• Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Get Sports Collectors Daily via EMail
    • Advertise with SC Daily
    • Where Can I Sell My Baseball Cards?
    • Write About Your Sports Collection
  • Hot on Ebay
    • Most Watched Baseball Cards
      • Babe Ruth Cards
      • Hank Aaron Cards
      • Hottest Willie Mays Baseball Cards
      • Mickey Mantle Cards
      • Most Popular Nolan Ryan Cards on eBay
      • Most Watched T206 Baseball Cards on eBay
      • Most Watched 1952 Topps Cards on eBay
    • Most Watched Basketball Cards
      • Top 100 Most Watched Basketball Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
      • Michael Jordan Cards
      • Hottest LeBron James Rookie Cards on eBay Now
      • Stephen Curry Cards
    • Most Watched Football Cards
    • Most Watched Hockey Cards
      • Active Market for Connor McDavid Cards
      • Bobby Orr Cards Still a Magnet for Collectors
    • Soccer Cards
    • Rookie Cards
    • Game Used Memorabilia
    • PSA 10 Cards
    • Sports Autographs
    • Vintage Sports Memorabilia
  • Ending Soon on Ebay
    • Baseball Cards
    • Basketball Cards
    • Football Cards
    • Hockey Cards
  • Search 268X60

Sports Collectors Daily

Sports collecting news - Sports cards and sports memorabilia industry news.

Top Mobile

  • Sports Memorabilia News
  • Sports Card News
    • Modern Sports Card News
    • Vintage Sports Card News
      • Affordable Vintage Cards, Collectibles
      • Old Baseball Card Sets
      • Old Basketball Card Sets
      • Old Football Card Sets
  • Business/Industry News
    • Sports Memorabilia Business News
    • Sports Memorabilia Industry News
  • Around The Hobby
    • Editor’s Blog
    • David Cycleback’s Identification and Authentication Advice
    • What’s Hot in the Shop
  • Popular Stories
You are here: Home / Sports Card News / Vintage Sports Card News / Collecting Jerry West: From Finals MVP on a Losing Team to “The Logo”

Top Banner 486X60

Mile High Card Co.

Collecting Jerry West: From Finals MVP on a Losing Team to “The Logo”

June 8, 2014 By Darren Smythe

It is a rare occasion in sports when a player from the losing team deserves the MVP award in a Finals series. It is nearly unheard of for that deserving player to actually receive the award. Jerry West and the Lakers came up two points short in the 1969 NBA Finals, but West was so brilliant that while his team didn’t end Early 1960s Jerry West Los Angeles Lakers game-used and autographed home jerseyup with the big trophy he was still named the Most Valuable Player. Those sort of performances are why Jerry West basketball cards and memorabilia are still popular  with collectors today.

Even in a franchise filled with stars from six decades, West remains a Hall of Fame standout and is regarded as one of the greatest guards of all-time.

Remarkable Finals Performance

Jerry West Topps TestForty-five years ago, West faced a veteran Boston Celtics team with many options to try to contain him. West scored 53 points in Game 1 and the Lakers edged the Celts by a basket. The Lakers also won Game 2 with West delivering 41 points. The series shifted to Boston and the Celtics won Game 3, with West “held” to 24. Boston Garden was usually an invincible fortress for the Celtics, in Game 4 West went 10 for 10 on free throws and scored 40, but his team lost by a point.

It was back to California for an easy win and 39 points from West, followed by a return to Boston where the Lakers lost by nine with West dropping 26. West was at his best in Game 7, scoring 42, but in what was the last game for Russell and K.C. Jones, the Celtics won the title with a 108-106 victory.

Playing 43.9 minutes a game, West had averaged 37.9 points, 7.4 assists and 4.7 rebounds. In later years he had Gail Goodrich next to him in the backcourt to take on a lot of the scoring load but on the 1969 team West did it essentially all himself.

John Havlicek was brilliant too, with 28.3 points, 4.4 assists and 11 rebounds for Boston and Russell was also a force, but West led all players in the playoffs for total points, assists, field goals made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, as well as points per game.

Vintage Jerry West Cards

West played in the NBA from 1960-61 to 1973-74 and despite a dearth of cards in the first half of his career, he’s featured in Topps sets of the 1970s. Of course the biggest card a West collector could have is his rookie card. The 1961-62 Fleer set has West’s rookie card, #43, as well as the rookie cards of Chamberlain, Robertson, Baylor, Rodgers and Celtics K.C. and Sam Jones. 

