This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/11/2016
With the possible exception of Jim Brown's 1958 Topps rookie card, there is no greater icon in all the football card world that the incredible "tall-boy" example of Joe Namath's debut 1965 Topps card. Ironically, for all the fame and popularity that "Broadway Joe" accrued over the years, if you took his career statistics and attached them to a generic name, few would consider it a Hall of Fame career. Sure, he led the league in passing yards three times, was the first signal-caller to break the 4,000 yard barrier and won a Super Bowl. But he also lead the league in picks four times, has a career record just under .500 and completed only half of his passes. Not exactly Canton material. But unlike other gridiron greats, the legend of Joe Willie Namath transcends mere facts and figures, his importance to the sport measured off the field as much as on it. By 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, and Namath relished the challenge. Leading the Jets to an AFL championship and a date with the seemingly invincible Baltimore Colts, Namath appeared at the Miami Touchdown Club three days prior to Super Bowl III and 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 card, though not the highest graded specimen ever evaluated, might still be the very best in existence. Just like Namath's numbers don't tell the full story, neither does the number at the top of the flip here. While the positioning of the most recognized central image in football card history is not pinpoint precise, we've never encountered a Namath RC with corners that match this exceptional pasteboard, easily meeting the MINT criteria with a reasonable chance of getting a GEM MINT assessment. Speaking of the central image, it's delivered with utter flawlessness, leaving the observer to try in vain, and ultimately fail, in the quest to find any type of stray print on the yellow backdrop so common to the issue. The reverse is completely pack-fresh, with white, black and salmon coloring each taking its proper place to spotless perfection. Judge this card exclusively for the quality of the stock and brilliance of the print and you'll have no doubt that there likely isn't a better-preserved specimen out there!