Dallas Cowboys football cards

The 2012 Topps Magic brand was released late in the 2012 season or some would say early 2013. After only releasing a small rookie brand in 2012, Topps Magic returns with a full fledged brand that includes 2012 Rookies, retired Hall of Fame players and top veterans. Topps Magic is a throwback brand to the early days of football card collecting. Topps Magic uses a technology to create paintings or drawings of player photos on the front that exhibit the best colors of any brand on the market today. These cards have a traditional white border surrounding the front and simple two tone colored backs with text only and no pictures.  There are 275 regular sized cards in this base set including 74 Rookies. Of that lot, 9 are Cowboys including Morris Claiborne Rookie and Emmitt Smith HOF. The other Cowboy players from the base set include Demarco Murray, Demarcus Ware, Tony Romo, Jason Witten, Miles Austin, Dez Bryant and what appears to be a short printed Sean Lee card. There are 52 Cowboy cards from this brand when you count all the parallels and insert cards which include quite a few miniature versions. The base sets only parallel is the mini set but the mini set has a few different parallels including relics and pigskins.

The highest price I have seen for any 2012 Topps Magic cards was a $550 autographed Andrew Luck card from eBay. There are quite a few Sean Lee Autographed cards on eBay as we speak that can be had for a decent price. Cowboycards.com has all the base cards currently in stock and quite a few of the inserts so visit us today to get the best deals on 2012 Topps Magic Dallas Cowboys football cards.

2012 Cards | Comments (0)

Don’t look now but Playoff Contenders is celebrating their 20th year of production!  Seems just like yesterday that a new brand of high end cards named Playoff hit the market. The very next year, Playoff added a new brand named Contenders to their fleet and now some 20 years later, the Contenders brand is still around and remains a constant collector favorite. As you can see from the then and now cards, Playoff Contenders has changed dramatically since their inaugural release back in 1993.  The GAME TICKET design actually first appeared in 1998 when Contenders had their own offshoot brands, one of which was called Contenders Ticket. The Game Ticket design was popular among collector’s so Contenders stuck with it and still use it today.

The 2012 Contenders base set contains 311 regular sized cards and more than half of those are Autographed Rookie Cards. The Cowboys have 10 cards from the base set, 6 Autographed Rookies and 4 base veterans. There are 81 total Cowboy cards from the 2012 Contenders brand when you count all the sets, subsets and insert sets. The base cards are very nice featuring a glossy finish with the now standard game ticket design on the front. The back is also nicely designed containing a larger black and white action photo.  But of course, its the Autographed Rookies or Rookie Tickets as they call them that really carry the brand.   Currently there is a Andrew Luck Parallel Rookie Ticket serial numbered 1 of 1 on eBay that is sitting at $44,400.  Yea, 44 thousand. I am not sure how legitimate that number is but there are 101 bids on it as we speak with a day still left in the bidding.  Click Here to see it!

As for Cowboy Contenders, You can check out the checklist of cowboy cards from the Contenders brand as well as purchase from cowboycards.com here.  Quite a few have been sold on eBay but none have eclipsed the $100 mark yet.

2012 Cards | Comments (0)

PRIZM is a new brand of football cards from Panini. PRIZM comes off as Panini’s version of Topps Chrome because of the Chrome finish on the front of each card. These cards have a nice colored glossy backs but the fronts are silver chrome, at least the front of the base cards are. There are 325 cards in the base set which gives team collector’s a nice sized team set. The Cowboys have 7 veterans in the base set and 3 Rookies (Hanna, Claiborne and Crawford). There is also a base variation card of Morris Claiborne. In fact, there are 25 rookies that have photo variation cards within the base set. There are several different colored parallels of the base set as well as quite a few inserts. The colored parallels, especially the gold which is serial numbered to only 10 are garnering MOST of the attention on the secondary market. Whether its deserved or not it really in the eyes of the collector but some of the prices I have seen are bordering on insanity. There are at least 5 examples of the Andrew Luck Gold Parallel selling on eBay in the price range of $1200.00. Russell Wilson and Robert Griffin III Gold Versions are selling for about half that. Now I am not one to tell collector’s how much a card is worth but I will say that in my opinion, there has not been a card produced in the past 5 years worth $1200.00. Since there are only 10 of these cards available, and about half of the Andrew Luck card’s have already been turned over, I to believe that there are some speculators out there who think Luck is the next Tom Bray or Peyton Manning which he may be. The chances of those 1200 dollar cards doubling in price are a lot less than Luck becoming the next Brady. Even if Luck becomes the next Brady or even better, chances are the cost of the gold parallel Prizm Andrew Luck card drops from that $1200 dollar peak…

