1962 Topps Football Cards
Product Details
The 1962 Topps Football card set consists of 176 standard sized cards measuring 2-1/2 by 3-1/2 inches. After one year of featuring players from both the NFL and the upstart AFL, Topps returned to the practice of featuring only NFL players. The company also reverted to a card design that was slightly evocative of the horizontal design of its 1957 set. The key rookies in the set are Ernie Davis (#36), Fran Tarkenton (#90) and Mike Ditka (#17). Other rookies include, Roman Gabriel (#88), Alex Hawkins (#3), Don Perkins (#41), Fuzzy Thurston (#69), Tommy Mason (#94), Billy Kilmer (#151) and Norm Snead (#164). Veterans anchoring the set include Jim Brown (#28) and the seemingly omnipresent number one card of Johnny Unitas.
Design
Card fronts are laid out in a horizontal orientation. They are divided into three sections, each separated by thick black lines that create boxes. There are two smaller elements to the left and one larger one on the right. The largest section, on the right, features a large player image which is either a head shot or a posed action photograph without a helmet.. On the left, the player is shown in a black-and-white game-action picture. A bright-colored box below that contains the player's name, team and position. These design elements are all surrounded by a black border, which is perhaps the most distinctive part of the set's design.
The back of the cards are vertically oriented and also divided into three parts. The upper left portion contains the card number and the words "Topps" and "National Pro". The box in the upper right contains the player's name, team and position. The main box begins with two lines of vital statistics and then a short biographical write-up. Some players also have a box of year and lifetime statistics. The bottom half of the card features a cartoon trivia question.
Each team is also represented with a team card. The team picture is superimposed over a solid-colored background, with the black border surrounding the entire card. Once again, the cards were numbered by team (and then alphabetically by team city), with the quarterback and running backs among the first players featured. The final player was usually a rookie prospect. The team card is the final card before the next team's run begins.
Printing, Distribution and Inserts
1962 Topps Football was printed in a single series using two printing sheets of 132-cards each. To make room on the sheets, a number of the cards were short-printed throughout the set. It is estimated that between 70 and 88 cards in total are short-prints. As a result, assembling the set, in any condition, can be a challenge. Some of the bigger names falling into the short-printed category are Hall of Famers, Raymond Berry (#5), Bart Starr (#63), Paul Hornung (#64). Distributed primarily in five-cent wax packs, each pack included a 1962 Topps Football Buck. These "bucks" were available in $1, $5 and $10 bills with 48 total Bucks in the set. One-cent and cello packs were also produced.
Condition Issues and Errors
The backs of the 1962 Topps Football cards are susceptible to chipping. Centering is also a common problem with the set. The number one card of Johnny Unitas, as is typical for the era, can be difficult to find without horizontal creases. While not technically considered errors, the design department at Topps, took some liberties with the black and white, in-game action images on the card fronts. The depicted player often does not match-up with the card of the player. Instead Topps changed some of the jersey numbering to provide the illusion. This is most notable on Frank Tarkenton's number 90 card which actually shows a picture of Sonny Jurgensen.
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Key Cards
Key 1962 Topps Football Cards
Fran Tarkenton RC #90
Mike Ditka RC #17
Ernie Davis RC #36
Jim Brown #28
Johnny Unitas #1
Set Checklist
