Vintage basketball rookie cards featuring some of the biggest names in the sport remain highly sought after. In particular, high-grade cards of these yesteryear stars are gaining popularity on online marketplaces such as eBay.
Interestingly, the rookie cards of many Hall of Fame greats and former stars are still considered undervalued. Thus, in this piece, we will examine ten hidden gems that are not only affordable but also have the potential to serve as a good long-term investment.
The 1970s was a seminal decade for basketball, with some of the greatest players in the history of the sport making their debuts.
As such, rookie cards from this era are sought after by collectors and can fetch high prices at auction.
This post will examine the fifteen most valuable basketball rookie cards from the 1970s. I'll explore values and the investment potential of each card.
If you're a long-time collector or a newcomer to basketball cards, this post will provide insight into some of the best vintage basketball cards from the 1970s.
Has your old sports card collection been collecting dust in a closet?
If so, it's time to get rid of them and make some extra cash in the process!
Today, there are many options for collectors to sell sports cards online or offline.
I've had decades of experience buying and selling sports cards, so this guide will help you avoid some of the same mistakes I have made in the past.
Mickey Mantle was one of the most accomplished players in the history of the game, and his baseball cards continue to reflect that status.
As a recent example, investors in a Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps card would have tripled the returns of the stock market over the past eighteen years!
So, it's not unusual to consider some of "The Mick's" baseball cards as an investment right alongside our other savings or stock investments.
We've analyzed all Mickey Mantle baseball cards and decided on ten cards that should be solid long-term investments.
Remember, this is not investment advice, please do your own research!
As we noted in our discussion of The Rarest Baseball Card of All Time, identifying the rarest basketball card of all time is a challenge.
The reason? Over the history of basketball cards, many oddball misprints, or error cards or type cards were produced that have a very, very low population.
Bell Brand Elgin Baylor card. In terms of regional basketball issues, this one is likely the rarest.
In addition, basketball truly had a late start in terms of becoming a mainstream sport (as compared to baseball); hence, the first widely produced basketball sets didn't begin until 1948.
Thus, in answer this question, I like to focus first on the players that people care about, thus avoiding the common players that might be rare but aren't really in demand aside from set builders.
In addition due to the dearth of early mainstream basketball card sets, we need to also examine some of the regional basketball card issues.
In a move that I knew was only a matter of time, PSA announced recently that it would tiptoe back into grading 1980's Star Basketball cards.
PSA used to grade Star cards and after getting burned multiple times on Type II counterfeits decided that it would put a halt to any Star Basketball card grading.
In our past conversations with Star expert Steve Taft he noted that fear among the grading companies (aside from Beckett) is what drove the decision to avoid the cards.
As nicknames go, Jerry West has two of the greatest.
"The Logo" (in honor of his iconic profile on the NBA trademark) and "Mr. Clutch" (in recognition of his uncanny effectiveness in big moments),
West’s legendary 60-foot buzzer-beater to send Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals to overtime is one of many examples.
These handles befit the sweet-shooting West, a fierce competitor on the court and one of the game's premier all-around players.
He's one of only seven players who led the NBA in both scoring (1970) and assists (1972) during his career.
West's outsize contributions to the game over a span of decades as a player, coach, and executive make him a familiar favorite for collectors of multiple generations.
In particular, the 1961 Fleer Jerry West rookie card is one of the hobby's most sought-after vintage cards and a centerpiece issue for serious Lakers collectors.
Let's take a closer look at this iconic Jerry West card and the career of "Mr. Clutch."
PSA gets all the fanfare, but SGC is the second oldest grading company in the hobby.
Launched in 1998, about seven years following the start of PSA, SGC has built a reputation as one of the most trustworthy and reliable card graders in the business.
Unfortunately, PSA graded cards still sell at a sizeable premium to both SGC and Beckett graded cards.
My hope is that at some point, SGC graded cards earn the due that they deserve.
As follows is a full review on SGC.
Please let me know your thoughts on SGC in the comments section.
Beckett has long been a powerhouse in the media business.
It's monthly price guide magazines are synonymous with card collecting from the 80s and 90s.
Beckett Card Grading was launched back in 1999 and remains among the top tier of today's card grading companies.
In this piece, we review the history of Beckett Grading and explore some of the details of its different card grading options.
There's only one Shaquille O'Neal.
The towering NBA legend has a resume that most players can only dream of.
From his dominance at LSU to the NBA, Shaq is one of the most accomplished players to ever grace the court.
Shaq's rookie cards were a big hit when released back in 1992.
Today, his rookie cards are still big sellers despite massive production runs.
In this guide, we step back in time to review the top Shaquille O'Neal rookie cards.
We cover the 21 most valuable Shaq rookie cards and Shaq's rookie card values while offering an opinion on the best Shaq rookie card to invest in.
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