The card was sold following the release of the 10-part Netflix special The Last Dance. A real piece of history, the 97 Upper Deck Game Jersey helped to kickstart the beginning of the Jersey Patch craze and set the precedent for future productions. These two are the most well-known and trusted grading companies. Produced in 1999 and known as the Finest Kobe Bryant Refractor card, it features Kobe dunking the ball behind his head in his yellow Lakers jersey. The card is a redemption card, only available by mail. 1 1990 - Fleer is the most valuable basketball card brand to start the decade 2 1991 - Fleer 3 1992 - Upper Deck 4 1993 - Topps Finest 5 1994 - Topps Finest 6 1995 - Topps Finest 7 1996 - Topps Chrome becomes the most valuable brand of the 90s 8 1997 - Topps Chrome 9 1998 - Topps Chrome 6 pick Robert "Tractor" Traylor in one of the most lopsided draft-night deals in league history. The Super Signatures Gold Michael Jordan card is another example from the Upper Deck collection. Like the 1990 Hoops and SkyBox sets, there were just so many of these cards printed. 5 pick out of Farragut Career Academy in Chicago. The Flair showcase legacy collection is from the 1996-97 season. Barkley's 1990 Fleer issue was one of the few cards to picture him with any amount of hair whatsoever. As one of the fiercest competitors to ever play the game, Bird used his above-average shooting, passing and rebounding skills to help lead the Celtics to three NBA titles over his career. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Card number 48 served as a checklist for those cards, with Michael Jordan shown on the front going up for the score. And Bo continues to stir the imagination of fans and collectors nearly three decades after his careers in the NFL and Major League Baseball ended. Contact him at [emailprotected]. The card was released in 1990, two years before his rookie cards. Despite the lack of an autograph, its a solid piece of Jordan merch which is sure to retain value in the next decade or so. MJ has signed the card in blue ink and handwritten the serial number 10/23. Not only was it the rookie year of Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson, Topps Chrome was released. That is, a rookie card of a star player that is hard to get, autographed by the player, has a patch of his game-worn jersey, and graded as mint. Sometimes, what makes a collectible very rare and valuable is an error. Talking of unreal basketball cards! Fleer remains at the top for overall PSA graded card sales for 1991 basketball card brands, but the competition began ramping up. In the sports card hobby, rookies are king which is the biggest contributing factor to the lower value of this year. Everyone likes to talk about the physicality of the game, as well as the dominance of a certain Chicago Bulls team led by Michael Jordan, but its not just nostalgia talking. All the big names you would expect, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, Shaquille O'Neal, etc, but some. We've listed the cards in order, starting with a great option from the late 1990s. The card is graded as a Beckett 10, with only the card surface receiving a 9.5. Perhaps due to a lack of abundant standout rookies and it being the third year of Finest, overall PSA graded sales of this set are lower than the two previous years. 1996-97 Topps Chrome Refractor Allen Iverson RC BGS 10 $250,000, 5. Thus, cards that are worth money are those graded as mint by trusted grading companies like PSA and BSG. It also paved the way for future NBA stars like Allen Iverson to implement similar moves into their offensive arsenals although Iverson and Hardaway don't necessarily see eye to eye on who did it better. When Topps released its Finest set in 1993 for basketball and baseball, it was a real game changer in the hobby. And in this guide, we look at the 11 most valuable the set has to offer. 10 Basketball Cards Every 90s Kid Should Own. Estimated PSA 10 Value: $85. 1981 Topps Basketball Magic Johnson #21 The next card also features Magic Johnson, in a great action shot that sees him evading multiple players on the court. Refractor parallels were released in a ratio of 1:12. In a career packed full of iconic moments, one of Michael Jordan's most memorable occurred during Game 1 of the 1991-1992 NBA Finals against the Portland Trail Blazers. 1997 Shaquille O'Neal Metal Universe Platinum Portraits #4 Buy on eBay The 1997-98 Skybox Metal Universe Basketball set is best known for the rare Precious Metal Gems cards, which do make an appearance below. 1992 Classic Draft Pick Shaquille ONeal Auto RC $500,000, 4. The card features the Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant in a yellow Lakers jersey dunking the ball from behind his back. The card features Shaq as a rookie in an LSU jersey hanging from the rim with both legs in the air after a trademark dunk. Its graded as a 9 by Beckett and was sold by Goldin Auctions for $170,400. And this second-year card was also hot at the time Because of his dominating play at Annapolis, there was so much hype surrounding the legendary big man upon entering the NBA. These are 16 of the most valuable cards currently valued or recently sold at auction. Being a rookie card with a limited number produced makes it more valuable. 