1961-Nu-Card Football Cards

There are 80 cards, numbered 101-180, in the 1961 Nu-Card football card set. The set contains only college players. By my count, 30 of the players went on to play in the NFL or AFL; I have marked those players in the table below. About half of those 30 also appeared on cards for professional teams.

The Nu-Card set includes the first cards of Roman Gabriel, John Hadl, and Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis. The cards are not generally considered the players' rookie cards, but I don't know the reason for this. Other college cards--1955 Topps All-Americans, for example--are considered rookie cards, and, as far as I know, the Nu-Card cards were distributed nationally. There certainly is no shortage of them: I have seen full, unopened boxes on eBay.

You can see the Gabriel, Hadl, and Davis cards, along with numerous other "pre-rookie" cards, on the Gallery's pre-rookie card page.