Enough about the gold parallel Prizm cards. I said above there are 7 Cowboy veterans and 3 Rookies. The veterans include your usual suspects; Demarco Murray, Demarcus Ware, Dez Bryant, Jason Witten, Miles Austin, Tony Romo and Brandon Carr. Carr is NOT one of the usual suspects and in fact Prizm is only the 3rd brand he has shown up in this season, Score and Gridiron are the other 2. The 3 Rookies include; Morris Claiborne, James Hanna and Tyrone Crawford. As I said earlier, there is a photo variation of the Morris Claiborn rookie card and although it may say Rookie on the card, it is technically NOT a rookie card, only the Base version is a true rookie card. Included in the brand aside from the base parallels are a few insert sets and a few autographed insert sets. One glaring omission from the 2012 Panini Prizm brand is relic or game used insert cards.. not a one in sight. Since collectors are moving away from the relic inserts and towards autographs, this could become a trend. I am not convinced yet but we will see. 

A 2012 Panini Prizm Football Hobby Box sells for $148.95

2 (Two) Packs of 2012 Panini Prizm Football Hobby Packs (2 Pack Lot – 6 Cards/Pack) for $15.63

2012 Cards, Prizm | Comments (0)

The 2012 Topps Triple Threads football card brand contains 100 veterans in the base set including 6 Dallas Cowboys. These cards are standard sized 3.5 x 2.5 cards. These cards use a thick card stock and every card in the brand, including the base cards, are serial numbered. The front of these cards contain an action player photograph set on a RED background. The players name and team is located inside a grey plaque near the bottom. The Triple Threads logo is foil stamped just above the players name plaque. The serial number on the base cards can be found on the front along side the Triple Threads logo. The back of these base cards use a simple design and includes career stats as well as a section called Triple Take which notes 3 odd facts about the player.

The base set has 6 different colored parallels including Gold which is serial numbered to 99, Sepia which is serial numbered to 320, Emerald which is serial numbered to 150, Onyx which is serial numbered to 50, Sapphire which is serial numbered to 25 and Platinum which is serial numbered to 1. Each of the 4 different colored (Cyan, Magenta, Black, Yellow) Printing Plates was also inserted into this product with each plate serial numbered to 1.

There are 35 Rookies including in the 2012 Topps Triple Threads football brand but unfortunately none of the Cowboy rookies were included. The base rookies that are included come in a relic autographed card.  Of the almost 20 different insert sets from this brand, all of them are either Relics, Autographs and in some cases both. Most of the insert sets contain different colored parallel versions. There are 116 total Dallas Cowboy cards found in the 2012 Triple Threads brand most of which are parallels or parallels of the inserts.

Triple Threads has been around for about a half dozen years now and Topps has not changed the design that much. These cards are for higher end collectors and are not geared towards team collectors. That doesn’t make them undesireable, just not as collectible in my opinion as the standard Topps brand.

