P.H. Mayo was the first company to produce a football card series in 1894. Of course there was no NFL back then, but there were several college football teams. The Mayo set consisted of 35 players from Harvard, Yale, and Princeton.

The information you need to start collecting football cards is essentially identical to collecting baseball cards. To learn more about how to collect football cards please visit our baseball card collecting pages. Here you will find information about the various types of football cards to collect.

Please take the time to learn how to store football cards so that all of your fun, hard work, and money don't go to waste. For some collectors, investing in football cards is a serious business, which type of collector are you? Once you've started collecting, you'll want to learn how to figure out the value of a football card. For those that are absolutely passionate about collecting you'll want to read about the possibility of a football card career.

As with all sports cards we believe that trading is an excellent way to add to your collection. While you are here have a look at our football card trading message board.

2009 Football card release dates

January 2009 (football cards)
7th 2008 Playoff Contenders Football
19st 2008 Topps Sterling Football
21st 2008 Topps Mayo Football
21st 2008 Topps Triple Threads Football
28th 2008 Upper Deck SP Authentic Football Hobby Box

February 2009 (football cards)
16th - 2008 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Football
17th - 2008 Upper Deck SP Football

March 2009 (football cards)
3rd - 2008 Upper Deck Exquisite Football
25th - 2009 Sage Hit Low Series Football

April 2009 (football cards)
19th - 2009 Sage Hit High Series Football

May 2009 (football cards)
4th - 2009 Upper Deck Draft Edition Football
5th - 2009 Upper Deck Draft Edition
13th - 2009 Playoff Prestige Football
26th - 2009 Upper Deck Heroes Football

Football Card News

10/28/2009
History has a way of repeating itself, and with the forthcoming release of 2009 Limited Football Panini America Inc. has return a hobby classic to its roots.

10/26/2009
Christmas Arrives Early: Upper Deck Releases 2009 SP Threads Football Card Set. Extremely popular brand has been reconfigured to deliver the same high-end rookie cards at an even greater value!

10/20/2009
Upper Deck Releases 2009 SP Threads Football Card Set. Extremely popular brand has been reconfigured to deliver the same high-end rookie cards at an even greater value!

10/15/2009
Upper Deck Searches for the Ultimate NFL Fan! Sports card company to give away Ultimate VIP Fan Package to the most creative NFL fanatic via online promotion.

10/6/2009
Panini Releases FIRST Brett Favre Vikings Certified Autograph Football Card - Officials at Panini America announced today that the company will be including the FIRST certified autograph trading card of Minnesota Viking's quarterback, Brett Favre, in its October 2009 hobby release Certified Football. Facing his former team Monday night, Favre completed 24 of 31 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns. The Minnesota Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers, 30-23 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.

9/24/2009
Absolute Memorabilia Football Raises the Bar with Additional Hobby Hits.

9/21/2009
Within days of a season-ending wrist injury, Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher says he was written off by an autograph and sports memorabilia company.

9/18/2009
Upper Deck Kicks Off ’09 Football Season by Launching New, Interactive Gridiron Website. Collectors will be treated to online contests, a revolutionary new rookie card management system and much more!

9/15/2009
Sneak Peek Gallery: 2009 Playoff Absolute Football Cards

9/11/2009
2009 Topps National Chicle Football cards coming this winter

9/2/2009
2009 National Treasures Pen Pals.

8/31/2009
NFL Hall of Famer Elvin Bethea and five other players have sued the NFL for using their names and images for profit without their permission.

8/26/2009
Farve's First Donruss Threads Card Will Now Be Available at Target too

8/25/2009
Panini Makes First Favre Vikings Football Card a Walmart Exclusive

8/21/2009
Topps this afternoon revealed a card from the forthcoming 2009 Topps Finest Football, due out Sept. 15, sure to have a certain sect of purple people eating it up: Brett Favre’s first Minnesota Vikings card.

8/13/2009
Lights, Camera, Action: Top NFL Rookies Discuss the Art of Autographs. Standouts like Matt Stafford, Mark Sanchez, Percy Harvin, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Aaron Curry provide their take on signing for the fans!

8/1/2009
Topps officials recently released preliminary information and images on the rookie-laden 2009 Bowman Chrome Football, a 165-card set featuring 55 rookies seeded one per pack.

7/28/2009
Topps announces that there are several short-printed autographed cards and 50 base cards in the recently released 2009 Topps Magic Football.

7/21/2009
Topps officials on Tuesday morning released preliminary details and images of 2009 Topps Mayo Football.

7/15/2009
* Panini America will be continuing the tradition of holding the wrapper redemption. Collectors bringing FIVE un-opened packs of any 2009 Panini hobby product (or box of any Retail product), will receive a one-three card pack. Included in the packs will be updated Donruss Elite rookie cards, basketball and even Americana cards.