1 1992 Bowman Trevor Hoffman #11 Trevor Hoffman isn't as well-known as the other players on this list, but his #11 Bowman card is still worth a decent bit of money. Isiah Thomas was the leader of the Detroit Pistons squads that won back-to-back NBA Championships in 1989 and 1990. Whats the Difference Between Vintage And Antique ? It sold at a Heritage Auction in November 2021 for $132,000. One of the game's best point guards, Thomas was named one of the league's 50 top players. His pro transition was as smooth as any in recent memory, as he averaged 21.1 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.5 blocks while earning a spot in the All-Star Game as a rookie. It includes a lot of minor players that you may not have heard the name of before. Since refractors are just parallel designs of the base set, I dont consider them a completely separate insert set, but it should be noted that refractors add a huge amount of value overall to PSA graded sales history. So that there are no confusions about the condition of a basketball card, cards are usually officially graded. Michael Jordan returned after his baseball journey, and notable rookies such as Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace entered the league. The card is graded as a PSA 10 and numbered 33/2500. Thats none other than the Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant. Top 1990s Basketball Insert Sets Click on the linked sets below to shop for available cards on eBay. After draining his sixth three-pointer in just the first half, Jordan headed back on defense and shrugged at the crowd in disbelief himself at the shooting clinic he was unleashing. Hall of Famer Vlade Divac left a legacy as one of the first European players to have a major impact in the NBA, paving the way for many more fantastic European players to come. (Sold February 2021 by Heritage Auctions). If your card is Ungraded, consider grading it if it looks to be in good condition and features a well-known athlete. It doesnt matter that the height of their careers was after the 1990s. The card features AI in his Sixers no. The image features Jordan with the ball in his hands, barking orders at his teammates while hes in his iconic Red Bulls jersey. As a high-gloss, chrome card, its very susceptible to surface scratching and wearing, which is another reason why gem mint copies are valued so high compared to the norm. And he definitely didn't disappointthe 10-time All-Star, 2-time NBA champ and 1-time MVP easily goes down in history as one of the game's greatest centers. This is because it is the big mans first trading card. (For example, the Row 0 version features a hilarious image of Kobe watching himself dribble.). Exceedingly rare, the odds of pulling a Jordan were 1 in 55,000 packs, which goes some way to explaining why its so expensive. Here are 10 of the most valuable. Whilst he didnt win any NBA championships, he was an 11-time NBA All-star and won multiple MVP awards. The card features Jordan soaring into the air with an outstretched arm, a position that became a trademark of Jordans playing style. The 1990s defined the game of basketball. This 1997 Michael Jordan precious metal games card is another card from the highly sought-after Metal Universe collection. 1990 Hoops #5 Michael Jordan All-Star. 1990 Hoops #223 Sam Vincent. This s because grading officially authenticates the card and establishes its quality/ condition. It features the Black Mamba bouncing the ball and most probably already eyeing the backboard. The odds of puling a gold refactor from a pack is 1 in 288 packs. The picture is the Black Mamba himself executing some sort of over the back slam dunk, and it is framed by a gold edge. It also comes in great condition, graded 8.0 by Beckett (BGS). Read our methodology . Some of the most valuable cards produced are limited editions featuring historical players in their rookie years. Allen was part of a loaded rookie class that was headlined by Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson, and while he wasn't the chase card in the 1996-97 Topps Chrome set, his rookie card is a solid consolation prize to anyone who missed out on pulling one of those cards. A few important parameters for our list before we get started: After a terrific collegiate career at Duke, Grant Hill was the No. Worse decade of basketball? Thus, not all rookie cards of the 1990s are worth serious money. With all collectibles, condition is a big determinant of value. As well as MJ, they secured rookie cards for the likes of Kobe Bryant, , the base set, is known as Style. The next batch of cards goes by, , the rarest cards in the base set, is called Showcase., The rarity of the Row 0 ensures that it makes the, What makes this card so expensive, given the range of premium, 2020 Zion Williamson Panini Blockchain Zion Williamson Rui RC (sold for $19,978), 2020 LeBron James Dowtown One and One ($6,100 not graded), expensive basketball cards from the 1990s, list of expensive 1990s basketball cards, Mike Trout Rookie Card Best 10 Cards, Values, Investment Outlook, 9 Most Expensive Pokemon Cards of All-Time (2021), 3 Best 2015 Topps Update Rookie Cards To Consider, 10 Best 2023 Topps Series 1 Variations Baseball Cards To Buy, 10 Best 1989 Topps Baseball Cards To Buy Plus Error List, 2022 Topps Heritage Baseball Most Valuable Cards and Checklist, These 10 GOATS Rookie Cards Will Outperform Stocks Over Next 10 