2012 Cards | Comments (0)

Donruss began producing the Elite brand in 1997. They skipped the 1998 season and picked back up in 1999 and have been producing exceptional football cards ever since. Panini bought the Donruss brand in the late 2000s and one of the brands they continued to produce was the Elite brand for obvious reasons. The brand had become popular among collectors as a high end brand with tons of Autographed and Relic insert cards. The 2012 cards are no exception. There are 100 veterans in the 2012 Elite base set and 100 serial numbered Rookie Cards.  These cards have a glossy finish on the front, a full bleed action photograph. The Team name and Elite logo can be found along the top border. The players name is along the bottom border. The back of these cards a cropped version of the same photograph on the front as well as a short player highlight biography.

The 2012 Elite football card brand included 2 different Die Cut Parallels (status and aspirations) of the base set each serial numbered either to the players jersey number or the players jersey number minus 100.  The 4 different colored printing plates used to create each base card was also released into the market and each plate was serial numbered to 1. There are also 2 different partial Autographed Parallels (status and aspirations) of the base set. Each of the Rookie cards have a serial numbered Autographed Parallel.

The Rookies from the 2012 Elite brand are also included in a New Breed Relic insert set. The New Breed Relic insert also has an Autographed Parallel as well as a Prime Relic Autographed Parallel. Rookies are also included in a Elite Series insert, A Had Hat insert, an autographed Hard Hat Parallel and a Rookie Inscriptions autographed insert set. Veterans and Retired greats are included in a Passing the Torch Dual Autographed insert set which contains an autograph on the front and back of the card. Retired greats are included in a Back to the Future Relic insert as well as a Back to the Future Prime Relic parallel. Veterans are included in a Craftsman insert as well as a Craftsman Relic parallel. Veterans are included in a Down and Distance Materials Relic insert. The Down and Distance Materials insert set included an autographed Parallel and prime parallel as well. Veterans are also included in the Elite Series insert set and an relic Parallel. Veterans are included in a Hit List insert set which also included a Relic Parallel. There is a Prime Numbers Relic insert set that includes veterans and a Throwback threads Relic insert set which includes an Autographed parallel.

There are a total of 85 Cowboy cards from the 2012 Elite brand when you count all the parallels of the base set and the insert cards. There are only 6 Cowboy cards from the base set which is typical for Elite. The veterans in the base set include Tony Romo, Jason Witten, Demarco Murray and Demarcus Ware. There are 2 Cowboy rookies in the set; Morris Claiborne and Danny Coale.

The Dallas Cowboys 2012 Elite Team set can be viewed and purchased here as well as the Checklist of 2012 Topps Dallas Cowboy football cards!

2012 Cards | Comments (0)

For most football card collectors, it simply does not get any better than Topps. Topps is the longest running card manufacturer to date and has been producing football cards since 1955 and NFL football cards since 1956. The 2012 Topps base set contains 440 cards and includes a nice mixture of Rookies and Veterans. Although there are fewer rookies in the 2012 Topps base set than previous years, the Rookies included are considered the cream of the crop. 2012 Topps Football was released on August 8th, each hobby box contains 36 packs with 10 cards in each pack. Each box will also contain 1 relic or autographed cards. The 2012 Topps football cards was also released in Jumbo boxes which included 10 packs of 50 cards with 2 Autographs and 1 RC Patch relic per box. The retail (Blaster) boxes available at most Wal Marts and Targets contain 10 packs of 8 cards each. The Blasters also contained 1 Captains Patch Commemorative card per box.

The 2012 Topps football card brand included 5 different Parallels of the base set; Gold which was serial numbered to 2012, Breast Cancer Awareness PINK Border which was serial numbered to 399, Military Camo border which was also serial numbered to 399, Black which was serial numbered to 57 and Platinum which was serial numbered to 1. The 4 different colored printing plates used to create each base card was also released into the market and each plate was serial numbered to 1.

