Top John Elway Cards of the 1980s
John Elway began his collegiate career with the Stanford Cardinal in 1979, working his way to be the top overall NFL Draft pick in 1983 by the Baltimore Colts. A different time and a different place in the card hobby, Elway’s rookie card was not released until Topps rolled one out in their 1984 Football set, and there is only one true RC.
Retiring at the end of the 1998 season, the Hall of Famer still brings in big bucks on the secondary market with cardboard having four sharp corners.
The Early Days
The son of a college coach, Elway graduated from LA-area Granada High School as a Parade All-American. Serving as a backup to Turk Schonert, Elway received meaningful freshman snaps, appearing in nine games.
As talented and prolific as Elway was for that time, Stanford struggled to secure bowl game berths. Thanks to Pac-10 rival Cal, the Golden Bears twice kept the Elway-led Cardinal from earning a bowl game invite – and one of those games has gone down in history with “The Play,” – the repeated laterals off a kickoff by Cal that resulted in a touchdown, and a shocking 25-20 win for Cal.
Baseball or Football? Baltimore or A Warm Weather Team?
What was audacious at the time, on advice from his father, Jack, Elway shared with the Colts ownership and management that he did not want to play in Baltimore ahead of the draft.
A second-round pick by the New York Yankees in the 1981 MLB Draft, Elway dangled the option of choosing Major League Baseball over the National Football League. Further enticing the possibility, then Yankees owner George Steinbrenner put together a plan to have Elway playing right field for the Bronx Bombers by 1985.
Before the draft, the Colts tried multiple options to trade the rights to the top overall pick with no success. On May 2, a deal was struck with the Denver Brocos and the rest, as they say, is history.
Welcome to Denver
Like most rookie quarterbacks, Elway struggled throughout the 1983 season. Starting 10 of 11 games played with a 4-6 record, Elway threw for 1,663 yards with 7 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. Further highlighting the struggles, a 47.5 completion percentage. Far from consideration for Rookie of the Year honors, that award was given to Los Angeles Rams tailback Eric Dickerson.
The lumps taken as a rookie were turned into valuable learning lessons, Elway rebounded by throwing for 2,598 yards with 18 TDs against 15 INTs. The completion percentage was raised to 56.3 percent and the win-loss record improved to 12-2.
By 1986, Elway had the Broncos in Super Bowl XXI (New York Giants).
The NFL was filled with brilliant QBs in the 1980s. Elway solidified his stature against the likes of Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Dan Fouts, Warren Moon, Neil Lomax, and the rest of the field earning MVP honors in 1987.
During the playoffs in ’87, Elway added to his heroics on “The Drive” against the Browns in the AFC Championship. The fourth quarter drive lasted 15 plays over the course of 5 minutes that covered 98 yards. The Drive sent the game into overtime, and Denver won on a 33-yard Rich Karlis field goal.
Through his 19-year career, Elway was selected to the Pro Bowl nine times, which includes each of his final three seasons in the league.
In a crowded field of gunslingers, Elway only led the league in passing once (1993 – 4,030 yards). At no other time during his career did Elway lead the league in any other major offensive statistic.
After Super Bowl appearances, and losses, in 1986, 1987, and 1989, knowing he was on a Hall of Fame track, the big question became, would he win the big one? Eight seasons between Super Bowl berths, the fourth time was the charm, winning Super Bowl XXXII 31-24 over the Green Bay Packers.
Super Bowl XXXII was running back Terrell Davis’s time to shine, but the following year Elway added to his legacy earning SB MVP honors. In the 34-19 win over the Atlanta Falcons, Elway connected on 18 of 29 passes for 336 yards with 1 passing and 1 rushing touchdown.
When Elway retired, his 51,475 passing yards were second best all-time in the NFL behind Marino; Elway is now 12th on the list, and he set the record for most career wins by a QB with 148, now seventh all-time.
The Cards
Before Bowman Chrome University and Classic in the 1990s, college football cards were not produced. Adding to the extra wait for collectors to get cards of their favorite players, Topps did not release rookie cards of players until their second year in the league, assuming they even got one, a practice that lasted into the early 1990s.
1984 Elway Cards
The must have card for all Elway collectors: 1984 Topps #63 John Elway RC. Mint values can go up to and over $100.
The only other card release for Elway in ’84 was 1984 Topps Stickers #179 Elway. Secondary market asking prices for the #179 sticker have risen above the Beckett Online Price Guide (OPG). The OPG lists the Mint value of the sticker at $12. Asking prices for a graded 6 are around $40 with graded 7s at around $65. The card number is found on the front-bottom left-hand corner.
1985 Elway Cards
Topps is the only game in town, again, in 1985 with stickers (#24), 1985 Topps Coming Soon Stickers #24, Topps Glossy Inserts #3, and 1985 Topps #235 Denver Broncos Team Leaders featuring Sammy Winder with Elway handing off to him. The Wilder Team Leaders cards can easily be found between $1-2 on secondary sales platforms.
The other horizontal card with a vertical name plate is the 1985 Topps #238 John Elway. The second-year card of the Hall of Famer can bring in $25 Mint.
1986 Elway Cards
Topps still has the NFL card market cornered but there is a rising challenger in Fleer.
The 1986 Topps set is distinctive, good or bad, with the white and green stripes along the border, representing a football field. Mint values for the #112 Elway are around $12.
When Fleer jumped into the football pool in 1986, Elway didn’t have his own card – no player did. The set consisted of 88 cards title “Live Action Football.” Each team were covered by three cards – “On Offense,” “On Defense,” and “In Action.” A 1986 Fleer Team Action #19 Denver Broncos card can bring $12 Mint.
If you like product placements on your cards and/or love McDonald’s, the 1986 McDonald’s Broncos Green Tab #7 John Elway DP is for you (Mint $15).
1987 Elway Cards
The headliner for collectors in the 1987 niche: 1987 Broncos Ace Fact Pack #4 John Elway. Mint values per the OPG are around $400. The 33-card set features 22 players and 11 team cards. Made in Germany by Ace Fact Pack and distributed in England, Ace Fact Packs are hard to come by in the states.
Topps had two unique releases in ’87 beyond the Stickers: their flagship #31 featuring Elway and 1987 Topps American/UK #6 John Elway. The card front images are the same, but the UK version cards are smaller, 2 1/8″ x 3,” also referred as minis. Excellent values start at $3, going up to $20 or more in Mint condition.
1988 Elway Cards
There was a buildup of more offerings to collectors from manufacturers in ’88. Fleer returns with Team Action and AFC Championship cards that showcase Elway, the first Kenner Starting Lineup featuring Elway is released (#50), and MacGregor Action All Pro Football Game John Elway cards are in circulation (#JE1-#JE9).
The most valuable card from the year is the 1988 Starline Prototypes #1 Elway. If you get one, they are rare, they were never sold in stores. Reportedly, only 300 sets were produced, putting Mint values north of $250.
The card most likely already in your PC: 1988 Topps #23 John Elway All Pro (Mint $3).
1989 Elway Cards
More familiar names are producing cards in ’89: Pacific, Panini (Stickers), Pro Set, Score, and Sports Illustrated for Kids.
Value wise, the 1989 Panini Stickers UK #263 John Elway ($50 Mint) is where the chase is at. For those of us in the US, 1989 Panini Stickers #263 John Elway is more common and far less valuable ($5 Mint).
A Baby Boomer or Gen Xer, the 1989 Pro Set tugs at the heart strings in a way younger generations may never understand. Mint values for the #100A Elway are in the neighborhood of $10.