Years, Gold Card Auctions | Sports Card Investing. His rookie cards dramatically increased the value of all card brands. Unlike Kemp, Larry Bird wasn't known for his ability to throw down monster dunks but he was every bit as exciting to watch. Regardless, Hardaway goes down in history as a lighting quick player who constantly attacked the bucket, something Fleer captured nicely on his rookie card. Parallels: Red PMG (/90), Green PMG (/10). One of the things that always sticks out in my memory was how Divac was able to play at such a high level while being a heavy cigarette smoker. GoldCardAuctions is a high-end investment-caliber trading card company and is the definitive source of sports card investing news and analysis. The card is complete with its original protective coating, not usually seen on most cards. This Chrome Refractor Allen Iverson #171 cards is one of the rarest cards of this great basketball players nicknamed the Answer. 15 (tie). For my one year anniversary here on YouTube, I am updating and relaunching my most popular video. His incredible floor vision, court awareness and overall basketball wizardry allowed him to make some of the most thrilling plays. Yet another Jordan card to make the list, his 1998 SP Authentic Sign of Times is a tiered release. It features MJ in pinpoint-sized, die cuts making a shadow illustration on half of the card. It is also very rare. Upper Deck introduced its inaugural basketball set, and Skybox came out with another great design in 1991. Overall, the checklist contained 198 cards in total that, if nothing else, captured some of the greatest players of all-time with exciting imagery. On the opposite end of the spectrum from Kevin Garnett, who made the NBA jump straight from high school, Tim Duncan played out his four years of college eligibility at Wake Forest before going No. The 1990s saw a host of famous players make their debuts and play in their rookie years making the cards very valuable to collectors. The card features MJ soaring into the air with his arm outstretched. This 1997 Michael Jordan Precious Metal Gems card is another example from the Metal Universe brand. SP serial numbered their base cards to 3,500 and released a few noteworthy subsets such as this one. The 7-footer spent his entire 21-year career in a Dallas Mavericks uniform, finishing as a 14-time All-Star who currently sits sixth on the all-time scoring list with 31,560 points. He and the Bulls also dropped the Los Angeles Lakers 4-1 to pick up his first NBA title after struggling for years to get past the Detroit Pistons and into the finals. The sport was on the road to recovery following a lack of interest worldwide, helped by Jordan, Space Jam, and a host of emerging talent like Kobe and Shaq. In summary, if you're looking for a basketball card set with a lot of star power that you can acquire cheaply then this is one for you. The company will closely check the card, and give it a grade (out of 10 points). 1 overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft, which of course, was O'Neal.". 3 jersey letting out a celebratory shout, with his teammates around. Cards that are rare are generally valuable than those are easy to get. Adding the mystique of being a pre-rookie, it is one very valuable basketball card. The card comes from the Metal Universe set, with cards featuring other popular players also highly sought after. I've always loved the look and feel of this card as it captures Jordan up close doing what he did best: throwing down a slam dunk on a breakaway drive. 1993-94 Finest Chris Webber RC #212 Buy on eBay. However, there are a few exceptions to this, as the 90s Michal Jordans cards show. This makes Big Shaq cards very valuable. It is graded by Beckett, and proudly has 8 points. Let's say you did some basketball card collecting during the 1990s, and now you're revisiting your old collection and wondering if anything you have is valuable. The bottom of the card is personally autographed by Shaq in white pen, with the number #32 handwritten next to it. The card features Iverson in a red Sixers jersey passionately celebrating with his Sixers teammates. Coming in the number 1 spot for the most Valuable 1990s basketball cards is the Kobe Bryant Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems card. The renewed attention led to increased numbers of collectors and investors taking an interest in cards from the era, and now theyre some of the most valuable options that money can buy. Also Read: 12 Most Valuable LeBron James Rookie Cards (2003-04 Exquisite Collection Rookie Parallel #78 Sold for $5,200,000), If youre going through your old sports trading cards at home, you might be sitting on a, Read More 15 Most Valuable Bo Jackson Cards (1986 Topps Traded Tiffany #50T Bo Jackson Was Sold For $12,300)Continue, Whilst Michael Jordans playing days are finished, his collectable cards are continuing to break records. Generally, basketball cards released during a players rookie year are more valuable than those released afterwards. This card is produced with a red foil background, making it not as rare as the green Metal gems card in the number 4 spot. It features Jordan dribbling the ball during a 1992 NBA All-star game, played in Orlando, Florida in front of 14,000 spectators. However, PSA (Pros Sports Authority) is generally regarded as the best.