Topps continued the trend of included photo variations into the 2012 Football brand. There are a little more than 50 different variations from the 2012 Football card brand including many rookies. The Rookie variations also included an Autographed Parallel. Other insets include 1957 RC Reprints, which is a insert set of the 2012 Rookies using the 1957 Topps design.  Rookie Patch cards and a Autograph Parallel.  Jumbo Rookie Relics with an Autograph Parallel. In the Name Relics which includes NAMEPLATES from Veterans Jerseys. There is also a In the Name Relics Autograph Parallel. 1984 Rookie Autographs which includes 2012 Rookies on an insert set using the 1984 Topps design. Topps Premier Rookie Autographs which is also a collectors favorite. Rookie Premier dual Autographs. NFL Field Generals and an Autographed Parallel. QB Milestones and an Autographed Parallel. QB Immortals with an Autograph as well as a Relic Parallel. Paramount Pairs which also has a Relic and Autographed Parallel. Prolific Playmakers which also includes a Relic and Autographed Parallel as well as a combination of a relic and autographed parallel on the same card. QB Rookie reprint which includes both a relic and Autographed parallel. Super Bowl MVPs which includes an Autographed Parallel. League MVPs which includes an Autographed Parallel. Game Winning Drives which includes pieces of Film strip and is unique for Topps. 1965 Topps insert which uses the 1965 Topps card design. There is also an Autographed parallel for the 1965 Topps insert set. The final insert set is the Captains Patch insert set which are cards that are not game used but rather manufactured yet still very nice.

There are a total of 154 Cowboy cards from the 2012 Topps brand when you count all the parallels of the base set and the insert cards. There are only 10 Cowboy cards from the base set which is far fewer than we have seen in well over a decade and the reason may be that there is only the 1 Rookie card of Morris Claiborne and no other rookies. You do however get the best of the Cowboy regulars including Tony Romo, Demarcus Ware, Jason Witten, Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, Demarco Murray, Felix Jones, Sean Lee and a Team Card.

The Dallas Cowboys 2012 Team set can be viewed and purchased here as well as the Checklist of 2012 Topps Dallas Cowboy football cards!

2012 Cards, Topps | Comments (0)

The 2012 Score football card brand hit the market in early August. Score has been producing football cards uninterrupted since 1989. The 2012 Score hobby box contains 36 packs with 7 cards per pack. Each box should contain 24 Rookies, 36 glossy cards, 6 parallels, 25 inserts and 3 other inserts or parallels. Each case will have 4 certified autographed cards.

The 2012 Score football card base set contains 300 commons or veterans and 100 rookies. Each of the 4 colored printing plates used to create the base set has been released into the product serial numbered to 1 each totally 400×4 plates or 1600 plates.

Insert sets include Complete players, Hot Rookie Signatures, in the Zone nad Numbers game. Each insert contains at least one parallel. Parallels include the glossy finish, scorecard, Red Zone, End Zone, Artists Proof and Goldzone.

There are 12 Cowboy cards in the base set including 2 rookies. Demarco Murray, Demarcus Ware, Dez Bryant, Felix Jones, Jason Witten, Miles Austin, Sean Lee, Tony Romo, Brandon Carr, Jay Ratliff, Danny Coale (Rookie) and Morris Claiborne (Rookie). When you include all the parallels and the inserts there are 142 total Cowboy cards in the 2012 Score brand.

The base 2012 Score cards contain a full bleed color action photograph on the front. There is a white border on the top and bottom. The score logo is located along the top border and the Cowboys logo and players name and postion is located along the bottom border. The backs contain the Cowboys star logo along wtih player specifics and season stats. The 2012 Score brand is a very so so brand with less than steller cards. These cards will please team collectors because of the sure number of base cards but will not win any awards for design or orginality. Boring is the key word here.. very boring.

