For the older generation of sports collectors who are veteran or lifelong collectors, 1971 doesn’t seem like it was a half century ago. The harsh reminder comes almost weekly, when another one of the many sports icons that graced the sports card sets of that year are gone. This year alone, baseball has lost home run king Hank Aaron, legendary pitcher Don Sutton, Mudcat Grant … [Read more...] about Hobby Flashback: 1971 Was A Vintage Year in All Sports
1971-72 Topps basketball
The ABA Story, Part II – Rookie Cards of Eight ABA-Only Greats
Several weeks back, we strolled down memory lane, reliving the delightful – and delightfully weird – heyday of the ABA. Anyone truly familiar with basketball history will recognize a common thread among those highlighted in that piece. Not only were these among the most accomplished of ABA alumni, but NBA success also lay in their future. Julius Erving, Rick Barry, Artis … [Read more...] about The ABA Story, Part II – Rookie Cards of Eight ABA-Only Greats
1948 Bowman Pack Among Mountain of Unopened in Upcoming Auction
Some of it came off the assembly line just a year or two ago. One pack has remained sealed for more than 72 years. It's a wide scope of cases, boxes and packs and it's all coming to market in a couple of weeks. Heritage Auctions will feature 173 different lots of unopened material in its upcoming Summer Sports Card Auction, with a mix of vintage and modern … [Read more...] about 1948 Bowman Pack Among Mountain of Unopened in Upcoming Auction
The Story of the ABA in 9 Rookie Cards
The ABA’s mystique is steeped in the mystery of unseen thrills and unknowable greatness. Happily, those there to witness the feats firsthand are more than happy to tell the tales (Terry Pluto’s Loose Balls is the best trove of these stories). YouTube and various documentarians have also done an admirable job. It’s imperfect, but, we get what we get, right? At the same time, … [Read more...] about The Story of the ABA in 9 Rookie Cards
Vintage Pack Facts: 1971-72 Topps Basketball
Fans of the 11 teams in the American Basketball Association had to be stoked when they picked up a pack of 1971-72 Topps basketball cards. For the first time, the league's players were welcomed into the basketball bubble gum fraternity. Kids across America were intrigued by the red, white and blue ball, the unique team names, the unfamiliar uniforms and the players … [Read more...] about Vintage Pack Facts: 1971-72 Topps Basketball
Scarce 1971-72 Dual Wax Box Highlights 900-Lot Wheatland Auction
Amid the hundreds of new and vintage sports cards, autographs and memorabilia in Wheatland Auction Services’ online catalog is something even experts in the field consider a white whale—something known to exist but virtually unseen in many years. Standing out among a recently consigned collection of vintage unopened boxes was a 1971-72 Topps basketball “double box”, featuring … [Read more...] about Scarce 1971-72 Dual Wax Box Highlights 900-Lot Wheatland Auction
Notes: Who’s Stealing Sports Awards? Wulkan Joins Pawn Stars; Buying Trip Season
They are unique items—one of a kind and virtually unsellable in the open market. Recent thefts of valuable sports memorabilia including Yogi Berra’s World Series rings, Roger Maris’ MVP trophy and Hickock Belt, some pricey boxing championship belts and even the 1903 Belmont Stakes trophy haven’t been solved. The thefts aren’t taking place in one area and the items … [Read more...] about Notes: Who’s Stealing Sports Awards? Wulkan Joins Pawn Stars; Buying Trip Season
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