Basketball card collecting has many iconic rookie cards for collectors to chase. From George Mikan to Bill Russell. Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) to, of course, Michael Jordan. But none of them possess the sheer star power totality of the 1980-81 Topps Larry Bird/ Julius Erving/ Magic Johnson card. Both Bird and Magic made their debut in the same year. Pairing … [Read more...] about 1980-81 Topps Basketball: Taming a Perforated Monster
1976-77 Topps basketball set
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: 1976-77 Topps Basketball
The world of pro basketball was a wild and woolly place in the 1970s and Topps was along for the ride. After a call to the league got them another crack at NBA trading cards in the late 60s, the company toyed with the format of its cards--and the size. Their first two sets were "tall boys", rectangular in size, supposedly a nod to the size of the players. They … [Read more...] about Vintage Pack Facts: 1976-77 Topps Basketball
Big O’s Rings; Hoarder’s Card Stash Top Leland’s Sale
Oscar Robertson's NBA championship ring Hall of Fame ring sold for more than $150,000 combined in the Leland's Invitational Auction over the weekend. The Hall of Famer consigned 51 items from his career to the auction including game-worn jerseys, awards and other memorabilia. Robertson's 1971 NBA title ring, won during his time as a member of the … [Read more...] about Big O’s Rings; Hoarder’s Card Stash Top Leland’s Sale