Hall of Famer Raymond Berry recently passed away at the age of 93. He was most known for his time spent with the Baltimore Colts as a wide receiver. While there, Berry was a key part of the offense. By the time he retired, Berry had accumulated 9,275 yards and made six Pro Bowls. Within the hobby, Berry was part of some memorable Topps sets during his playing days, and is also included on some iconic signature sets in his post-playing career.
Here is a look at some of his most essential cards in the hobby.
1957 Topps Football Raymond Berry Rookie Card
Berry’s rookie card can be found in the 1957 Topps Football set, which is legendary in its own right. The set contains the key rookies of Bart Starr and Johnny Unitas, which does mean Berry’s rookie can be overlooked at times. The card features an image of him catching a pass, while the reverse shows his face. The bottom of the card has his name, position, and team info.
Recently, a copy graded a PSA 5 sold for $171. It is very tough to find in good condition, as only 3 PSA 9s exist, with no PSA 10s.
1966 Philadelphia Football Raymond Berry #15
Aside from Topps, Philadelphia did make some football sets during the 1960’s. Berry’s last card during his playing days comes from the 1966 release. This is not a terribly expensive card to obtain, as a PSA 8 can be had for $95. Interestingly, Berry technically has a card in the 1967 release, but it contains an error: Berry is not the player pictured on the card. Therefore, this card marks his final appearance on cardboard during his active playing career.
1989 Pro Set Raymond Berry Coach Card
Some may not know that Raymond Berry also spent some time as a Head Coach in the NFL for the New England Patriots. Berry coached them from 1984 to 1989, making it all the way to Super Bowl XX, but falling short to the Chicago Bears. He has one card in the hobby where he is the coach, and it comes from the 1989 Pro Set release.
The card itself is common, and even an autographed version sells for only $10. However, it is an essential part of Berry’s time with the sport.
1999 SP Signature Raymond Berry Autographed Card
After his coaching and playing days were done, Berry still had key cards in the hobby. One such example is from the iconic 1999 SP Signature set. While the card design is simple, the product was notorious for having autographs of current and retired players that could be pack-pulled. Berry’s autograph is hard to miss, as it is signed in perfect cursive, adding great eye appeal to the card.
Raymond Berry may not have the same hobby appeal as others who played during his era, but he nonetheless has key cards. Whether it is his rookie card or an autographed card, he will have his place in the hobby for years to come.
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