* Back by popular demand, Upper Deck proudly presents its new, league-approved “Top 10 Touchdown Dance Challenge” video captured at this year’s NFL Rookie Premiere Photo Shoot inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The cream of the league’s rookie crop proved that they not only possess great skills on the football field but can also hold their own with the best of them out on the dance floor or – in this case – the end zone.

6/25/2009
Bowman Sterling Football In a Class of Its Own. The collector-popular Bowman Sterling Football returns in 2009 featuring all the top rookies and super veterans for the upcoming NFL Season.

6/18/2009
Panini America Brings Back 1989 Score Football Cards

6/9/2009
Topps Chrome Football Returns with the Most Collectible 2009 NFL Rookie Cards! Every hobby box guarantees (1) autographed rookie card featuring names such as Mark Sanchez, Michael Crabtree and Matthew Stafford. Black Refractor (#’d to 25), Gold Refractor (#’d to 10) and SuperFractor (1 of 1) autograph parallels round out the assortment.

6/2/2009
* Record Breaker: Pristine Joe Montana Rookie Card Sells for $65K!

* The Upper Deck 2009 NFL Rookie Touchdown Dance Challenge video

5/28/2009
First look: 2009 Topps Chrome football

5/23/2009
Panini Confirms Prestige Variations

5/12/2009
The top picks from the 2009 NFL Draft, including the top three selections in Matthew Stafford, Jason Smith and Tyson Jackson, will headline a group of more than 30 NFL rookies who will make their professional debut at this weekend’s Reebok NFL Players Rookie Premiere presented by EA Sports and hosted by NFL Players.

5/6/2009
Panini: 2009 Playoff Prestige will have zero redemptions

4/28/2009
* Press Pass announces 2009 football cards red ink, inscriptions list

* McFarlane Toys unveils college football figures

4/27/2009
* Upper Deck Soliciting Special Inscriptions for NFL’s Top Rookies

* Panini America's Draft Day Surprise

3/11/2009
2008 UD Ultimate Collection Football Packs a Punch

2/26/2009
Officials at Donruss recently released images for its first NFL set of 2009, Playoff Prestige. Set to hit streets May 13th (just two weeks after the NFL Draft), the rookie cards from Prestige are the first official trading cards on the market with updated team and draft information for the new rookie class.

2/19/2009
Topps Mayo NFL / Short Prints Revealed - Topps announces that the recently-released and very popular 2008 Topps Mayo Football features a number of short printed cards including base cards, autographs and relics.

2/5/2009
Donruss Produces Pro Bowl Trading Card Set

2/4/2009
Stadium Club Football Super Teams….Prizes Announced

2/2/2009
Donruss officials said they were extremely happy with the turnout at this year’s Super Bowl Card Show, the first held under the company’s sponsorship.

1/26/2009
Playoff National Treasures 1 of 1's

1/22/2009
Donruss has created a 440-card Super Bowl edition factory set that will be sold at the event. Produced under the Score name, each card will feature the official Super Bowl XLIII logo. As a free bonus, collectors purchasing the factory set will get an exclusive 18-card set of those participating in this year's Super Bowl. Nine cards will highlight the NFC's Arizona Cardinals and nine will highlight the AFC's Pittsburgh Steelers.

1/20/2009
2008 Playoff Contenders Football Cards Part 2 of 2

1/16/2009
Product Review: 2008 Playoff Contenders Football Cards

1/12/2009
* Donruss Becomes the "Official Trading Card Sponsor of the NFL Experience"

* Topps announces the next etopps installment of its popular Allen & Ginter Super Bowl Champions collection.

1/8/2009
Football cards - On card rookie autographs in 2008 Playoff National Treasures

Sammy Baugh: 1914-2008

12/1/2008
Going Deep with Vintage AFL Cards

11/26/2008
Reviewing 2008 Bowman Chrome Football

11/22/2008
Upper Deck Ignites Packers Trading Card Promotion through 10 Wisconsin Newspapers.

11/6/2008
Leaf Rookies & Stars Collegiate Patches - Leaf Rookies & Stars has established itself by having the most comprehensive rookie checklist available and has more non-sticker autographs than any product on the market.

11/4/2008
Donruss, a leading manufacturer of sports trading cards and the second oldest card company in the industry, has created two limited edition football card sets that will be distributed as part of the NFL International Series at games in both London and Toronto.

10/31/2008
Leaf Rookies & Stars has established itself by having the most comprehensive rookie checklist available. Insert concepts are driven by rookies, with a touch of the stars.

10/15/2008
Topps Releases First Randy Moss Autographs in 5 Years

10/09/2008
Donruss Produces Cowboys Football Card Set for Kids Club

9/30/2008
NFL Player of the Day Hosts Free Autograph Sessions - NY Jets Brad Smith and Pittsburgh Steelers Marvel Smith Kick-Off 2008 NFL Player of the Day Program with Hobby Shop Visits To officially kick-off the 2008 NFL Player of the Day

9/25/2008
* 2008 Leaf Certified goes live today and offers more game-used jersey cards than any product on the market.

