VINTAGE FOOTBALL
Randy Moss
1998 Upper Deck Choice
Rookie Card #270
PSA Grade: GEM MT 10
The 1998 UD Choice set consists of 438 standard size cards. The set is divided into Series One with 255 cards and Series Two with 183 cards. The set contains the subsets: Rookie Class (193-222), DYOC Winners (223-252), and Domination Next (256-285). The Domination Next subset was randomly inserted in packs at a rate of 1:4.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Randy Moss holds the NFL single-season touchdown reception record (23 in 2007), as well as the NFL single-season touchdown reception record for a rookie (17 in 1998). A six-time Pro Bowl and four-time first-team All-Pro selection, Moss was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1998 NFL draft. He would go on to set the single-season record for touchdown receptions in a rookie season, and was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Peyton Manning
1998 Bowman #1 Rookie Card
PSA Grade: GEM MT 10
Bowman might not resonate in football quite as much as it does baseball, but there’s still a lot of familiarity with it. 1998 Bowman shares the same general design as the MLB set. Other popular players included Charles Woodson and Randy Moss. Peyton’s football rookies were found in many sets, but among his biggest movers remain the 1998 Bowman #1 Base, the 1998 Topps Gold Label #20 Class 1, and the 1998 Topps Chrome #165 Base.
Manning was selected first overall the 1998 NFL Draft by the Colts and served as their starting quarterback from 1998 to 2010. He helped transform the struggling Colts franchise into consistent playoff contenders, leading them to 11 playoff appearances, eight division titles, three AFC Championship Games, two Super Bowl appearances, and one championship title in Super Bowl XLI, the franchise's first in over three decades and first since relocating to Indianapolis. Manning was also named Super Bowl MVP in the victory.
Brett Favre
1991 Upper Deck #13
Star Rookie Card
Beckett Card Grade: GEM MT 9.5
Centering 10
Corners 9.5
Edges 9
Surface 9.5
After lighting the baseball card world on fire by entering the hobby in 1989, the 1991 Upper Deck football card set marked the company's official entrance into the football card world. Upper Deck brought just as much of the high-quality and premium photography that collectors had grown to love from the young company. Hobbyists were thrilled at seeing some of their favorite players like Jerry Rice, Barry Sanders, Joe Montana, Dan Marino and many more on premium card stock with sharp imagery. Though the set debuted during an era of mass production, you might be surprised that some can still be worth something these days. In the 1991 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected Brett Favre in the second round with the 33rd overall pick. After a successful college career at Southern Miss, Favre gave the Falcons organization plenty of hope that his on-field abilities would eventually pay huge dividends. However, after signing a three-year, $1.4 million deal, things didn't go exactly as planned for Favre and the Falcons.
Starting quarterback Chris Miller played well enough to earn a trip to the Pro Bowl, so Favre spent most of the season on the bench, appearing in only two games and attempting just four passes. Each of those four passes occurred during a 56-17 blowout loss to the Washington Redskins, with two of them being intercepted, one of which was returned for a touchdown. Furthermore, Favre's off-the-field antics of drinking and staying out late way too many times caused a huge rift between him and head coach Jerry Glanville. It just wasn't a great start to an eventual Hall of Fame career and the image on this card perfectly summarized how things went for Favre as a rookie. After the 1991 NFL season, the Falcons decided to cut the cord on Favre and traded him to the Green Bay Packers for a first-round selection in the 1992 NFL Draft.
Tim Couch #202
1999 Upper Deck MVP
Beckett Grade: GEM MT 9.5
The 1999 Upper Deck MVP set was issued in one series for a total of 220 cards and was distributed in packs with a suggested retail price of $1.59. The fronts feature color-action player photos with player information on the reverse. Released in the summer of 1999, MVP replaced Collector’s Choice as Upper Deck’s entry-level brand.
Arguably the most decorated player in Kentucky history, Tim Couch experienced tremendous success with a spread option offense that landed him seven NCAA records, 14 SEC records, and 26 school records at career's end. The Hyden, Kentucky, native became the sixth Wildcat player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame. A consensus First Team All-American in 1998, Couch claimed SEC Player of the Year honors in 1998 while finishing fourth in Heisman balloting in 1998 and ninth in 1997. He notched seven NCAA records during his time in Lexington, including single-game completion percentage (83%), single-season completions (400), and career completion percentage (67.1%). He was a back-to-back finalist for the Davey O'Brien Award as the best quarterback in the nation. The No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft by Cleveland, Couch played five seasons with the Browns, and leading the Browns to the playoffs in 2002.
Tim Couch
1999 SP Authentic
Player’s Ink – Green
CGC Card Grade: GEM MT 10
CGC Auto Grade: Auto 9
Although 1999 SP Authentic featured the chase for Donovan McNabb rookie cards, it’s a classic Upper Deck offering at the peak of their powers. A clean, eye-pleasing-design, and beautiful on-card autos meant an awesome set was on the way with huge names featured throughout it.
Following his junior season, Tim Couch declared for the National Football League Draft and was the overall No. 1 selection by the expansion team Cleveland Browns in the 1999 draft. He played five years for Cleveland, eventually leading the team to the 2002 NFL Playoffs, before injuries ended his career following the 2003 season.