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1963 IDL Pittsburgh Steelers Football Card Set and Checklist

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1963 IDL Pittsburgh Steelers Specs

Year: 1963

Title: IDL Pittsburgh Steelers

Size: 4″ by 5″

Number in Set: 26

1963 IDL Pittsburgh Steelers Overview

A cooperative of independent drugstores issued the 1963 Independent Drugstores League (IDL) Pittsburgh Steelers set. The cards are unnumbered, blank-backed, and printed on a relatively thin, magazine cover-like paper. Collectors may be able to find some cards with a specific drugstore’s address stamped on the back.

The photos of many players look odd because the images are of cropped action shots only showing the faces and upper bodies of the player.

The cards display the IDL Drug Store logo on the bottom front-left corner of the card. The player’s name is centered on the bottom in capital black letters.

1963 IDL Pittsburgh Steelers Examples and Sales

Mile High Card Company sold a complete set of these cards for $288 in September 2025.

1963 IDL Steelers Cards – Mile High Card Co.

PSA has graded 75 of these Steelers cards, mostly in the 6/7 range.

1963 IDL Pittsburgh Steelers Lou Cordileone

As you can see, while the cards are relatively rare, they’re also pretty inexpensive. Here are a few graded sales:

  • 1963 IDL Steelers Ed Brown PSA 5: $14.30 in June 2025
  • 1963 IDL Steelers Lou Cordileone PSA 5: $12.6 in June 2025
  • 1963 IDL Steelers Dick Hoak PSA 4: $9.38 in June 2025
  • 1963 IDL Steelers John Reger PSA 4: $6.50 in June 2025

I do see that a few raw copies of Ernie Stautner have sold for $170 in March 2024, $71.95 in January 2025, and $45 in October 2023.

1963 IDL Pittsburgh Steelers Key Cards

John Henry Johnson and Ernie Stautner are considered the headliners.

1963 IDL Pittsburgh Steelers Checklist

Frank Atkinson

Jim Bradshaw

Ed Brown

John Burrell

Preston Carpenter

Lou Cordileone

Buddy Dial

Bob Ferguson

Glenn Glass

Dick Haley

Dick Hoak

John Henry Johnson

Brady Keys

Joe Krupa

Ray Lemek

Red Mack

Lou Michaels

Bill Nelsen

Buzz Nutter

Myron Pottios

John Reger

Mike Sandusky

Ernie Stautner

George Tarasovic

Clendon Thomas

Tom Tracy