADFORD-2010-Triple-Threads-AUTO-50-MINOR-DAMAGE-/280624844181?pt=US_Football&hash=item41568b4d95

  55. My favorite is 1988 Topps #232 Shane Conlan card. The missing tooth smile showed hard work of an offensive lineman blocking and opening holes. Conlan enjoyed being in the game and ready take on any defensive lineman.

  56. My favorite Topps card is a 2006 Turkey Red Gold Autograph of Mario Williams 1/5.

    The reason that it’s my favorite is simply because Mario Williams is one of my favorite players, even with some of the issues he’s had with his career. At the time, I had very few autographs of him, and most of them were base autos. I was at a show, and was able to trade 3 autos that I had no use for plus $20 for this beauty, and it’s stayed in the case ever since. Yes, it’s a sticker auto, but I’m still very happy with it, and it’s the highlight of my Mario Williams collection.

  58. My Favorite card is the card that started it all. There are not a lot of things I remember from childhood but I remember this. 1986, Rapid City SD, My grand father gets home from working at the beer warehouse. Of course I beg an plead for the loose change, it was the thing a grand son does right? Well I had motives, I would walk done to the general store with my grandfathers change and buy candy, soda, snacks, whatever kids blow money on. I remember seeing a box of football cards, picking up a pack and thinking, this or Good & Plenty??? Decided to try some football cards wanting to get a player from my beloved Broncos. Well, I didnt pull a Bronco, I guess my first rip was a kick in the junk, but I did pull this and it has remained in my pocession ever since.
    I introduce, 1986 Topps Wilber Marshall Rookie Card #25
    http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/detox1515/Personal%20Collection/wilbermarshall.jpg

  59. My favorite all time is my 1984 Topps Eric Dickerson Rookie. I can remember having my mom take me to a local card shop that had old wax packs for sale. I bought two 84 packs and low and behold the very last card of the second pack was a Dickerson Rookie. Growing up Rams 4 life Dickerson was our only offense and a beautiful runner. Thanks to Topps and SCU for this giveaway.

  62. http://s598.photobucket.com/albums/tt66/ArmadilloAl/Cards/?action=view&current=IMG.jpg

    2010 Topps Black Parallel Brian Urlacher

    Since the crown jewel of my collection is actually a TTM-signed 1989 Pro Set Mike Singletary card, I’m forced to go with one of my more current cards. I’m currently putting together a rainbow of both Topps and Topps Chrome Brian Urlacher (my favorite current player), and the border on the black parallel is the one that makes the photo pop the most.

  63. I don’t have a scan of it but anyone who collects football cards knows what the card looks like, it’s the 1986 Jerry Rice RC. The reason it’s my favorite is when I was a kid I saw it at the card shop in my home town and I saved my allowance for what seemed like years and did anything extra I could around the house to make a few extra dollars just to scrape up enough to buy the Rice. I think it was the first thing I ever saved my own money for. I still have the Rice, I took it out of the old “4 screw” screwdown that it was in; in favor of the much better soft sleeve and top loader approach but other than that it’s in the same condition I bought it in way back when. Nothing beats a nice green bordered RC of the greatest football player of all time.

  67. Right now, my favorite Topps football card I own would have to be my Dan Marino 1984 Topps #123 rookie. When I saw the movie “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” back in the early 90’s, I automatically became a Marino fan. I think its funny how pop-culture can have an influence on what collectors become interested in. I was so excited to hear that Topps is teaming-up with ABRAMS publishing to create books and movies. I think this could bring in a new wave of collectors for the future.

    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/rosschrisman2003/Blog/Blog%202/marinorc84topp123.jpg

  68. My favorite topps card has to be my Topps Jerry Rice RC for a number of reasons. When I was younger, my dad was the one who got me into collecting. We went to card shows every few weeks and he taught me the value of buying your favorite players and collecting one guy. Living in San Fransisco, obviously, I wanted to collect Jerry Rice and Joe Montana, and that was the one card I wanted to own. I saved up my allowance for months on end, just to buy the one they had at the local shop, and eventually I had enough money. When I got to the store, the card was gone, sold a few weeks earlier. I was devastated. Because this was the days before eBay, it was tough to find another one at a price I could afford. When my birthday rolled around a few months later, I opened all my presents with the hopes of beefing up my growing collection. When my dad came into the room with one last wrapped gift, I was shocked to see the rice card when I unwrapped it. fifteen years later, I still have it and will never sell it.

