Joe Montana. The name alone carries the weight of four Super Bowl rings and a kind of "cool" that modern quarterbacks still try to replicate. But if you were ripping packs in the early nineties, you probably remember the 1991 Score set. It was everywhere. Grocery stores, hobby shops, gas stations—basically any place with a cash register had those purple-and-red packs. Among the sea of cardboard, the joe montana score 91 card stands out, not because it'll buy you a private island, but because of what it represents in the timeline of "Joe Cool."
Honestly, the 1991 Score set is the definition of the "Junk Wax Era." Companies were printing cards by the millions, and for a long time, collectors thought these were worthless. They weren't exactly wrong. You can still find base copies of Montana’s #1 card for the price of a cheap taco. But as the hobby has matured and "vintage" now includes the nineties, certain versions of this card have started to command real respect.
The Two Faces of Joe: Card #1 vs. Card #620
Most people don't realize there isn't just one Joe Montana in this set. You've got the flagship #1 card, which kicked off the entire 687-card checklist. It’s a classic shot of Joe in the red Niners jersey, looking downfield. Then there’s the #620 Team MVP subset card.
The #620 is actually pretty historic. It’s widely considered one of the last base-level cards to show Montana as a San Francisco 49er before the world changed. See, Joe missed the entire 1991 season with an elbow injury. While he was sidelined, Steve Young took the reins, and by the time Score released their next major set, the "Montana to Rice" era was effectively over.
Why the 1991 Score Joe Montana #1 is special:
- The Numbering: Being "Card #1" in any set gives it a psychological edge for collectors.
- The Photography: It captures the peak 49ers aesthetic.
- The Availability: You can find it anywhere, making it the perfect "entry-level" HOF card.
Let's Talk Money: Is Your Card Worth Anything?
If you find a dusty Joe Montana Score 91 card in your garage, don't quit your day job just yet. For a raw, ungraded card, you’re looking at maybe $1 to $3. If it’s got soft corners or a crease, it’s basically a bookmark.
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However, the grading game changes things. Professional grading through PSA or SGC has breathed new life into these overproduced cards. Because 1991 Score was notorious for poor centering and "chipping" on the edges, finding a "Gem Mint" copy is harder than you'd think.
Recent sales data shows a massive gap:
- Raw/Ungraded: $0.50 – $2.00
- PSA 9 (Mint): $15 – $25
- PSA 10 (Gem Mint): $35 – $110 (depending on the day and the buyer)
It’s kind of wild that a card printed in the millions can hit triple digits, but that’s the power of a "10" grade. Collectors who grew up in the 90s now have adult money, and they want the perfect version of the card they used to keep in a shoebox.
The "Holy Grail" of 91 Score: The Autograph
Now, if we’re talking about the real prize, we have to mention the Joe Montana autographed insert. Score actually got Joe to sit down and sign 2,500 cards. Back then, "pack-pulled" autos were incredibly rare. It wasn't like today where every box guarantees three "hits."
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If you have a certified 1991 Score Joe Montana autograph with the embossed seal, you're looking at a card worth hundreds, even thousands if it’s graded well. These are the "unicorns" of the Junk Wax Era. Many collectors spent their entire childhoods looking for one and never even saw a person who had seen one.
What Most People Get Wrong About Condition
centering. That’s the big one. If you look at your joe montana score 91 card and the photo looks like it’s sliding off the left side, it’s "off-center." Score’s quality control in 1991 was... let's say "relaxed."
A card might look brand new, but if the borders aren't perfectly even, it’ll never hit that $100 price point. Also, check the back. The 1991 design used a lot of colored ink on the reverse, which shows every little white speck or scratch.
How to tell if your card is worth grading:
- Corners: Are they sharp enough to poke a hole in a balloon? They need to be.
- Surface: Hold it under a desk lamp. Any scratches or dimples?
- Edges: Is the color solid, or is there "silvering" where the ink has worn off?
The Legacy of the 1991 Set
We shouldn't just look at these as financial assets. The 1991 Score set was an explosion of color. It had "Dream Team" cards, "Air Mail" inserts, and some of the best rookie cards of the era (like Brett Favre in his Atlanta Falcons jersey).
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Joe Montana was the face of the NFL during this transition. Even though he didn't play a snap in '91, he was still the guy everyone wanted to pull. Seeing him in that #1 spot in the set felt right. It felt like he was still the king, even as the Steve Young era was looming in the background.
Actionable Next Steps for Collectors
If you're sitting on a stack of these or thinking about buying one, here's the smart way to handle it:
- Don't grade unless it's perfect: Unless the card looks like it was printed five minutes ago and is perfectly centered, the $20 grading fee will be more than the card is worth.
- Look for the Team MVP variation: Many collectors overlook card #620. If you’re a Montana completist, you need both the base and the subset.
- Check for the "Factory Set" versions: Cards from the factory-sealed purple boxes often have better edges than those pulled from wax packs because they haven't been bounced around in a box for 30 years.
- Verify Autographs: If you find an "autographed" Montana, ensure it has the official Score authentication on the back. People have been faking Joe’s signature for decades.
Whether you're doing it for the nostalgia or trying to find a Gem Mint sleeper, the joe montana score 91 card remains a cornerstone of 90s football history. It’s a cheap thrill that reminds us of a time when the 49ers ruled the world and a pack of cards only cost fifty cents.