The Blind Side’s Ssuccess Sparks Interest in Michael Oher Football Cards

While its $34.1 million opening weekend was lost in the shadow of a teen vampire movie, The Blind Side — a film based on the real-life struggles of a current NFL rookie — is holding on to the No. 2 spot at the box office again this week.

And that has helped spark interest in Michael Oher‘s football cards.

Oher, a first-round pick by Baltimore in this year’s draft who has started every game for the Ravens, was a star offensive lineman for the Ole Miss Rebels. Before that, he was a homeless child in Memphis, Tenn., who was taken in by a family. His story inspired a book by Moneyball author Michael Lewis as well as the film, which stars Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw.

Oher appears on 153 different football cards so far this year — just 22 of those autographed and all from Upper Deck. And with the kind of national exposure his story is getting, there are a lot more than just the typical football card collectors picking up his cards.

Sales have been strong. For example, Oher’s 2009 Philadelphia National Chicle Autographs card (No. #NC100; above) typically sold in the $30 range (high-side) but has recently gone for as much as $90. His 2009 Upper Deck Icons Autographs card (No. 125) typically sold for about $20 but has gone for as much as $80.

Typically, his autographed football cards are selling in the $40-$60 range online and there’s been a strong interest in other autographed memorabilia. (His standard football cards have not appeared to have dramatically surged in price as there are plenty available.)

Previously, Oher’s most-expensive cards were a pair of cards with his autograph as well as Ravens QB Joe Flacco, which booked for $80 in the Beckett database.

Oher has just two game-used memorabilia cards — both of which are found in 2009 Limited‘s Draft Day Lids sets from Panini America. There are a total of just 60 cards made between the two sets found in the recently released product.