1962 Topps Football Set ChecklistBase Set Checklist
Featuring 176 cards
Base Set Checklist
2 Lenny Moore
3 Alex Hawkins RC SP
4 Joe Perry
5 Raymond Berry SP
6 Steve Myhra
7 Tom Gilburg SP
8 Gino Marchetti
9 Bill Pellington
10 Andy Nelson
11 Wendell Harris SP
12 Colts Team
13 Bill Wade SP
14 Willie Galimore
15 Johnny Morris SP
16 Rick Casares
17 Mike Ditka RC
18 Stan Jones
19 Roger LeClerc
20 Angelo Coia
21 Doug Atkins
22 Bill George
23 Richie Petitbon RC
24 Ron Bull RC SP
25 Bears Team
26 Howard Cassady
27 Ray Renfro SP
28 Jim Brown
29 Rich Kreitling
30 Jim Ray Smith
31 John Morrow
32 Lou Groza
33 Bob Gain
34 Bernie Parrish
35 Jim Shofner
36 Ernie Davis RC SP
37 Browns Team
38 Eddie LeBaron
39 Don Meredith SP
40 J.W. Lockett SP
41 Don Perkins RC
42 Bill Howton
43 Dick Bielski
44 Mike Connelly RC
45 Jerry Tubbs SP
46 Don Bishop SP
47 Dick Moegle
48 Bobby Plummer SP
49 Cowboys Team
50 Milt Plum
51 Dan Lewis
52 Nick Pietrosante SP
53 Gail Cogdill
54 Jim Gibbons
55 Jim Martin
56 Yale Lary
57 Darris McCord
58 Alex Karras
59 Joe Schmidt
60 Dick Lane
61 John Lomakoski SP
62 Lions Team SP
63 Bart Starr SP
64 Paul Hornung SP
65 Tom Moore SP
66 Jim Taylor SP
67 Max McGee SP
68 Jim Ringo SP
69 Fuzzy Thurston RC SP
70 Forrest Gregg
71 Boyd Dowler
72 Henry Jordan SP
73 Bill Forester SP
74 Earl Gros SP
75 Packers Team SP
76 Checklist SP
77 Zeke Bratkowski SP
78 Jon Arnett SP
79 Ollie Matson SP
80 Dick Bass SP
81 Jim Phillips
82 Carroll Dale RC
83 Frank Varrichione
84 Art Hunter
85 Danny Villanueva RC
86 Les Richter SP
87 Lindon Crow
88 Roman Gabriel RC SP
90 Fran Tarkenton RC SP
91 Jerry Reichow SP
92 Hugh McElhenny SP
93 Mel Triplett SP
94 Tommy Mason RC SP
95 Dave Middleton SP
96 Frank Youso SP
97 Mike Mercer SP
98 Rip Hawkins SP
99 Cliff Livingston SP
100 Roy Winston RC SP
101 Vikings Team SP
102 Y.A. Tittle
103 Joe Walton
104 Frank Gifford
105 Alex Webster
106 Del Shofner
107 Don Chandler
108 Andy Robustelli
109 Jim Katcavage RC
110 Sam Huff SP
111 Erich Barnes
112 Jim Patton
113 Jerry Hillebrand SP
114 Giants Team
115 Sonny Jurgensen
116 Tommy McDonald
117 Ted Dean SP
118 Clarence Peaks
119 Bobby Walston
120 Pete Retzlaff SP
121 Jim Schrader SP
122 J.D. Smith
123 King Hill
124 Maxie Baughan
125 Pete Case SP
126 Eagles Team
127 Bobby Layne
128 Tom Tracy
129 John Henry Johnson
130 Buddy Dial SP
131 Preston Carpenter
132 Lou Michaels SP
133 Gene Lipscomb SP
134 Ernie Stautner SP
135 John Reger SP
136 Myron Pottios RC
137 Bob Ferguson SP
138 Steelers Team SP
139 Sam Etcheverry
140 John David Crow SP
141 Bobby Joe Conrad SP
142 Prentice Gautt RC SP
143 Frank Mestnik
144 Sonny Randle
145 Gerry Perry UER
146 Jerry Norton
147 Jimmy Hill
148 Bill Stacy
149 Fate Echols SP
150 Cardinals Team
151 Billy Kilmer RC
152 John Brodie
153 J.D. Smith
154 C.R. Roberts SP
155 Monty Stickles
156 Clyde Conner UER
157 Bob St. Clair
158 Tommy Davis RC
159 Leo Nomellini
160 Matt Hazeltine
161 Abe Woodson
162 Dave Baker
163 49ers Team
164 Norm Snead RC SP
165 Dick James
166 Bobby Mitchell
167 Sam Horner
168 Bill Barnes
169 Bill Anderson
170 Fred Dugan
171 John Aveni SP
172 Bob Toneff
173 Jim Kerr
174 Leroy Jackson SP
175 Redskins Team
176 Checklist
Bucks Set Checklist
2 Bart Starr
3 Dick James
4 Alex Webster
5 Paul Hornung
6 John David Crow
7 Jim Brown
8 Don Perkins
9 Bobby Walston
10 Jim Phillips
11 Y.A. Tittle
12 Sonny Randle
13 Jerry Reichow
14 Yale Lary
15 Buddy Dial
16 Ray Renfro
17 Norm Snead
18 Leo Nomellini
19 Hugh McElhenny
20 Eddie LeBaron
21 Billy Howton
22 Bobby Mitchell
23 Nick Pietrosante
24 Johnny Unitas
26 Billy Kilmer
27 Lenny Moore
28 Tommy McDonald
29 Del Shofner
30 Jim Taylor
31 Joe Schmidt
32 Bill George
33 Fran Tarkenton
34 Willie Galimore
35 Bobby Layne
36 Max McGee
37 Jon Arnett
38 Lou Groza
39 Frank Varrichione
40 Milt Plum
41 Prentice Gautt
42 Bill Wade
43 Gino Marchetti
44 John Brodie
45 Sonny Jurgensen UER
46 Clarence Peaks
47 Mike Ditka
48 John Henry Johnson
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