1968 Topps Test Team Photos

1968 Topps "Test" Team Photo cards were inserts in packs of 1968 Topps Team Patches. Topps apparently test marketed the patches (hence the word "test" in the name) but did not sell them widely, so both the cards and patches are scarce.

There are 25 cards in the team photo set, one for each of the 26 NFL and AFL teams except Cincinnati. 1968 was the year that the Bengals joined the AFL, and Topps apparently didn't yet have photo of the team. I have not studied the cards carefully, but I suspect that the other teams' photos are all from 1967 or earlier. I verified this for the Cleveland Browns card: the same image appears under 1967 on the Browns web site.

The team photo cards are the same size as the "tall boy" 1965 Topps football cards. This is a bit odd, since the patches--the main product in the packs--are the same size as regular cards. The backs of the cards list all of the team personnel on the front--a nice feature. Unfortunately, most of the cards I have seen have had a wax stain running vertically across the middle of the back. There is a picture of one of the card backs in my blog article about the set.

Image Set #Card Title/Players Pro Team Position College Honors Notes Grades available at Nearmint Sports Cards
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Green Bay Packers 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 1 Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers
1968 Topps Test Team Photos New Orleans Saints 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 2 New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints
1968 Topps Test Team Photos New York Jets 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 3 New York Jets New York Jets
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Miami Dolphins 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 4 Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins This card pictures the 1967 Dolphins. Sadly, it might be the worst team photo ever. The coaches in front dominate the photo, and all you can see of the players in back is their heads. Only about half of the players' numbers are visible.
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Pittsburgh Steelers 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 5 Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Detroit Lions 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 6 Detroit Lions Detroit Lions
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Los Angeles Rams 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 7 Los Angeles Rams Los Angeles Rams
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Atlanta Falcons 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 8 Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons
1968 Topps Test Team Photos New York Giants 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 9 New York Giants New York Giants
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Denver Broncos 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 10 Denver Broncos Denver Broncos
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Dallas Cowboys 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 11 Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys This card pictures the 1967 Cowboys team. Strangely, the background is blanked out on the image, and the players appear to be floating in space. You can see the original image here. The 1967 Cowboys finished 9-5 and lost to the Green Bay Packers in the "Ice Bowl." The 1968 Cowboys went 12-2 and lost to the Cleveland Browns in the divisional round of the playoffs.
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Buffalo Bills 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 12 Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills The Bills finished 1-12-1 in 1968, worst in the NFL and AFL. They chose O.J. Simpson with the first overall draft pick in 1969.
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Cleveland Browns 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 13 Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns
1968 Topps Test Team Photos San Francisco 49ers 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 14 San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Baltimore Colts 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 15 Baltimore Colts Baltimore Colts
1968 Topps Test Team Photos San Diego Chargers 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 16 San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Oakland Raiders 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 17 Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Raiders arranged themselves in numerical order for this photo, with one exception: number 00, Jim Otto, the Hall of Fame center, is in the center of the front row.
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Houston Oilers 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 18 Houston Oilers Houston Oilers
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Minnesota Vikings 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 19 Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Washington Redskins 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 20 Washington Redskins Washington Redskins
1968 Topps Test Team Photos St. Louis Cardinals 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 21 St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis Cardinals
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Kansas City Chiefs 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 22 Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Boston Patriots 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 23 Boston Patriots Boston Patriots
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Chicago Bears 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 24 Chicago Bears Chicago Bears
1968 Topps Test Team Photos Philadelphia Eagles 1968 Topps Test Team Photos 25 Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles

This section contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

First 5 of 72 related items found on eBay. See more.
Image of eBay item 1968 Topps Test Teams #24 Chicago Bears PSA 6 1999.99
Image of eBay item 1968 Topps Test Teams #15 Baltimore Colts VG X3043418 72.50
Image of eBay item 1968 Topps Test Teams Football #22 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS PSA EX 5 150.00
Image of eBay item 1968 Topps Test Teams #15 Baltimore Colts with Johnny Unitas PSA 7 (Pop 5) 268.98
Image of eBay item 1968 Topps Football Test Teams #8 Atlanta Falcons VG 14.99
obo
🏈 See more related items on eBay: Active Listings, Completed Listings, Recent Sales.