"1972 Topps #238 Dennis Shaw Bills QB NFL Rookie of the Year Beat Bradshaw"

"Description

You're viewing an increasingly scarce 1972 Topps card featuring Buffalo Bills quarterback Dennis Shaw - the man who beat out Terry Bradshaw for NFL Rookie of the Year! This vintage treasure captures a fascinating slice of football history.

The distinctive red borders that frame the Bills cards in the 1972 Topps set are notoriously condition-sensitive, making well-preserved examples increasingly difficult to locate in today's market. Most have been damaged or discarded over the past 50+ years!

This card showcases Dennis Shaw just after his remarkable rookie campaign when he outperformed future Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw to win the 1970 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. This historical achievement makes this card particularly significant to football historians.

What makes this card especially intriguing is that it documents a pivotal ""what might have been"" moment in NFL history - a quarterback who initially outshone Bradshaw before their careers took dramatically different paths. These crossroads moments in sports history have become increasingly valuable to sophisticated collectors.

The card specifically highlights Shaw's record-setting performance at San Diego State where he threw an incredible 9 touchdown passes in a single game! This remarkable college achievement remains one of the greatest passing performances in NCAA history.

Shaw's early Buffalo Bills career was truly promising - he set multiple club rookie records while throwing for 2,507 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first season. The card back specifically celebrates these impressive statistical achievements.

Vintage quarterback cards from this era have shown remarkable price appreciation in recent years as sophisticated collectors increasingly value these historical snapshots of players who made their mark on professional football, however briefly.

Condition

This card presents in honest Good to Very Good condition - a genuine survivor from an era when cards were actively collected and traded by young football fans. Many examples have been lost to time entirely!

The corners show wear and slight rounding consistent with its age, giving it the authentic character that only comes from a genuine vintage card. No modern reprint could replicate this authentic patina of history!

Some edge wear is present on the red border - an extremely common condition issue with the notoriously fragile colored borders of the 1972 Topps cards. Finding examples without this characteristic wear has become increasingly difficult with each passing year.

The centering appears slightly off-center, which is typical for cards from this production era when centering standards were far less stringent than modern cards. This authentic production variation confirms its genuine vintage status.

The front surface retains good color saturation with Shaw clearly visible in his distinctive Bills blue jersey. The card displays beautifully despite its honest wear, a testament to the quality of Topps' production during this era.

The card back shows normal age-appropriate toning but remains completely legible with all text and cartoon illustration easily visible - an important consideration for vintage cards where back damage often renders text unreadable.

Card Details

• Card Number: #238 in the 1972 Topps Football set

• Player: Dennis Shaw - 1970 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year winner (beating Terry Bradshaw)

• Position: Quarterback - The most collected position in football cards

• Team: Buffalo Bills - Featured during Shaw's early career after his award-winning rookie season

• Statistical Achievement: Card documents his impressive 2,507 yard rookie passing campaign

• College Highlight: Notes his extraordinary NCAA record of 9 touchdown passes in a single game at San Diego State

• Unique Feature: Back mentions Shaw ""BLOWS MUSICAL HORN FOR RELAXATION"" - a fascinating personal detail

• Design Elements: Distinctive red borders that frame the Bills cards in the 1972 Topps set

• Manufacturer: Topps - The premier trading card company of the era

• Historical Significance: Documents the QB who surprisingly beat out future Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw for Rookie of the Year

Rarity

While Topps produced significant quantities of their 1972 football cards, the relentless march of time has rendered well-preserved examples increasingly scarce. The vast majority have been lost to time, damage, or poor storage conditions.

Red-bordered cards from this era are notoriously condition-sensitive, with the colored edges quickly showing wear, chipping, and fading. Finding specimens without significant border damage becomes more difficult with each passing season.

Cards from the pre-modern era of football collecting (pre-1980) continue to diminish in available supply as vintage football cards gain more mainstream collecting attention. The competition for remaining examples grows more intense annually.

Buffalo Bills collectors have shown increased interest in vintage cards as the franchise has gained new popularity, driving prices upward for historic Bills players. This sustained interest has created genuine scarcity in the marketplace.

Most surviving examples display significant condition issues, making even Good to Very Good condition specimens a much better-than-average survivor that would make an excellent addition to any vintage football collection or Bills team set.

Collector's Note

The market for vintage cards of NFL award winners has seen remarkable growth in recent years as collectors have begun to fully appreciate both their historical significance and surprising scarcity in presentable condition.

Award-winning quarterbacks like Dennis Shaw represent fascinating ""alternate history"" moments in football's development - players who achieved great early success before being overshadowed by others. These historical connections make such cards increasingly desirable to serious football historians.

This is potentially your ONLY CHANCE to acquire this increasingly elusive vintage Bills card before prices for authentic 1972 Topps football cards continue their upward trajectory! The vintage football market is experiencing unprecedented growth.

The distinctive red borders of the Bills cards in the 1972 Topps set make these among the most condition-sensitive issues of the decade. Finding examples without significant border damage becomes more challenging with each passing year.

San Diego State alumni have shown increasing interest in vintage cards featuring their greatest football stars, adding another dimension of collectibility to this card. This card represents a must-have addition for serious collectors of collegiate football history!

This card represents a perfect addition for any vintage football collection, Bills team compilation, quarterback showcase, award winners collection, or San Diego State alumni showcase. Its unique historical significance makes it a guaranteed conversation piece among fellow collectors!

Buy multiple cards and pay only ONE low shipping cost!

Don't Wait - Act Now!

The window of opportunity to acquire authentic vintage cards of award-winning quarterbacks at reasonable prices continues to narrow as more collectors recognize both their condition sensitivity and historical importance to the hobby.

Don't miss this rare opportunity to own a genuine piece of football history featuring the quarterback who beat out Terry Bradshaw for Rookie of the Year! When it's gone, finding another example of this vintage Topps card in comparable condition could take months or years of searching!"

 _gsrx_vers_1715 (GS 9.9.2 (1715))

Condition: Ungraded

Item specifics

Offered by Gosla Antiques & Collectibles, purveyors of antiquities, curiosities and collectible wares. Dispatched from Pennsylvania, United States, with tracking.