    Here is the best pic I could find (none of my collection is scanned these days):

    http://cgi.ebay.com/1986-TOPPS-49ers-JERRY-RICE-ROOKIE-CARD-/190506058541?pt=US_Football&hash=item2c5b0bc32d

    Gellman, thanks for this amazing contest, as if I needed any more reason to visit your site a million times a day. You are the best in the biz.

  69. http://s911.photobucket.com/albums/ac319/mtaylor583604/Autos/?action=view&current=IMG_0432.jpg

    This is my favorite card I own. Its my pesonal favoite for many reasons. Fist, Adrian Peteson is my favoite football player ever, and this is my only 3 color patch, and its autogaphed. Also, I personaly pulled this card, and it is the best card I have ever pulled. I usually have terrible luck in opening packs. Id say the second best card Ive ever pulled was a Suh rookie auto out of this years Platinum, thats how rare of a pull this was fo me.

  70. I just got back into collecting this year. My favorite card so far is the base Topps black bordered version of Aaron Rodgers.

    http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/9/1/1/2/5/9/webimg/401500849_o.jpg

    I actually first pulled a Peyton Manning black bordered base card out of my very first pack, and while I thought that was cool, I decided that I wanted my guy Aaron Rodgers. I looked hard for one, but found they were extremely hard to find, only 55 even made. After a while with no success, I decided to buy one last box of Topps to finish my set. What do I pull out of one of the final packs but the exact Black Bordered Aaron Rodgers I was looking for!!! I figured out the odds of pulling a black bordered card out of a pack and then the specific card out of 440 base cards, and realized I managed a 1 in over 2000 chance! Definitely not the coolest looking or the most valuable card I have ever pulled, but still one of my favorite and most memorable pulls. 🙂

  71. http://tinyurl.com/49vpeju

    One day, I was going through my Topps Chrome and putting them in order to find out which I still needed to complete the set. Afterward, I visited my local card shop to see if a few of the cards I needed were available there. After going through the cards at the card shop, I noticed my “needs” pile was pretty large. I asked the shop owner what he wanted for the sizable stack and gave him my duplicates in order for him to look through. The stack I had given him to look through included quite a few refractors and rookies and I figured he would select the ones he wanted and return the rest to me. He asked if I’d be willing to give him the whole stack in exchange and I figured that I would have traded other people for cards I needed anyway so it was a fair trade. The shop owner also decided to give me a free pack of Topps Chrome in good faith. I was happy to get the cards I needed and he was happy to have cards to sell. When I opened the pack of Chrome, I found a Tom Brady (Patriots QB) base card, a Jermaine Cunningham (Patriots DE) rookie card, a Lamarr Houston (Raiders DT), and a Jimmy Clausen (Panthers QB) rookie patch autograph card numbered to 25. The card will always remind me of awesome pulls and great people you meet in the hobby.

  72. First off, thanks for the contest and the opportunity to win a box of what is, by all accounts, a superb release by Topps.

    My favorite Topps Football card is one that I have had since I started collecting and one that I will always keep. I rediscovered it in the early 90s when I began collecting full bore. I had tucked it away in a shoebox along with some other packs cards from the 80s that I most likely picked up for no other reason than that is what kids did when I was young.

    My Favorite Topps Football Card

    The phenomenon that was Bo Jackson was incredible to watch as it unfolded. There had never been a 2 sport player in the Major sports before that played them simultaneously AND played them to such a level that they were an All-Star in both. To this day collectors still have a place for Bo Jackson and rightfully so.

    Sometimes a personal collection has a cornerstone card that is worth more than the car that they drive. Sometimes that cornerstone card carries a value beyond simple dollars. This card is one of my cornerstone cards and always will be.

    Cheers,

  73. Great contest…

    My favorite Topps card is my recently acquired 1977 Topps #177 Steve Largent.

    It’s pretty simple… The Seahawks are one of my favorite teams. Steve Largent is the greatest player in the history of the franchise and although he was drafted by the Oilers (& played in some preseason games with them)… he spent his entire career with the Hawks. And this is his rookie card.

