NBA Trading Cards That Would Break the Bank
MJ Trading Cards (Photo. NBA Store)Baseball has the legendary Honus Wagner card. It’s been called ‘The Mona Lisa of Baseball Cards,’ and was once owned by hockey great Wayne Gretzky before being sold a couple years back for a record $2.8 million. But baseball shouldn’t have all the fun.
The NBA Store on 5th Avenue is currently running an exhibit with some of the most valuable basketball cards of all time. The vast majority of these gems have only been seen by the eyes of the most serious card collectors. But since last Thursday, they’ve been on display in Midtown Manhattan. And best of all, the players on the cards aren’t only players that your grandpa remembers from his childhood.
The NBA Store’s exhibit of 60 years of trading cards, “Where Trading Cards Happen,” includes…
1957 Topps Bill Russell Rookie Card – This diamond headlines the only set of basketball cards made by Topps before 1969. In addition to the card for the 12-time NBA All-Star, this set includes a Bob Cousy card and an Earl Lloyd – the first African-American to play in the NBA.
1961 Fleer’s First Set: Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Lenny Wilkens, and Oscar Robertson Rookie Cards – This set is historic not only because it features an absurdly impressive rookie class, but because it is the first set in the history of trading cards to use game action shots instead of portraits.
1994-95 Topps Finest: Shaquille O’Neal, James Worthy – Using a reflexive technology that allowed collectors to ‘peel off’ the clear wrapper on the front, this set is extremely rare. In addition to Shaq and Worthy, Allan Houston, Charles Oakley and John Salley appear in this set.
2000-2008 Topps and Upper Deck Autograph and Game-Worn Cards: Michael Jordan – As pictured above, these cards have a piece of a game-worn jersey from some of the game’s greatest.
For more information, check out nba.com/nycstore.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
fallinup says:
What?! No mention of my Michael Olowokandi rookie card!?
Dammit, I guess I’ll just put it back in my vault.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
yallallreadyknow says:
trading cards in basketball? seems stupid to me and doesn’t fit the nba.
why have trading cards? in this new era, are kids going to trade cards online or thru their blackberry’s?
May 13th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
fallinup says:
yallallreadyknow, there was a time when paper products were considered collectors items. I still have a whole mess of basketball cards that are now around 20 years old. Who know’s maybe in about 120 more years, I’ll be able to retire off of em!
May 13th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
IGP says:
I have a Shaq Upper Deck rookie card, plus a million rookie cards ranging from David Robinson (my all time favorite player) to Gary Payton to KG and AI. I used to love collecting cards man.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
fallinup says:
IGP, I see that you and I traded in the same era..I have all the ones that you’ve stated. Back when trading cards were just catching on, and before they started charging over 2 bucks a pack. LOL
May 13th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Big V says:
Penny Hardaway draft redemption card, son……
May 13th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
yallallreadyknow says:
trading cards have NEVER worked with basketball; possibly never will.
waste of the NBAs time and money
what next….WNBA trading cards as collector items?
“yeah booyeee….i got that cynthia cooper original rookie card! and the michelle tims euro card”
how foolish….
May 13th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Remy Nguyen says:
I have an autographed Shawn Kemp rookie card for sale. I have been trying to sell it on Ebay for the past 5 years.
Price: $5.00
May 13th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Scott says:
Man, I STILL have a Michael Jordan Upper Deck Baseball card stuffed away somewhere, I bet thats worth something, I think it was his official baseball ‘rookie card’ lol.
May 13th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
IGP says:
@ fallinup haha those were the days man
May 13th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
fallinup says:
Remy, I got you beat there. I got the limited edition Shawn Kemp rookie card where he’s holding a steak sandwich and snorting a line.
Price: $5.50
May 13th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
I’ve got an unlimited edition Shawn Kemp Christmas card,where he is posing with his 27 children
May 13th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
GEE...I once got busy in a Burger King bathroom! says:
Singing – The nerds come out a night…the nerds come out at niiiiiight! LOL
Just acting up, don’t trip.
Still if anyone can tell me the purpose of collecting cards please do. I just never seen the point in any sport?
I would rather a poster.
May 13th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
K Dizzle says:
@ post 7
LMAO!!!
May 13th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
fallinup says:
GEE, Actually, if not for basketball cards, I wouldn’t have been as into the NBA as I am now. I got to know all of the players back in the day before the internet, not only the faces, but the names, history and career stats. They were fun to collect…back when they were like 50 cents a pack. When all of the special editions started coming out, triple the price that they were, I saw myself buying up less and less.
May 13th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
JDizzle says:
Yeah, for about 3 years I spent my entire allowance on sports cards…what a waste.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
hotdog says:
They should have listed the price. I used to collect back then good times!
May 14th, 2008 at 1:04 am
bill says:
lol at post #12
Hilarious!
May 14th, 2008 at 1:08 am
tealish says:
Can anybody explain to me why Jordan Farmar’s jersey is placed beside Mac, Garnett and Howard’s in the adidas ad below?
May 14th, 2008 at 1:33 am
JHov says:
I’ll put it this way @ yallallreadyknow..if I traded in my old card collection I could afford two Kia’s right now!
May 14th, 2008 at 8:02 am
shake&bake says:
I’m willing to pay someone $5 to take my Shawn Bradley rookie card.
May 14th, 2008 at 10:07 am
QQ says:
Whoa, trading hoops cards was my life when I was about 8 yall. Don’t be dissin on my hobby, it’s enjoyable if you get into it.
May 14th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Dave says:
I’ll take two Shawn Bradley’s, and if anyone has a Jeff Foster or Danny Ferry, or even possibly a Greg Ostertag (must be rookie or second year card) I’d take those as well. I’m planning on putting them up all around the Shaq rookie card hanging in the office.
May 15th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
VQ says:
my favorite ever was skybox cards from like 1991-1992ish. that is when i first started collecting
Johnny Kilroy anyone?
January 3rd, 2009 at 3:45 pm
nolan says:
I have a rookie of the year Shaq card ,upper deck, he is going for a rebound against Jordan, mint condition, is it worth anything?