* Upper Deck Inks Exclusive Memorabilia Deal with Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Tony Romo

9/24/2008
2008 Topps Finest Football: Production Error

Week 3 Donruss Highlight Reel

9/18/2008
Week 2 Donruss Highlight Reel

9/10/2008
* Topps Letterman Brand Comes to Football

* TOPPS CREATES BIG APPLE VERSION OF FAVRE TRACTOR CARD

* Each week, Donruss.com will highlight the breakout performances of the NFL weekend, recapping who's hot to help you decide whose cardboard to collect.

* The opening weekend of NFL action has collectors jumping all over the 2008 rookie class

9/1/2008
2008 Bowman Sterling Football Manufacturing Issue

8/29/2008
* Uncover Gridiron Greatness with Upper Deck’s 2008 NFL Icons

* Brady, Peterson and Manning Brothers Highlight 2008 Bowman Sterling Football

8/25/2008
Score, one of the industry's most popular retail-oriented trading card releases, will be hitting retail shelves at any moment. Score has built a name with collectors as a premium entry-level football product, boasting a comprehensive checklist full of rookies and established stars perfect for new collectors and set builders alike.

Score stands alone as the only $.99 football card product in the market.

This year, Donruss has added several "cool" kid-friendly components to the program that will sure to spark trades at recess.

8/7/2008
* 2008 Donruss Threads is the 4th NFL release of the year for Donruss and hits streets yesterday.

* Crisp Photography and Top Stars Fuel 2008 Upper Deck Football

7/29/2008
Ditka to Sign at Donruss Booth

7/28/2008
Rare Topps Favre Variations Discovered

7/23/2008
Limited edition autographed rookie cards, featuring an NFL Shield PATCH and sequentially #’d to just 15, will be randomly inserted into boxes of 2008 Finest Football!

7/9/2008
Packers Legend Brett Favre Returns in Upper Deck’s 2008 Football Heroes

6/24/2008
Donruss Signs Darren McFadden to Endorsement Deal - Raiders Rookie Running Back to Be Featured on Donruss Packaging

6/16/2008
2008 Donruss Elite Features Autographed Rookie Cards

6/13/2008
Donruss Elite Unannounced Parallel

6/9/2008
Box Busters: 2008 Donruss Elite Football
Sneak Peak: Donruss Elite Football

6/3/2008
Officials at Diamond Comic Distributors recently announced the 2007 Annual Gem Awards and Donruss' Playoff Contenders was named Sports Card Product of the Year.

5/19/2008
UD Heroes Football Rookie Signing Session

4/17/2008
Upper Deck’s 2008 Draft Edition Football Puts the Spotlight on NFL’s New Rookie Talent

3/30/2008
Upper Deck Responds to Beckett 2007 Exquisite Football Box Buster Episode

3/27/2008
May as well keep the Favre news going

3/24/2008
Favre gamers heat up, so do the number of fakes

3/20/2008
Donruss Sends Collector To The NFL Rookie Photo Shoot

3/12/2008
* The wait is over for Upper Deck’s most anticipated football release, 2007 NFL Exquisite

* How many Donruss football cards are there of Brett Favre?

3/4/2008
Brett Favre Retiring From NFL

2/21/2008
2008 Limited edition Arena Football League Trading Card Set - For the second year in a row, the Donruss Trading Card Company will be teaming up with the Arena Football League's Dallas Desperados to produce a limited edition trading card set for the upcoming 2008 season.

2/12/2008
* Get healthier by collecting football cards??

* 10-Year-Old Wins NFL Player of the Day Sweepstakes

2/12/2008
Topps to Issue Special Super Bowl Set with Ticket Stub Relics

2/11/2008
Officials at Donruss have announced the list of short-prints for 2007 Playoff Contenders football.

1/29/2008
* Two-minute entry for ‘Best Celebratory Dance’ earns Kam Kaler trip for two to Super Bowl XLII!

* Donruss Teams up with Beckett at the Super Bowl...

1/26/2008
* The Wait Is Over: 2007 Donruss National Treasures Live Next Week!

1/21/2008
* Playoff wins have big impact on card prices

* Donruss Creates Undefeated Patriots Card For Super Bowl

* eTopps Issues First Allen & Ginter Football Set

1/15/2008
Grand prize winner of Beckett's Playoff Hunt for the NFL Playoffs contest

1/14/2008
* Construction for NFL Experience begins

* Topps announces an all-new high-end football product commemorating the top performers of the year…2007 Topps Performance Football

1/8/2008 - Topps Announces Exclusive Card Sets For Super Bowl XLII Card Show

1/7/2008 - The guys over at Beckett found some cool videos of players signing for NFL auctions

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