In honor of the first Super Bowl ever to be held in the New York area, the Metropolitan Museum of Art will present an exhibit of vintage football trading cards.
The 150 cards that make up the exhibit are part of approximately 600 from the museum’s vast collection of sport trade cards donated to the Met by the late hobby pioneer Jefferson Burdick.
The special pop-up show,"Gridiron Greats," will be on view at the museum from Jan. 24–Feb. 10, 2014.
In this image, a vintage trading card of Stan Kostka from the National Chicle Gum Company, 1935.
Credit: The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection/Metropolitan Museum of Art
Gridiron Greats
This 1894 football card of Harvard's John Dunlop, shown Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014, is the rarest in a collection of football cards to be shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Collectors regard it as the Honus Wagner of football cards because Dunlop is the only player in the series whose name and school affiliation is missing, and he was only identified a decade ago.
Credit: Kathy Willens/AP
Gridiron Greats
Jim Thorpe, from Goudey Gum Company, Sport Kings, 1933
Credit: The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection/Metropolitan Museum of Art
Gridiron Greats
Columbia vs. Cornell, National Chicle Company
Credit: Courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art
Gridiron Greats
Knute Rockne, Goudey Gum Company, Sport Kings, 1933
Credit: The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection/Metropolitan Museum of Art
Gridiron Greats
Wes Fesler Kicking a Football, ca. 1935
Credit: Harold Edgerton/Courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art/Ford Motor Company Collection
Gridiron Greats
UCLA tailback and Los Angeles Rams running back Kenny Washington is shown in this 1948 Leaf Gum Company football trading card.
Credit: Kathy Willens/AP
Gridiron Greats
This 1948 rare uncut set of Bowman football trading cards, ushered in the modern era of football cards.
Credit: Kathy Willens/AP
Gridiron Greats
An 1894 series of football trading cards produced by the P.H. Mayo Tobacco company feature Ivy League football stars in their Princeton collegiate sweaters.
Credit: Kathy Willens/AP
Gridiron Greats
Red Grange, Goudey Gum Company, Sport Kings, 1933
Credit: The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection/Metropolitan Museum of Art
Gridiron Greats
Bernie Masterson, National Chicle Gum Company, Football Stars, 1935
Credit: The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection/Metropolitan Museum of Art
Gridiron Greats
Cliff Battles, Turk Edwards, and Tom Hupke are among a set of 1935 National Chicle Gum Company vintage football trading cards.
Credit: Kathy Willens/AP
Gridiron Greats
Red Grange, National Chicle Gum Company
Credit: Courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art
Gridiron Greats
Bronko Nagurski, National Chicle Gum Company, Football Stars, 1935
Credit: The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection/Metropolitan Museum of Art
Gridiron Greats
Knute Rockne, National Chicle Gum Company, Football Stars, 1935
Credit: The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection/Metropolitan Museum of Art
Gridiron Greats
A University of Southern California 1952 card of football star Frank Gifford, the New York Giants’ No. 1 draft pick.