Kahns Jerry WestSadly, there would be no more mainstream basketball cards until later in his career.  Collectors should look to regional sets like Kahn’s for 1960s West cards until he returns as card #19 in the extremely rare 1968-69 Topps Test set.

His oversized cards in 1969-70 and 1970-71 Topps marked his return on bubble gum cards.  For those who want some fun with their West collection, check out the1969-70 Topps Rulers insert. In 1970-71, there was also a West insert poster.  He then appears on Topps cards until his retirement. Except for the highest graded cards, most latter career West cards are only a few dollars.

Modern Era Mr. Clutch Cards

Some of West’s most exciting cards are from recent products. 2012-13 Panini National Treasures, Immaculate Collection and Flawless feature West cards with game-used jersey pieces and/or autographs. WEstAuto

2000 Upper Deck Master 2000 Upper Deck Master Collection Jerry WestCollection Jerry West cards are something different to search for, they have an autograph and a piece of the Forum floor he used to play on. 

Something to look for on his autographed cards is the “Mr. Clutch” inscription. He was called that for how he could take over a game in the final minute.

West collectors will find plenty of cards in 1996 Topps Stars, while Upper Deck included him in various sets like 1999-00 Upper Deck Retro and 1999-00 Upper Deck NBA Legends. His 2001-02 Upper Deck 15,000 Point Club Jersey card has a great design while there are different parallel refractors versions to collect of his 2007-08 Topps Finest card.

When Upper Deck exploded onto the NBA card scene in 1991-92 they had holograms and Jordan cards, and a Jerry West Heroes insert set. It is an inexpensive but educational set to collect and there are some autographed versions. The Heroes cards sell for under $1 and each card has a different topic about his career, with card #3 chronicling the 1969 NBA Finals MVP performance. In 1992-93, Upper Deck produced the Jerry West Selects insert set. As the title suggests, West personally selected players for different criteria. His Best All-Around was Jordan. Best Defender, Jordan again. Best shooter, Jordan. Best Clutch Player, Jordan. There are 16 other cards that don’t have Aurora Jerry West modelJordan, however. West also liked Tim Hardaway and Dikembe Mutombo while Magic Johnson had three cards in the set.

A Model Player

West was not only a role model for those playing basketball, in 1965 he was also a plastic model kit. Made by Aurora, the Jerry West Great Moments In Sport “all-plastic assembly kit” can be valued at $400 for sealed examples while there is even a market for kits that have been put together.

Of course the few number of game-worn West items from his playing days bring big bucks on the few occasions they come to market.  An autographed early 60’s West jersey sold for $96,000 in September 2012.

Being the only NBA Finals MVP on a losing team is just one reason to collect Jerry West basketball cards and memorabilia, but if you’ve got an NBA logo, you’ve got Jerry—his silhouette preserved for all-time as the image of the NBA.

You can see hundreds of West items on eBay here.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon

Related Stories:

1961-62 Fleer Basketball Set Still Scoring With Collectors Kahn’s Basketball Cards Gave Collectors A Bite Of Hoop History Big, Sticky, Quirky: 1970s Topps Basketball Inserts Ran the Gamut Vintage Pack Break of the Week: 1975-76 Topps Basketball Wax Larry Bird 1981-82 Topps5 Underrated Old Basketball Card Sets 1970-71 Topps Pete MaravichPete Maravich Rookie Card a Hoops Collecting Icon 1973-74 Topps Basketball Set Low on Rookies; High on HOFers New York Nets Team Leaders 1974-751974-75 Topps Basketball Set Offers Value Odd Anniversary: Wilt Held Scoreless 1950-51 Scotts Chips George MikanUltra-Rare 1950-51 Scott’s Lakers Complete Set Up for Auction

Filed Under: Vintage Sports Card News Tagged With: 1960s basketball cards, Jerry West, vintage basketball cards

