Pre-War Footy Cards
Pre-War VFL Football Card Sets
After World War 2, there was a gap of several years before companies started producing football cards again. In 1939 Allens produced a 48 card set and after that there wasn’t another release until 1948, when Kornies inserting footy cards into their breakfast cereals. This section of the price guide features vintage football cards from 1939 dating back all the way to the turn of the century, when cards of footy players first arrived on the national landscape. The 1930s were heavily from chocolate and confectionary companies, with the 1920s and early being primarily cigarette cards.
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What the columns mean
In each section of the price guide there is a HI and LO column. These represent the selling ranges of the listed cards and sets. The do not correspond to different conditions of the cards, nor do they represent buy and sell prices. The HI colum represents full retail prices, which is the cards full value. Popular cards generally sell for this amount of sometimes even higher. The LO column represents the price you may be able to get the card for at a reduced level. This is influenced by a number of factors including regional variation, sales, player unpopularity and other factors. The HI column is usually the price quoted by a dealer as the full value of a particular card or set. The newer the card, the more available it tends to be, and the more likely it may be discounted.
Card Condition
Grading of cards is subjective. Collectors differ on the strictness and importance of quality. The following condition guide is to minimise subjectivity.
- Pristine
- Mint
- Near Mint
- Excellent
- Very Good
- Good
- Fair
- Poor
Cards from 2000 onwards should be in mint condition in order to be valued as the listed price.
Cards from the 1990’s should be in near mint condition (1990’s cards in mint condition are valued 125-150% of the listed price).
Cards from the 1950-80’s should be in excellent condition (1950-80’s cards in near mint are valued at 150% of the listed price and in mint condition 200% of the listed price).
Cards from pre-1950 should be in very good condition (pre-1950 cards in excellent condition are valued at 125-150% of the listed price, in near mint condition are valued at 200% of the listed price and in mint condition 300%.
Condition below these will reduce the value accordingly.
Numbered cards
Some limited release cards are individually numbered. Cards numbered 001 and the jumper number of the player are considered more valuable. For lower end cards, this can add 300-500% to the price. For higher end cards, this can add 150-200% to the price.
Other lower numbered cards (ie. 004, 005) are also considered to be more valuable. While they don’t hold as much weight as 001 or jumper number, lower numbered cards can add 200-300% for lower end cards and 150% to higher end cards. Anything in single digits may be considered a low number. 11/60 would not necessarily attract a higher price based on its numbering.
RC – Rookie Card definition
A players rookie card (RC) is the first appearance on a regular issue card from one of the major companies (Kornies, Scanlens, Stimorol, Regina, Select). A RC is not a subset or insert card, but the first standard release card of that player by a mainstream company.
How do we price cards and sets?
Our team performs extensive research when curating our price guide and updating the lists. Prices are influenced by online sales on eBay and eBid, sales at auction houses and trading card and collectable stores. We also include factors such as player popularity and performance, age and scarcity.
This is only a guide
Footy Card Guide lists prices of Aussie Rules football cards which are to be used only as a guide. They do not represent fixed prices or an offer to buy or sell on behalf of our staff or anyone else. We do not take responsibility for any purchases or sales made by any third party based on information they have obtained in our guide.