Once one of the most highly sought after vintage football cards, O.J. Simpson’s 1970 Topps Rookie Card has seen an enormouse fall from grace and decline in value.  Certainly this news is far from shocking, as his recent history speaks for itself.  Following the “Trial of the Century,” Simpson’s cards saw an extreme drop in value, with his rookie card dropping from around $600 to around $150 in near-mint condition. 

The value of this card saw a continual decline over the years as memories of the Juice running through and around linebackers and defensive backs were replaced in the minds of most with memories of a White Bronco and a bloody glove.  No longer were people thinking “Hall of Fame Runningback” when they heard his name.  While his accomplishments on the field have not been diminished, his reputation is forever soiled. 

With his most recent trial, one that resulted in some serious jail time for O.J. (coincidentally convicted 13 years to the day of his acquittal in the murder trials), can we expect an even futher decline in his card values?  After all, while he may have been guilty of murder in the minds of many, now he’s officially a convicted felon soon to be seen in a bright orange jumpsuit.

On December 1st, in an eBay auction, a 1970 Topps O.J. Simpson graded PSA 8 sold for $100.00.  Granted, there was only one bidder on a high starting price.  With the news of O.J.’s conviction on December 5, the same card sold in an eBay auction for $87.00.  Raw examples of his card had previously been available for aorund $25.  The first one to sell following the news of the second conviction went for a mere $16.75.

Whether or not these immediate price differentials are predictors of another plummet in value of Simpson’s cards remains to be seen.  It could simply be coincidence, and perhaps this recent news won’t have much of an impact.  After all, how much more can his card values drop?  But, even these sales are indicative of just how much his values have been afffected by his actions, actions that many veiw as the most offensive actions imaginable.

O.J. will always be a Hall of Fame runng back.  His statistics will always keep him in the discussion of the all-time great college and professional running backs.  He will always have a place in certain collections, but it’s clear that what once was a must-have for many football collections is now just a card that many people avoid like fresh roadkill.

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