This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/1/2022
Graded NM/MT 8 by SGC. If there was ever a football card that could be compared to the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle in terms of popularity, it is unquestionably the debut pasteboard of Mr. Joe Willie Namath. There's a certain poetic justice in Namath's rookie appearance coming in the popular 1965 Topps "tall-boy" release, for only an over-sized issue could aptly announce the arrival of his larger-than-life persona, the game's first-ever media megastar. Rejecting an NFL contract for the glitz and glamor of the AFL's New York Jets, Namath's record $427,000 contract made him a target for the NFL's established superstars should they ever get the opportunity to face him. They did ... and Namath handled it in true "Broadway Joe" fashion! Appearing at the Miami Touchdown Club three days prior to Super Bowl III, Namath delivered what would go down in NFL lore as "the guarantee". The brash and cocky Namath, angrily responding to rowdy Colts supporters, said, "You Baltimore guys have been talking all week, but I've got news for you, buddy. We're gonna win the game. I guarantee it." Few quotes in football history are more remembered as Namath and his New York Jets, an 18-point underdog, became the first AFL team to claim a Super Bowl victory. With the win, the AFL established a level of credibility that was instrumental in the merger of the two leagues. The featured collectible is a recently graded example from the South Florida based grading organization and it stands up to the monumental grade in a big way. Precisely centered from left to right and just a tad to the bottom, each of the four corners appear minimally of the NM/MT variety and easily could have been viewed at a higher assessment. The canary yellow acts as the perfect backdrop to the green of Joe's Jets jersey, while the surface is awash in a splendid layer of gloss. The reverse is pleasingly printed and might possess the whitest, pack-fresh canvas making the black and salmon color on the print even brighter from the contrast. Whether you're looking to add to your top-ranked set or attempting to add a museum-quality piece to your world-class collection, this incredible masterpiece will become one of your most prized possessions!