    In other words… I love this card because it’s a HOF rookie card of one of my favorite players who spent his entire career on one of my favorite teams.

    http://sanjosefuji.blogspot.com/2011/01/sports-card-trifecta-9-steve-largent.html

  74. Thanks so much for the contest!

    My favourite topps card happens to be the only topps card in my Mike Thomas collection. Yes, I know its from triple threads, I don’t think the cards look terrible like Gellman does… don’t get me wrong I would never buy a box of this stuff.. the value just doesn’t justify a purchase, but when I find a cheap single of my favourite player on ebay i’m gonna get it ya know…

    I’ve just got a feeling that the Jags were on to something when they drafted this guy, he led the team in recieving yards last year, plus he caught that monsterous fluke of a hail mary against the Texans to win the game which adds to my personal value of this card. I’ve got a feeling that you’ll be hearing alot more about Mike Thomas in the future.

    http://s1120.photobucket.com/albums/l483/jaxjaguars32/Mike%20Thomas%20Collection/?action=view&current=mt_auto12.jpg

  75. My favorite topps card comes from my most recent break…a case of Topps 5 Star. I took my first plunge into high end by pre-ordering a case of 5 star. The anticipation grew and grew as the time came close and eventually I received tracking information for the case.

    As the anticipation was growing auctions began to pop up, blogs and message boards were abuzz with what was being pulled. At first there were mixed reviews mostly from people hating a product they couldn’t afford.

    Finally, when the case arrived I ripped into the boxes with great excitement. On my second box I hit one of the key cards from the product a 3 color patch auto of Tim Tebow. Sure it wasn’t a 1/1 or an NFL logo tag. But, it was exactly what I pictured when i pre-ordered the case.

    Thanks Topps for hitting a homerun with this high end product!

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220744971981&ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT

  76. http://i916.photobucket.com/albums/ad4/GreekCollector1/PC-NFT%20unless%20otherwise%20stated/DSCN0480.jpg

    This is definitely my favorite. growing up, I always idolized both Marino and Dorsett because of their work ethic and toughness. Also, as a kid, my dad always told me that if I was going to idolize a football player, it should be Marino. Even now, my son and brother are huge Marino fans and always wear their jerseys(my son has one of the retro stitched jerseys). This card is like gold to my boy, and he displays it in his room in an empty Plates and Patches box. It looks really sharp.

    We were able to get this card on SCF for a great price of $125. My son also liked McCoy coming out of PITT, the school in general, and the two HOFers, so it was the perfect addition to his PC.

  79. 1971 Topps #156 Terry Bradshaw RC

    http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/m/mc7nGIeQMpN2U_1q_GNd5QQ/80.jpg (not my card, just an image posted online)

    I collected cards as a kid, and loved them regardless of value. When I got a bit older (low-20’s now) I wanted some cards of substance. This is one of the first ones I got. I’m a lifelong Steelers fan who missed out on the teams from the 70’s, so owning this card makes me feel like I have a piece of that past. Bradshaw had hair….it’s gotta be old!

  80. To describe why I have a favorite football card, I have to start with basketball.

    As a teenager, I was an avid card collector. I focused on basketball, and hit my peak during the mid-late 90s when the Finest and Chrome RCs/Refractors were the ultimate must-haves. The Topps Finest 93/94 Penny Hardaway, 94/95 Grant HIll, 95/96 Kevin Garnett, and 96/97 Kobe RCs had absolutely owned the hobby by that point, and then Topps Chrome came along and obliterated even those cards.

    I think there were a couple reasons for this:

    a) the Chrome Refractors were some of the best-looking cards ever made. They destroyed even the Finest Refractors due to the Finest coating that at best tended to dull the card, and at worst bubbled up before some of the packs were even opened.

    b) the retail-only release of the initial Chrome set sent veteran collectors scrambling to Targets and Wal-Marts. Think of how many Kobes “escaped” to collectors who potentially had no idea what they had.

    I stopped collecting around 2000, and my cards sat in my closet.

    In early 2010, I began collecting again. While the NBA will always be my favorite overall league to follow, the Washington Redskins are my favorite team, and I have followed their past 15+ seasons to an obsessive degree via message boards and blogs.

    When I began scooping up more recent Redskins cards, the Topps Chrome RCs and Topps Chrome RC Refractors were my top priority. There were, of course, many jersey cards and autographs, but after “scanning over” the previous years I had missed, nothing struck me quite like the Chrome Refractors – especially the RCs.

    And the first one I had my sights on was Sean Taylor.

    I will spare the obvious details about why Sean Taylor is a special player to all Redskins fans. I instantly grabbed his Chrome RC Refractor and it is absolutely my favorite Topps football card, and my probably my favorite overall.

