If you were a basketball card collector over 40 years ago, there wasn’t much to chase after once you bought enough packs to put the annual Topps set together. The 1974-75 Carvel NBA disc set was a little oasis in that winter desert—as long as you could get your hands on them. Carvel Ice Cream was—and still is—a regional product. The company, which had grown from a one man … [Read more...] about 1975 Carvel Disc Set a Blast from NBA’s Past
Old Basketball Card Sets
Cheap Vintage: 1979-80 Topps Basketball Set
There's little question that even for the most diehard of vintage basketball collectors, the 1979-80 Topps set is a remarkably tough sell. Given the content, that's entirely understandable. The Design Here's the good: The design is passable - and even unique. In almost every Topps basketball set before it, the team names of the players in question were sprawled either … [Read more...] about Cheap Vintage: 1979-80 Topps Basketball Set
1978-79 Topps Basketball Set: Home of Unsung Rookie Cards
To most, the 1978-79 Topps basketball set is one that does little but help connect the ABA/NBA merger era to the popular 1980-81 Topps issue, which features the rookie cards of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Hidden, however, in this collection is a quiet group of underappreciated rookie cards featuring many NBA stars and Hall of Famers. While the set doesn't include high-dollar … [Read more...] about 1978-79 Topps Basketball Set: Home of Unsung Rookie Cards
Bird-Magic Rookie Card Raises Profile of 1980-81 Set
You could buy almost as many boxes as you desired for a few dollars after it was released but in the 35 years that have passed , 1980-81 Topps Basketball cards have become a hot property. Well, one of them anyway. The set is known for its unique, three-player perforated panel design that put Larry Bird and Magic Johnson on the same card. The Bird-Johnson rookie card … [Read more...] about Bird-Magic Rookie Card Raises Profile of 1980-81 Set
1977-78 Topps Basketball Set Began 3-Year Lean, Mean Run
The pro game was struggling when the 1977-78 Topps basketball set hit the market. America was smack in the middle of disco fever but there was no dancing in the NBA offices. TV ratings were abysmal, even with the addition of four fresh teams from the ABA. The malaise was reflected on cardboard. 1977-78 Topps Basketball Brought Smaller Cards; Smaller Checklist After … [Read more...] about 1977-78 Topps Basketball Set Began 3-Year Lean, Mean Run
Hoops Cards on Steroids: 1976-77 Topps Basketball
You’re almost tempted to stick a stamp on the back and mail them from your favorite vacation spot. 1976-77 Topps basketball cards certainly feel like postcards. At 3 1/8” x 5 ¼” these cardboard behemoths represent the largest flagship sports card set ever made. With a deep Hall of Fame roster and just 144 cards to collect, it’s also one of the most collectible of the 1970s … [Read more...] about Hoops Cards on Steroids: 1976-77 Topps Basketball
1973-74 Topps Basketball Set Low on Rookies; High on HOFers
The 1973-74 Topps Basketball set may never measure up to the sets produced during the golden age of basketball cards — the emergence of 1980s stars Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, followed by Michael Jordan, was a big turning point for collectors. But the set gave basketball card collectors another taste of the two-league war being waged by the NBA and the upstart ABA, … [Read more...] about 1973-74 Topps Basketball Set Low on Rookies; High on HOFers
Best Vintage Hoops Bargain? 1972-73 Has Doc, HOF Horde
The Doctor was in and so was the Zen Master. The ABA was back. Wheaties were in the mix and Wilt tipped it all off. The 1972-73 Topps Basketball set is a gold mine of 70s hoop goodness, even if some of the players still had their shirts on backwards. After pushing out a 233-card issue in 1971, Topps kicked it up another notch in ’72 with a tidy, 264-card … [Read more...] about Best Vintage Hoops Bargain? 1972-73 Has Doc, HOF Horde
1971-72 Topps Basketball Set Welcomed ABA
I’ll always have a fondness for the 1971-72 Topps Basketball set. A day or two before Christmas, the boyfriend of my high school age sister dropped by the house and deposited a present under our tree that I quickly deduced was an entire unopened box under our tree. To a kid who had to search the couch cushions to find a dime for one pack, getting 24 of them in one … [Read more...] about 1971-72 Topps Basketball Set Welcomed ABA
Kahn’s Basketball Cards Gave Collectors A Bite Of Hoop History
No matter how you slice it, the Kahn’s basketball cards that were released between 1957 and 1965 were a rare, regional phenomenon. The Cincinnati-based meat company’s slogan was “The Wiener The World Awaited.” For basketball card collectors, these NBA sets came at a price — the cards were packaged with Kahn’s hot dogs, so finding any in pristine condition was … [Read more...] about Kahn’s Basketball Cards Gave Collectors A Bite Of Hoop History