2012 Cards | Comments (0)

The 2012 Upper Deck SPx brand hit the retail shelves on June 26, 2012. Upper Deck SPx is in its 17th year of production and has a resume for producing some of the finest football cards each year. Those expectations have diminished a bit since the NFL did not renew Upper Decks license a few years back but despite Upper Deck losing their license to produce NFL cards, the company is still producing some nice football cards of players during their college days. Each 2012 UD SPx hobby box contains 4 cards per pack and 18 packs per box including 4 Autographs or Memorabilia Cards per box  Key Rookies: Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Trent Richardson, Ryan Tannehill, Luke Kuechly, Michael Floyd, Melvin Ingram, Justin Blackmon, Dre Kirkpatrick, Brandon Weeden, Quinton Coples, Kirk Cousins, and more!

Base set contains 110 regular sized cards of college legends including 60 current NFL Rookies that are serial numbered to 750!.  The front contains an action photo of the player taken during his college playing days. The photo is set inside a chrome metallic looking frame which reminds me of the design used on the site http://www.partycasino.com. The player’s team and name are located along the bottom of the card. The college logo is near the center just under the photograph with the player’s position and jersey number along each side. The SPx logo is located along the top. The back of these cards do not contain any photos but do include the player’s college career stats as well as a short biography of his college days.

The 2012 SPx Cowboys team set includes 8 cards of the following retired legends; Bob Lilly, Daryl Johnston, Herschel Walker, Lee Roy Jordan, Randy White, Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett and Troy Aikman.  Each of these players is included in the Autographed base parallel.  Troy Aikman and Herschel Walker are included in the Shadow Box insert set as well as the Autographed Shadow slot insert set. Tony Dorsett, Troy Aikman and Daryl Johnston are included in the Signature Supremacy insert set. Roger Staubach and Herschel Walker are included in the Super Scripts Autograph insert set. Roger Staubach and Lee Roy Jordan both appear in the dual and Triple Autographed insert sets.

The Cowboys didn’t have any current rookies appear in the SPx Rookie insert sets which included the 60 card Rookie subset, the Rookie Auto Jersey insert set, the Rookie Autographs insert set and the Finite Rookies insert set.

2012 Cards | Comments (0)

The 2012 Panini Prestige football card brand hit the shelves on June 20, 2012. Prestige is in its 15 year of production and continues to deliver a quality product that football card collects love. Each 2012 Panini Prestige Hobby box contains 24 packs of 8 cards each. Each box contains at least 4 hits of autographs or relic cards, 24 Rookies, 1 alternate rookie, 3 gold parallels, 2 rookie blue parallels, 2 draft tickets, 3 Prestigious Picks, 2 draft city inserts, 2 passport inserts and 6 other inserts.

The base set contains 301 regular sized cards which includes 100 Rookie cards which come 1 per pack. The front of the veteran base cards includes a full bleed player action photograph. The players name is found along the bottom border. The right half of the card contains a wide colored band that includes the Prestige logo, team logo, player position, team name, jersey number and a FRANCHISE year ESTABLISHED designation. The front of the rookie base cards are similar to the veterans except instead of the team logo there is the NFL Shield and instead of the team name the word ROOKIE is found and instead of the player’s jersey number, the round in which the player was drafted is found. The backs of the veteran’s cards contain a cropped version of the player action photo found on the front as well as the team logo and 2011 statistics. The backs of the Rookie cards do not contain a player photo but simply the NFL team logo and 2011 college statistics.

The 2012 Prestige Cowboys team set includes 9 cards; 7 veterans – Tony Romo, Jason Witten, Miles Austin, Felix Jones, Dez Bryant, Demarco Murray and Demarcus Ware. 2 Rookies – Morris Claiborne and Danny Coale. Parallels of the base set include Extra Points Gold, Black, Green and Black Signatures. Regular Inserts include Connections, Gamers, League Leaders, NFL Draft Combos, Prestigious picks, Preferred Signatures, Rookie Signatures, Stars of the NFL and Team Foundations. Most of the inserts also have Relic Parallels as well.

For a complete 2012 Panini Prestige checklist check out The Trading Card Database.

For a complete Dallas Cowboys 2012 Panini Prestige checklist visit our 2012 Prestige page..

2012 Cards | Comments (0)