    This card is my obvious choice because I feel it represents the reasons I began collecting, and certainly the reasons I got back into it:

    a) The design and look of the card is great
    b) I wanted this card for reasons other than its monetary value

    The bottom line is that this card passes the “if your house was on fire, which card would you grab first?” test. I’m not too sure that there could possibly be a better indicator than that.

    Here is my (very average) photo of my card:
    http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j447/jefrva/Washington%20Redskins/seantaylorchromeref.jpg

  81. Ok. To be honest, I have just recently (last couple years) got back into the hobby that I grew up with after a 10 year break or so. Having a minimal disposable income to put into cards, it isn’t often I get to break anything open, but I did take a liking to Topps Platinum this past year and busted quite a few packs, but less than a box worth. I got my rarest football pull out of one of those packs, a CJ Spiller Red Refractor #d 09/25. It may not be the most expensive card, but it is a truly beautiful card. Now I just hope he can turn into more than just a returner at the pro level and progress following his rookie year. . . I am tempted to pursue the “Rainbow” as I also have a regular refractor and base version, but don’t have the money (yet) to do so.

    Thanks for the entry!

  84. I love Topps Platinum, and I’ve loved the Broncos since I watched Davis and Elway win those two superbowls when I was a boy. They haven’t fared that great since then, but the blue and orange are on the way up! When they took one of my favorite WRs to watch in college ball as the first WR in the draft last year (ahead of Dez no less) I was thrilled.

    To pull THIS in my first box of Platinum this year made my day/month/collecting season. I’m primarily a set builder, but to nab a nice PC hit that’s low numbered, well designed, with a centred auto and a with a nice 3clr patch, well, I’m a happy guy. LOVE the black refractors in Platinum.

    http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af346/ndhl83/Rookie%20Auto/fbc008.jpg

  85. First off a BIG thank you to TOPPS and you Gellman for making this happen!

    The 1998 Season for the Minnesota Vikings was a season I will never forget. I hadn’t collected in a few years before this season started. But as the Vikings Great offense started revving its engine, I too got the itch to start revving up my collection. Randy Moss absolutely tore up the Packers that season, which made it that much better, so after seeing how amazing he was I got my First Randy Moss Rookie Card that season. It was a Topps Finest Rookie, the card was awesome because his jersey on the card was 88,which he changed to the great 84 after training camp i believe (not for sure).

    Here is the beautiful card:

  87. I don’t have that many football cards to choose from but my favorite is probably this 2010 Topps Chrome Anniversary reprint of Gale Sayers…

    http://www.checkoutmycards.com/Cards/Football/2010/Topps_Chrome_Anniversary_Reprints/18/Gale_Sayers

    I like it because of the fact that I’m a big Bears fan and that he was one of the great running backs in the history of football who unfortunately wasn’t able to have the long career that he deserved. And he was also one of the greats who was also a great guy off the field, who still works to help others in the Chicago community. Also had a chance to see him at Wrigley last year when he sang the 7th inning stretch!

    Thanks for the contest! Good luck everyone!

  88. My favorite card is this Topps Traded RC of Emmitt Smith. Boring looking and not that valuable, it was more sentimental value. Growing up in Dallas, I was a huge cowboys fan and being 5 years old when the Cowboys won the first of their 90’s super bowls Emmitt was the man. When I started collecting, autos and jerseys were unavailable, so Rookies were pretty much it. This was my first Emmitt Smith RC and still means a lot. Luckily, my Emmitt is also a PSA 10… this is not mine, but it gets the job done.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/1990-Topps-Traded-Emmitt-Smith-RC-27T-PSA-10-/260744332535?pt=US_Football&hash=item3cb592c4f7

  89. I have abeen a Rams fan for 35 years and have been waiting for that special franchsie QB. Sure there was Kurt Warner but he wasn’t drafted and groomed to be a Ram. Along came Sam! Of course I had to have his auto rookie card and of course it had to be Topps!. I opened my first Topps cards as a 9 year old when my uncle who drove a truck that delivered Topps was given some cards and sent them to me. From then on I was hooked!

    http://s1131.photobucket.com/albums/m549/briven67/?action=view&current=BradfordAutoToppsChrome.jpg

  90. This is the oldest card I have, a 1948 Bowman Dante Magnani. My dad was in basic training with him for a while and did his laundry. This was back when players routinely played on offense and defense both. Sorry for the tiny scan.