Bottom Mobile

Bottom Banner 336X280

Left #1 200X50

What\\\

Left #2 200X150

Huggins and Scott - Now accepting consignments

Left #3 200X150

Right #1 160X240

Right #2 160X240

Left #4 160X600

Right #3 160X600

  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • Hockey

Right #4 – 160X240

Bargain Corner

  • Mickey Mantle Cards Under $100
  • Pre-1980 Graded Baseball Cards Currently Under $5
  • Pre-1980 Graded Football Cards Currently Under $5
  • Pre-1980 Graded Basketball Cards $5 and Less
  • Pre-1980 Graded Hockey Cards $5 and Less
  • Complete Sets Under $10 with Free Shipping
  • Baseball Hall of Famers for $5 or Less
  • Football Hall of Famers for $5 or Less
  • Hobby Boxes Under $30
  • Rookie Cards Under $1

RSS Auction Report

  • Bid Now In Bagger’s Auctions Spring Auction Ending April 26, 2018
  • Bid In RR Auction May 9, 2018 Fine Autographs and Artifacts Auction
  • Heritage Auctions’ Chicago Comics & Comic Art Auction Could Challenge Record For Most Valuable Ever
  • Steiner Auctions in San Francisco and Hofstra This Weekend
Countdown to Black Friday - A New Sale Everyday at SportsMemorabilia.com


Categories

  • Business/Industry News
    • Sports Memorabilia Business News
    • Sports Memorabilia Industry News
  • David Cycleback's Identification and Authentication Advice
  • Editor's Blog
  • Library of College Football
  • National Sports Collectors Convention
  • Popular Stories
  • Rich Klein's Ramblings
  • Shopping
  • Sports Card News
    • Modern Sports Card News
    • Vintage Sports Card News
      • Old Baseball Card Sets
      • Old Basketball Card Sets
      • Old Football Card Sets
  • Sports Memorabilia
    • Around the Hobby
    • Sports Memorabilia News
  • Vintage Hockey Card Sets
  • What's Hot in the Shop

Sponsor Links

  • Buying Vintage Sports Cards
  • Game Used Jerseys
  • Every Athlete Autograph Event
  • 1952 Topps Baseball
  • Championship Rings For Sale
  • Vintage Basketball Cards
  • NBA Signed Items
  • Signed Sports Memorabilia
  • UFC Memorabilia
  • Autographed Baseballs
  • NASCAR Autographs
  • Vintage Graded Baseball Cards
  • Player Pictures
  • Vintage Football Cards
  • Sports Card Boxes
  • Sports Collectors Store

Left #5 200X50

Sports Card Forum

Pages

  • 100 Most Watched Graded Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
  • 20 Hottest Barry Sanders Football Cards
  • 2016 Cubs Replica Championship Rings Don’t Cost a Fortune
  • 2017 Topps Definitive Collection Box Breaks, Most Watched
  • 50 Hottest Kareem Hunt Rookie Cards
  • About Us/Contact/Advertise
    • Advertise with SC Daily
    • Contact Us
    • Get Sports Collectors Daily via EMail
  • Affordable Vintage Sports Cards and Collectibles
  • Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
  • Baseball Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Basketball Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Best Joey Votto Rookie Cards
  • Current Most Watched Baseball Cards on eBay
  • Eagles Super Bowl Champions Memorabilia Guide
  • Fanatics Under Wraps 2017 Next Level Edition Autographed Baseballs
  • Football Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Great Gifts for Cubs Fans
  • Guide to Clemson Tigers National Championship Memorabilia
  • Guide to Houston Astros Championship Memorabilia
  • Hank Aaron Cards on eBay
  • Henrik Lundqvist Rookie Cards a Strong Long-Term Play
  • Hockey Card Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
  • Hottest Lonzo Ball Rookie Cards on eBay
  • Hottest PSA 10 Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Hottest Topps NOW Cards on eBay
  • Hottest UFC Relic Cards
  • Hottest Xander Bogaerts Rookie Cards
  • Links
  • Mickey Mantle Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched 1/1 Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Basketball Cards on eBay
    • Hottest Michael Jordan Basketball Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Football Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Game Used Memorabilia on eBay
  • Most Watched Hockey Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Soccer Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Most Watched Sports Autographs on eBay
  • Most Watched Vintage Sports Memorabilia on eBay
  • Patriots Super Bowl 51 Champions Merchandise
  • Terms and Conditions
  • The 2013 Bowman Chrome Draft Kris Bryant Auto Saga: A Timeline
  • Top 100 Most Watched Basketball Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
  • What’s Hot on eBay
  • What’s It Worth
  • Where Can I Sell My Baseball Cards?
  • Write About Your Sports Collection

Copyright © 2018 SportsCollectorsDaily.com | Genesis Web Design by Wickam Group