Merlin Olsen's career remembered on TV as well as cards

Pro Football Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen, who many might remember from the “Little House on the Prairie” and “Father Murphy” television shows, died after a battle with cancer on Wednesday night. He was 69.

Olsen, a 14-time Pro Bowl selection during his 15-year career with the Los Angeles Rams, was a part of the famed “Fearsome Foursome” and was later named to the NFL’s 75th Anniversary team as well as the 1960s and 1970s All-Decade Teams. Also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Olsen was the winner of the 1961 Outland Trophy and a standout for Utah State.

Olsen appears on 338 football cards, with 93 of those being certified autographs and 104 of those being memorabilia cards. He has but one Rookie Card, which is found in the 1964 Philadelphia set (No. 91) and is worth just $50.

Olsen’s autograph cards typically sell in the $20-40 range, with his most valuable being a 2007 Leaf Limited Prime Pairings Autograph card that has his signature along with autographs of Deacon Jones and Rosey Grier. It’s worth $100.

More than half of Olsen’s certified autograph cards were released just last year as Upper Deck and Panini America included him in countless products.

To watch an NFL Films tribute to Olsen, click here.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.