    [IMG]http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r142/byronscott4ever/dmagnani.jpg[/IMG]

  91. My favorite is my 1986 Topps Jerry Rice RC. It was a Christmas gift from Santa about 15 years ago. Santa had it hanging as an ornament from the tree and I did not discover it until all my other presents were opened. Rice is the best there ever was and the best there ever will be at WR. It’s not anywhere near my most valuable card, but far and away my most treasured.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/1986-TOPPS-49ers-JERRY-RICE-ROOKIE-CARD-/190506058541?pt=US_Football&hash=item2c5b0bc32d

  92. The favourite card I own is 1995 Select Finest Kordell Stewart Rookie card. Not the most valuable in my collection by a long way, but my cousin brought this card back for me from a vacation in America, and it’s the card that got me interested in football and collecting. I would not be on this site now without that card

  94. Why is this my favorite card? After buying box after box of football products chasing after a Sam Bradford Auto card I hit this one at my LCS after buying 1 pack of Topps Finest. After I hit this card it seemed like the card gods smiled down upon me cause I seem to be pulling Sam Bradford and Tim Tebow as if it was my job after hitting it. I now consider it my good luck card and will always be part of my PC!

  95. My favorite Topps card has to go way back with the 1955 Topps All American rookie card #6 of Nile Kinnick. It’s his only true card (other than a 2006 Donruss insert), since he died serving our country at a very young age. It’s a UER since they spelled his name Niles instead of Nile. I keep dreaming Topps or another company will put out a Cut Auto of Relic piece of him. These cards would sell very high. FYI Hawkeyes only Heisman winner and the football stadium is named after him. Obviously I am a diehard Iowa Hawkeye fan, so a card like this I hold very sacred!

  98. http://cgi.ebay.com/NICE-1973-Topps-89-Franco-Harris-ROOKIE-Steelers-60-/190505066251?pt=US_Football&hash=item2c5afc9f0b

    I’ve always been a huge Steelers fan. My dad just retired from many years of working in a steel mill, and I always remember watching games with him everytime we could. I always remember this card becuase my dad used to have that same hat when I was growing up. When I was originally collecting as a kid in the late 80’s, I always wanted this card, but it was always too expensive for me at that age. So this past year I got back into collecting and the first extra money I got went to getting a Franco Rookie. I now have two sons, so I will be buying another one so that I can give one to each of them and hope that they enjoy football, the Steelers, and the hobby as much as I do.

    Thanks!

  100. I’m going to have to go with the Brett Favre 1991 Stadium rookie:

    http://goo.gl/sFHNf

    That’s not hte card that I own. Mine is packed away in the complete set. Back in high school, I worked in a baseball card shop and that set was a gift to me from the owner of the shop. So, while a great set due to the Favre rookie and the novelty of it being the first year of stadium, it has a sentimental value to me as well.

  101. My favorite card is my Rolando McClain/ Richard Seymour dual jersey card I got it earlier this year after my mom had gotten diagnosed with colon cancer and it was the first thing that made me smile after hearing the news and I was already in physical pain because I am struggling with chronic pain and searching for a diagnosis, and they are both two of my favorite players on my favorite team.
    http://www.sportsbuy.com/images/ordscans/new_thumbs/seller_listing/14587276.jpg this is an identical card

  102. 06 Topps Sterling was one of my favorite products. This was the only year where you can pull ALL the big name players in a box and end up with beautiful cards and memorabilia. One of my favorite cards that I puled was from the mystery pack, which was a entire letterman card of my favorite team, the Seattle Mariners. Growing up in the pacific NW, we had high hopes for this kid, Jeff Clement. Too bad he didnt pan out like we expected, but still a nice card.

  104. My favorite card is from topps turkey red. Here is the card http://touch.facebook.com/?w2m#profile.php. It is an on card auto from Frank Gore. It has never been graded or authenticated but it holds special meaning to me. When I got this card about 3 years ago I was a newcomer to the hobby. I was only 14 and loved football. I decided to write letters to some of my favorite players asking them for anything they could send me and also wishing them luck in their season. I didn’t expect anything in return I just figured that for 39 cents(the postage at the time) it was worth a shot. To my amazement about a month later something came in my mail box from the San Francisco 49ers. I opened it and low and behold this card was inside with a letter. I was beyond excited and did not know what to do with myself.Yes it may not be a 1 of 1 or a ridiculous auto but it is what ignited my passion for sports card collecting. It will always hold a special place in my heart for the rest of my collecting days.

