A field guide to thrifted sport
Secondhand Archive
Vol. 60s–70s · Miami Dolphins · #39 Csonka

Vintage 1960s–70s Dolphins

sweatshirts.

Vintage 1960s–70s Miami Dolphins sweatshirts, from the Perfect years (1972–1973). 17–0 and Super Bowl VII in 1972, then Super Bowl VIII. Shula, Griese, Csonka, the No-Name Defense.

What dates a piece to the 1960s–70s: No names on many pre-1970 NFL jerseys, AFL-era names like Boston Patriots, short-lived 60s logos, Champion Rochester labels. Navy is the giveaway: logos and numbers without navy are 1996 or earlier, while the darker dolphin with navy shadows came in 1997. We don't keep a market snapshot for this collection, so check listings against the list below and ask the seller for photos of the tag and the measurements.

NO. · · 1960S–70S DOLPHINS SWEATSHIRTS, BY THE NUMBERS
Years
1960–79
Garment
sweatshirt
Rough value
$91+
39
Csonka · #39
CREWNECK'72
60s–70s · Sweatshirts
vol. 60s–70s
NO. 01 · ON EBAY NOW

We don't keep a market snapshot for this collection. The live eBay search shows everything listed right now; use the checklist below to judge what you find.

Search eBay →
LOW · $91
TYPICAL · $203
HIGH · $508

rough guide, not an appraisal

price check

a fair price for a fair shirt

NO. 02 · WHAT TO LOOK FOR
  • Old team names: Boston Patriots (renamed New England in 1971), Dallas Texans (moved to Kansas City as the Chiefs in 1963), Baltimore Colts and Houston Oilers.
  • Short-lived logos: the Bills' standing buffalo (through 1973), the Giants' lowercase "ny" (1961-74), the Bears' white wishbone C (orange from 1974) and the Broncos' pre-1968 bucking horse.
  • Champion labels crediting Rochester, N.Y. The company was based there until Sara Lee bought it in 1989, so the address fits this era but does not prove it.
  • Read the tag first: maker, country of origin and fiber content. A Made in USA tag fits the 80s and early 90s better than the 2000s.
  • Match the graphics to the team's timeline. The logo, colors and city name should all fit the era the seller claims.
the 60s–70s dolphins
39
worn by · Csonka
the

Perfect

era, 1972–1973

17–0 and Super Bowl VII in 1972, then Super Bowl VIII. Shula, Griese, Csonka, the No-Name Defense.

NO. 03 · IN THE DESIGN ARCHIVE

Looking for one specific design? The archive files every Dolphins design we found on eBay, one page each, with all its past examples.

Miami Dolphins · 34 designs →

NO. 04 · RELATED COLLECTIONS
NO. 05 · FIELD NOTES

How can I tell a 1960s–70s Dolphins sweatshirt is original and not a modern reissue?

Start with the tag: the maker and the country of manufacture should fit the 1960s–70s, and a licensed piece usually names the NFL or the team on a label. Then check that the logo, wordmark and colors match what the Dolphins used in those years. Modern retro and throwback lines copy old graphics but use current tags, so a tag photo settles most questions.

Why does this page mention Csonka?

Csonka wore #39 in the Perfect years (1972–1973). 17–0 and Super Bowl VII in 1972, then Super Bowl VIII. Shula, Griese, Csonka, the No-Name Defense. Player numbers and names from a team's best-known years are the ones most often printed and sewn on fan gear, so they turn up most in secondhand listings.

How does a vintage sweatshirt fit?

Vintage sweatshirts were cut differently from today's, and cotton blends shrink with washing, so the tag size is only a hint. Compare the seller's pit-to-pit and length measurements with a sweatshirt you own.

Read the full buying guide →