Franco Harris
Date of Birth: 3/7/1950
Rookie Card Year: 1973
Investment Rating: 8.5
Overview
When you are part of a Super Bowl dynasty for a team with as passionate and far-ranging a fan base as the Pittsburgh Steelers, you can be guaranteed that your football cards and autographed memorabilia will always be in high demand. Such is the case for the Franco Harris cards and memorabilia. These remain some of the most popular items pursued by collectors of the Steelers Nation.
Franco Harris was a key part of Pittsburgh's run of four championships in six years. A nine-time Pro Bowl selection and the 1972 Rookie of the Year, Harris' punishing rushing style allowed the Steelers to develop a balanced game to capitalize on the team's aerial assault that was led by teammate and fellow Hall of Famer, Terry Bradshaw.
Selected out of Penn State with the 13th pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, Harris debuted for the Steelers that same year. The Franco Harris rookie card is found in 1973 Topps Football. While the 1973 Topps card is Harris' official rookie card, he did have other cards and items issued that year. These include three different team-issued cards. In addition, 7-11 included Harris on their 1973 Slurpee Cup Disc checklist, as well.
View the most popular Franco Harris auctions currently on eBay.
When it comes to autographed memorabilia, Franco Harris has plenty in the market. However, due to his winning pedigree, these cards don't usually isn't cheap. On the rare occasion that game-used memorabilia from his career makes its way to auction, the realized prices are often astronomical.
The most affordable alternative for collectors is his autographed and memorabilia trading cards. Franco Harris has been included in numerous modern sports card products and he has ample amounts of quality material to choose from at almost any budget.
Franco Harris Rookie Card Guide
1973 Topps Franco Harris RC #89
Featuring Franco Harris standing on the sidelines during his rookie year, presumably watching the Steelers' defense, the simple design from 1973 Topps Football has been a collector favorite for years.
Key Franco Harris Cards to Collect
1991 Pro Line Portraits Autographs Franco Harris #95
Franco Harris' first officially certified autograph card was part of the much revered 1991 Pro Line Portraits set. Like many retired greats from Harris' era, this was the first affordable trading card product that offered the chance of pulling an autograph of a Hall of Fame player.
The embossed certification seal visible on the corners of the card ensures the autograph's authenticity.
2000 Playoff Momentum Super Bowl Souvenirs Franco Harris
Franco Harris' first game-used memorabilia cards were included in 2000 Playoff Momentum Football. Given the individual rarity, the cards are incredibly difficult to find on the secondary market.
Harris has a total of seven cards in the set, including two solo cards that are numbered to 100 copies, and three where Harris is paired with other players (#/50 and #/25). He also has two solo autographed memorabilia cards (#/25).
 | Making purchases through affiliate links can earn the site a commission |
Autograph Guide
Franco Harris Autographed Memorabilia Buying Guide
Below you will find examples of what an authentic Franco Harris autograph looks like. This can be used as a first point of reference for determining the legitimacy of autograph memorabilia, but is not a substitute for having your items authenticated by a well-respected professional autograph authentication company. Some of the trusted sources within the sports memorabilia market include the following companies: PSA, JSA, Steiner, Tristar and Mounted Memories.
Franco Harris Cut Signature Exemplar
Franco Harris Key Signature Attributes: An authentic Franco Harris signature autograph will exhibit several distinguishing characteristics. Regardless of the type of item or when it was signed, look for the following signature features:
- A combination of printing and cursive handwriting creates a fairly legible signature.
- The letter "F" is hard to discern and looks more like a combination of a "G-h", which is actually part of the letter "r."
- The "a-n-c-o" are legible with the "a-n" connected, the pen lifts for the "c" and "o" are themselves disconnected.
- The letter "H" is connected by an angled line from the bottom of the right parallel line back up to the middle of the first.
- The letters "a-r-r-i" are legible and connected, the two "r"s create a character that looks like an "n", and the "i" is dotted.
- The "s" is implied with a large backward "c"-like swoop.
- He often inscribes his jersey number ("32").
Franco Harris Signed Football Pricing:
Active Listings for Franco Harris Signed Footballs
Franco Harris Signed Jersey Pricing:
Active Listings for Franco Harris Signed Jerseys
Franco Harris Signed Helmet Pricing:
Active Listings for Franco Harris Signed Helmets
Franco Harris Signed Photograph Pricing:
Active Listings for Franco Harris Signed Photographs
| Making purchases through affiliate links can earn the site a commission |