  106. 2010 Topps Chrome National Chicle Superfractors #CC30 Ryan Braun. This is one my favorite cards because it was my first 1/1. I haven’t looked at cards since I was a kid and am getting back into it.

    http://flic.kr/p/9ng4Lv

  107. My favorite Topps cards is a 2003-04 Carmelo Anthony Auto. I’m not even a Carmelo Anthony fan, but this is the first “big hit” that I got when my son (then 5 years old) and I started collecting together. We only bought a few packs at our local card shop and hit this beauty. Since then, we have amassed a very nice collection, and we are both hooked on the hobby! Picture of the card below.

    http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/ab170/spamtyhd/Basketball/Carmelo/Melo.jpg

  108. Man I wish you said Favorite Topps Basketball card. Cause that’s a no brainer. Check out this Randy Denton. It’s Vintage heaven. Triple Threat position at its finest. I got it for a dime at a show.

    http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l16/voluntarheel/Basketball/RandyDenton.jpg

    As far as football. It was a tight contest between my Walter Payton Rc and the Matt Ryan Sterling Gold patch auto that finished my set.

    But the winner is this beauty.

    http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l16/voluntarheel/PC%20STUFF/LeinartAuto3.jpg

    A 2006 Topps Turkey Red Matt Leinart White Auto. I got back in to collecting in 06. This was my first big pull and it was from a Blaster! The Awesome part is that I turned down offers of $300 plus for it at the time. Now I am stuck with the dang thing. So in order to make me feel better at my epic fail, I claim it as my favorite. So there, you can’t have it. He’s one Shaub injury away from holding the clipboard for Dan Orlovsky. And that ladies, is when I get paid.

  109. The Shonn Green (first picture in the scan at http://www.tradingcardcentral.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=830&pos=1) is my favorite. I don’t care much for the design and it is not of great monetary value, but it was my first “big hit” when I returned to the hobby. I also drafted Shonn in the final round of our fantasy draft and claimed he would be a late season steal. None of my group bought it until Mr. Greene busted out a couple weeks from the end of the season and helped me lock up a money position. Thanks for the incredible contest Topps and Adam!

  110. A couple of years ago I was out of a job and low on cash for breaking
    boxes, so I went on a TTM mission. I bought Topps Archives and 2002
    Heritage cards of past stars and sent them out, fingers crossed. The
    response was fantastic and even surpassed my expectations. My favorite
    card is from George Blanda. He signed the card and inscribed it “To
    Brandon”. About a year after I received the card Mr. Blanda passed
    away. At 82 years old he took the time to sign for me and I’m very
    grateful to him for that. Rest in peace George Blanda. You will
    certainly live on as a center-piece of my collection.

    I recommend trying TTM (through the mail) or in-person. Topps makes
    great cards that work well for on card autos. FYI, in my experience
    retired players sign at a higher rate than active players.

    (this is the card, but the base version and inscribed)
    http://cgi.ebay.com/2002-Topps-Heritage-GEORGE-BLANDA-Real-One-Auto-SP-/160499453158?pt=US_Football&hash=item255e834ce6

  111. My favorite Topps card is my 2003 Pristine Jerry Rice Mini Auto. I pulled this from a LCS here in Castro Valley, Ca. I remember buying the pack within a pack within a pack. I pulled nothing worth mentioning from the packs. But in the very last pack was another mini pack. I asked the shop owner ‘What’s this?’ He told me it was for the mini insert set they added and that there was only one auto in that set. So I opened it and BAM! Jerry Rice mini Auto. And to top it off, he’s in a Raiders uniform! Love my Raiders and Love me some Jerry Rice. This was my first big name pull and this card will never leave my collection. Since then I’ve pulled many great cards, but this one is by far my favorite (I even pulled a 2007 Topps Performance Adrian Peterson RC Auto, still doesn’t beat Jerry Rice) Thanks for the contest!

  114. I truly don’t think people understand how cerebral sports cards truly are. In that small piece of cardboard, our collections encapsulate memories of our childhood, our heroes, and our emotional attachments to such an intangible experience. I’m sure when every collector pours over our favorite cards, we can see all of these things as clear as day; it’s most certainly what keeps me collecting.

