1972 Topps Football Complete Set Staubach RC ALL PSA 8

1972 Topps Football Complete Set of 351 Cards, All Graded PSA 8 (Near Mint to Mint)

The Season: 1972 was a unique NFL season for one enduring reason: for the first and only time, a team went undefeated from the first regular match through the championship game. The Miami Dolphins were not a particularly likely candidate to accomplish this feat, as their history dated only to 1966, when they were founded as an AFL expansion team. By the early 1970s they had marquee players on offense and an effective “No Name” defense, and in 1971 they made it all the way to their first NFL title game, falling 24-3 to the Dallas Cowboys (Super Bowl VI). The 1972 Dolphins were therefore young and hungry but also experienced. Their season started well with four victories, but in Game 5 quarterback Bob Griese ('72 Topps card #80) suffered a broken ankle, and the team's prognosis was immediately clouded. Under the direction of 38 year old Earl Morrall (#308), the Dolphins continued to roll over their opponents through the rest of the 14-game regular season, as well as the first playoff game against the Cleveland Browns. Griese returned to finish off the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game, and the Dolphins never trailed in besting the Washington Redskins 14-7 in Super Bowl VII.  Safety Jake Scott (#193) intercepted two passes and was named Most Valuable Player.  The following year, Miami would win Super Bowl VIII in more convincing fashion, 24-7 over the Vikings.

Although they featured HOF-caliber performers at QB (Griese), running back (Larry Csonka #140) and wide receiver (Paul Warfield #167), no one Dolphin had an extraordinary individual season. O. J. Simpson (#160) led the league in rushing for the first time, but his Buffalo Bills won only four games. “Mean Joe” Greene (#230) was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and he led a Steelers defense which included linemate L.C. Greenwood (#101 rookie card). But the Dolphins scored three touchdowns against the Steelers in the AFC Championship Game. Larry Brown (#95) was the NFL leader in yards from scrimmage, and was named the Most Valuable Player, but in the Super Bowl he was held in check by the Dolphins' “No Name” defense.

The '72 Dolphins live on: they gather each year to celebrate the demise of the last undefeated NFL team in the current season. The most quotable celebrant is usually running back Mercury Morris (#331).

The Set:  The 1972 set is the most popular Topps offering from the 1970s, based on the number of collectors posting their sets on the PSA Registry. It's easy to see why: the cards are colorful, and the set was the biggest (351 cards) that Topps had yet produced. The added size of the set allowed Topps to produce special “Pro Action” and “All Pro” cards of many top stars such as Griese, Namath, Staubach and Bradshaw. Not surprisingly, the big set also has many “rookie” cards, including a number of famous names who had not been included in the much smaller sets of previous years. Roger Staubach (card #200, Heisman Trophy 1963) is the most notable of these, and by far the most valuable card in the entire set. But he is only one of FOUR former Heisman Trophy winners to make their debuts in the set: Steve Spurrier (#291, Heisman 1966), Steve Owens (#25, Heisman 1969) and Jim Plunkett (#65, Heisman 1970) are the others. The rookie cards of John Riggins (#13), Archie Manning (#55), Ted Hendricks (#93), Ron Yary (#104), Lyle Alzado (#106), Gene Upshaw (#186), Charlie Joiner (#244) and Rayfield Wright (#316) are also popular. The difficulty of completing the rarer high-number series (#264-351) is another draw for collectors who enjoy a challenge.

Condition and Valuation:  This particular set's perfectly matched group of all PSA 8 cards would qualify it for the #8 position on PSA's Set Registry, if it were registered. No currently registered set (as of May 6, 2011) reaches the average grade of PSA 9.  Each PSA holder is protected by its own sleeve, so the cases are in great shape.

Based on the most recent eBay sales of each individual card, the total replacement value of this set easily exceeds $6,000. And as any set-builder knows, the last few cards can be excruciatingly difficult and expensive. Alternative: Buy It Now and enjoy this set in a few days!

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