If we’re being kind, we might refer to Topps’ 1979-80 basketball set as “unspectacular”. The product failed to resonate with collectors at the time of its release. More than four decades on, not much has changed. Despite a attractive design and some sharp action shots, a rookie crop of Alex English, Mychal Thompson and Reggie Theus and, well, not much else, isn’t the stuff … [Read more...] about Ranking Every 1980-81 Topps Magic Johnson and Larry Bird Card
1980s basketball cards
Buyer of $5 Million Mantle Adds Larry Bird-Magic Johnson Rookie Card for $513,565
Forty seasons after it rolled off the line at Duryea, PA as part of a unique, often confusing--and much derided--set of basketball cards, one of the highest graded examples of the Topps Larry Bird-Magic Johnson rookie cards sold for over a half million dollars late Friday night. The PSA Gem Mint 10 example--one of 24--was purchased by Rob Gough, an entrepreneur, actor … [Read more...] about Buyer of $5 Million Mantle Adds Larry Bird-Magic Johnson Rookie Card for $513,565
One Last Year in the Wilderness – Basketball Cards in 1982-83
That major sports card manufacturers have historically made a habit of taking hiatuses from basketball is well-trodden ground. That proclivity for punting on hoops meant that the decades of the 1950s and 1960s – or nearly 30% of NBA history – saw the release of just two mainstream sets. On the bright side, as a result of having to make up for lost time, these issues – … [Read more...] about One Last Year in the Wilderness – Basketball Cards in 1982-83
Rare, Relevant and… Anonymous?? Michael Jordan’s 1985-86 Star Card
Stop me if you’ve heard this before… The title of “most hilariously stacked basketball set of the twentieth century” comes down to three names: 1961-62 Fleer (Wilt, West, Oscar, Elgin rookies, plus those of seven other Hall of Famers), 1969-70 Topps (99 cards, 15 Hall of Fame RCs, led by Lew Alcindor’s), and 1986-87 Fleer (Jordan, Barkley, Ewing, Olajuwon, Isiah, Dominique, … [Read more...] about Rare, Relevant and… Anonymous?? Michael Jordan’s 1985-86 Star Card
Jewels in the Junk – 1990s NBA Sleepers
We’ve written, at some length, about the formative and transformative periods in the history of basketball cards. We all know the drill by now: star-studded 1961-62 Fleer gives way to, well, nothing for the better part of a decade. Topps redefines the hobby, first with its legendary 1969-70 set, then as the only game in town until early 1980s. Topps makes for the exit, again, … [Read more...] about Jewels in the Junk – 1990s NBA Sleepers
1986-87 Fleer Basketball and “Rightful” Rookie Cards
In terms of the sheer depth and quality of their rookie cards, three basketball card sets forever stand alone. Why “forever”? Because, these days, it's unlikely that all major card manufacturers will simply bail on basketball for several years. The gorgeous 1961-62 Fleer set, for instance, is hilariously stacked, featuring rookie cards of inner-most circle legends Wilt … [Read more...] about 1986-87 Fleer Basketball and “Rightful” Rookie Cards
Hey, Who’s That Guy Guarding Elston Turner in the 1985-86 Wendy’s Denver Nuggets Set?
While Fleer was still in the process of acquiring the NBA’s trading card rights and Star Company was in its final year of production, collectors in the Denver area could find Michael Jordan on a trading card they picked up while grabbing a combo meal. Like seemingly every other basketball card set or single card, this one’s starting to pick up steam. The 1985-86 … [Read more...] about Hey, Who’s That Guy Guarding Elston Turner in the 1985-86 Wendy’s Denver Nuggets Set?
Waxing Nostaglic: 1988-89 Fleer Basketball Loaded With Key Rookies, Stars
The “Last Dance,” the 10-part ESPN documentary about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls’ final championship team in 1997-1998, has rekindled interest in basketball during the coronavirus pandemic. Some of the major stars during that year are featured in what’s been one of the more underrated basketball card sets — 1988-1989 Fleer. It’s easy to wax nostalgic over this … [Read more...] about Waxing Nostaglic: 1988-89 Fleer Basketball Loaded With Key Rookies, Stars
1989-90 Hoops Basketball Set Brought Much Needed Competition
By 1989, basketball cards had been in the marketplace for some time. Some existed in the pre-war era through sets like the 1933 Goudey Sport Kings release. Their production really got underway with the creation of the 1948 Bowman issue and, subsequently, Topps sets, starting in the 1950s. Topps would produce sets for many years into the early 1980s and become the clear 'go to' … [Read more...] about 1989-90 Hoops Basketball Set Brought Much Needed Competition
The Wayback Collector: 1980-81 Topps Basketball the Way They Were Meant to Be
A seller in a collector group to which I belong made the offer. Up for grabs was about 175 panels from the 1980-81 Topps basketball set along with a dozen 'intact' cards. The asking price was $20 delivered, which seemed low enough as it was. But the last thing I needed was to be sucked into another collecting project. Anyway, I'm mostly a pre-War guy, for … [Read more...] about The Wayback Collector: 1980-81 Topps Basketball the Way They Were Meant to Be