    That same emotional attachment brings me to my favorite card–the iconic, 1981 Topps Joe Montana rookie card. When I began collecting as a child, I caught wax fever. Every day after my piano lessons, I would go downstairs with my father to look through the local card store to feed our addiction of buying packs. As soon as we’d open that door, I’d run across the store to the store’s copy of the card; sitting in the case with that dreaded Beckett book value of $500 labeled to the top of the card’s toploader. In retrospect, the card was dreadfully ugly. Frayed corners, off-centered, scratched surface, but my god, I wanted it so badly. It was heartbreaking to me, the object of my deepest desire, I knew that I’d never be able to attain–there was no way my parents would spend so much money on something like that.

    Flash forward to when I picked up the hobby again when I went to college. One of the very first cards I wanted to buy was that same Montana rookie I had lusted for as a child. I went on eBay, and bought one, and was elated with my purchase. I brought it to a friend of mine, who told me that I had bought a fake. I was out eighty dollars, and was crushed. Part of me wanted to quit the hobby again, but I decided to call my father to tell him about what had happened. I was expecting the entire “I told you so” speech, but instead, he told me it’s something that he would have expected happen. People are cruel, he told me, and would do anything for a dollar here or there. What he told me is so representative of what’s transpired in the hobby: forged signatures, fake patches, trimmed cards, forgeries–it’s true, people will do anything for a buck. He told me when I found one in person, the card would mean something more to me, more importantly, something we could share together.

    This last weekend was something incredibly special to me. I go to a local card show every Saturday–Frank and Son’s in Southern California, to pick up cards for whatever reason. A friend of mine had found my dream card, the Joe Montana rookie. The card was beautiful, perfect centering, clean, the only imperfection was a slightly frayed corner. To top it all off, the card was slabbed a PSA 8; so I could finally confirm its authenticity. My friend gave me a great price, and there it was, I finally had it. The card of my dreams. I held into it and I could feel ten-year-old me jumping up and down and screaming “YOU FINALLY GOT IT”! First thing I did on the way home was call my father and tell him what I had found. I could feel the joy he had for me radiate through that phone conversation, and we both wanted to break the card from the PSA case, and take it to Montana to get the card signed with a Hall of Fame inscription. He told me to keep the card forever, and to pass it on to my son, the next in the line of 49er fans in our family.

    Cards are so much more than the pieces of cardboard they’re printed on. Sports cards have forged a relationship with my father that have brought us closer than I could have imagined. I’m only 22, but I hope I’m able to build the same relationship with, hopefully, my future son by passing on my love of collecting to him. Sports cards are a piece of Americana, they’re iconic, and they’re truly part of our history. To all of the collectors who have posted for this contest, please, don’t let this hobby die. Even if we don’t all own something like a Pujols Bowman Chrome rookie auto or a Babe Ruth cut, the relationships we build through collecting will last a lifetime.

  115. My favorite Topps card is a Matt Schaub 2004 Topps Rookie Premiere Autograph
    http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z89/jered_weaver_fan/PC%20and%20HIGH%20END/Football%20VHTG/MschaubTRP.jpg

    This card was an extremely tough pull of one of the most under appreciated Quarterbacks in the entire NFL. The simple design of the card truly evokes the aesthetic beauty of this set and provides sufficient room for a clean, bold Autograph. As a huge Matt Schaub fan, I am happy to keep this card in my person collection to enjoy on a consistent basis.

  116. Picture

    I make it to a local card show almost every month. It is a tiny show and I have gotten to know most of the dealers. One month I finished my purchases and came back to my favorite dealer, one who I make a point of spending money with every time. I told him I had $5 left, what kind of deal did he have for that? He poked around for a minute and then reached under the table and brought out this beautiful 62 topps Jim Brown. It’s not mint, but who cares! Needless to say, I still make time for that dealer every show.

  117. Having been a Chicago fan my entire life, I will always respect the defense first mentality that embodies the Bears. My favorite Topps cards is the rookie card of “Samurai” Mike Singletary. He was commanding the backfield during my childhood and well before my favorite active Bear, Brian Urlacher.

  121. Hey love football and would love to see some oldies comeback.

  122. Noticed a ton of people ignored the part about it being their favorite TOPPS card ever. Lol. Will be fun to wade through all those disqualified entries. Reading comprehension helps! Now I know why the drawing is taking a while. Thanks again for this contest G-man!

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