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...]
An Iconic Meeting: Kobe Bryant and 1996-97 Topps Chrome
There are four sets of basketball cards from the twentieth century that stand above the rest. The first, 1961-62 Fleer, boasts the rookie cards of four of the NBA’s inner-circle greats – Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Oscar Robertson – as well as that of fellow Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens. The set also contains the first major, post-rookie issue … [Read more...]
Vintage Mantle, Signed Goudey Ruth and Gehrig, Jordan Inserts Headline MHCC Auction
2020 has been a wild ride for sports cards and memorabilia but the final blitz of major auctions is just starting. Mile High Card Company will be the next to launch, with its December auction set to launch Monday. There are some heavy hitters in the lineup, including a PSA 8 1952 Topps card of Mickey Mantle and a signed Cap Anson bat from the 1880s. A pair of … [Read more...]
1997 Upper Deck Jordan Card Pulled from $3.99 Pack in 1997 Could Hit Six Figures
After 23 years, a pair of Illinois brothers are parting with a rare Michael Jordan card. But don’t shed too many tears — these guys are going to realize a nice payday. Bryan and Chris were like many brothers who lived in suburban Chicago during the late 1990s. Bryan was 7 and Chris was 12. Both youths were big sports fans and rooted for Chicago area teams. Every week, their … [Read more...]
Previously Unknown 1995 Action Packed Redemption Autographs Found In Storage Locker
It’s a story straight out of Storage Wars. But instead of an A&E television series, Tyler Feldman did not have a script. Good thing, too. What he found was certainly spellbinding hard to believe. Feldman, 29, who has run Inscriptagraphs in Las Vegas for five years, literally stumbled across two boxes of autograph redemption cards from the 1995 Action Packed Hall of … [Read more...]
When Topps Edited Michael Jordan Out of a Card of John Starks’ Big Dunk
Michael Jordan disappeared on a lot of defenders in his day. He also disappeared from a card capturing one of the more famous moments in the 1990s Bulls-Knicks rivalry, one that got some airtime during a recent episode of "The Lance Dance." In the 1993 NBA Eastern Conference Finals, Knicks guard John Starks elevated and threw down a power dunk with a pair of Bulls players … [Read more...]
Remember 1991-92 Fleer Wheaties Basketball Cards?
Somewhat lost amid the exploding trading card market of the early 1990s was a set of cards that brought collectors from another era back to their youth. The 1991-92 Fleer Wheaties set wasn’t quite as expansive or unique as the 1961-1963 Post Cereal offerings but it did introduce a new audience to the growing hobby. Today, it’s sort of a forgotten issue that … [Read more...]
Rookie Cards of the 2019 Basketball Hall of Fame Class
They represent multiple eras but there's a definite 1970s vibe to the 2019 Basketball Hall of Fame Class. Here's a look at the rookie cards of the inductees who have them. Carl Braun Braun played in the NBA for 13 years, joining the New York Knicks just as the league was getting off the ground and leading them in scoring for seven straight seasons. He … [Read more...]
Grading Companies Give Much Needed Boost to Junk Wax Era
Broadly defined as baseball cards produced from the late 1980s through the early 1990s, the "Junk Wax Era" is often cited as a primary reason for the crash of the industry felt in the late 1990s. The gist is that cards produced during that time were usually printed in far greater quantities than many collectors believed. As a result, supply became much greater than demand. That … [Read more...]
Double Take: Infamous Menendez Brothers and the 1990-91 Hoops Mark Jackson
It might be one of the most inadvertent — and infamous — backgrounds in sports card history. Two men who resemble convicted murderers Erik and Lyle Menendez appear in the background of a 1990-91 Hoops basketball card depicting the Knicks’ Mark Jackson. It's a recent discovery, oddly unknown despite the product's 28-year-old vintage and wide availability. On the … [Read more...]