Card company Flair made its debut a few years before, but 1996 was their best release to date. The card is graded as a PSA 10 and numbered 33/2500. He averaged 25.7 points per game during his second season in the NBA, peaked at 27.6 points per contest the following year and he earned eight straight All-Star Game selections during his time with the Raptors and Nets. 1 pick in the 1996 NBA draft, ahead of UMass center Marcus Camby. Lets take a look at the most valuable basketball card brands of the 1990s. It also comes with a Members Only parallel, which can be distinguished by a faint watermark. Row 2, the base set, is known as Style. The next batch of cards goes by Row 1 or Grace. Row 0, the rarest cards in the base set, is called Showcase., Youll be able to tell the difference by checking out the image on the front, as each Row has a different pair of pictures. 12 Most Valuable LeBron James Rookie Cards (2003-04 Exquisite Collection Rookie Parallel #78 Sold for $5,200,000), 10 Most Valuable Lefton China Pieces (Rarest Sold For $1,295), Antique Cast Iron Stoves Value (Rarest & Most Valuable is Selling for $24,500), 1920 Singer Sewing Machine Value (Rarest Sold For $3,000), Most Valuable 1934 20 Dollar Bill (Rarest Sold For $40,800), 4 Most Valuable Antique Typewriter (Rarest Sold For $110,059), Antique Ruby Rings Value (Rarest & Most Valuable Sold For $2.6 Million), Antique Cast Iron Toy Value (Rarest & Most Valuable Sold For $13,500), Top 10 Antique Stores in Connecticut [Update 2023], THE 10 BEST Pennsylvania Antique Stores (with Photos), 10 Best Antiques Near Me in Fort Worth, TX, The 13 Most Valuable Disney Pins (Rarest Sold For $10,000), Most Valuable Rare Hummel Figurines (Rarest Sold For $5000+), 1941 Penny Value Chart (Worth Million Dollars? The Bulls logo, red-colored key nameplate at the bottom and Pippen's bright red jersey really make this card pop to give it strong eye appeal. Some of the most valuable cards produced are limited editions featuring historical players in their rookie years. Michael Jordan Cards), with lots of info about each one, including how and why they cost so much. 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. 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. This is one that that makes this MJ SP Authentic #M4 card very valuable. 1990 Hoops #279 Shawn Kemp Rookie Card. You can use serial number or population report to determine cards that are rare. Here are 10 of the most valuable. 1994 was not a particularly exciting year, as Jordan had left to play baseball following his 3rd championship in the 1992-1993 season. Kobe was always going to make any list with the most expensive 1990's cards, and the 1996-97 Topps set has one of the strongest rookie classes of all time. The card is one of the first from the metal gems collection, issued alongside the sets base cards. Barkley's 1990 Fleer issue was one of the few cards to picture him with any amount of hair whatsoever. The card features the big man in his LSU days hanging on the rim after a powerful dunk. The sport was on the road to recovery following a lack of interest worldwide, helped by Jordan, Weve put together a list with 10 of the most expensive 90s, Weve combed through recent auction data to bring you a list of ten of the most, modern-day big man, its no surprise to see one of, Classic Games were a pre-rookie/prospect card company that managed to get the temporary exclusive rights to produce Shaq cards during his time at, Many of the cards were hand-signed by the man himself, making it one of the very first pieces of, As with the majority of rare Jordan cards from the era, its tough to locate in high-grade and is also extremely popular among collectors and investors following the release of. Prices are updated daily based upon 1990 Skybox listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Your basketball cards can be worth anything from a few hundred dollars to millions of dollars. For the 1990s decade, the basketball cards thatll be worth money are rookie cards cards of players making their debut in that decade. I'll never forget how he got the best of Shaquille O'Neal during the 1995 NBA Finals although you could argue O'Neal wasn't quite yet in his prime. Due to poor sales of the. 5 pick in the 1998 NBA draft, and his rookie cards helped drive 1998-99 product releases. 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. 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. As well as a player-worn patch from the biggest name in the sport, the added bonus of a signature from Jordan is enough to make it one of the most expensive jersey patches of all-time, never mind the decade. However, an ankle injury sidelined him for most of the 2000-01 season and he was never quite the same after that. Generally, basketball cards released during a players rookie year are more valuable than those released afterwards. In that year, 90 cards were put into the base sets and separated into Rows. The card was graded as a Beckett 9 and sold at a Goldin auction in March 2021 for $198,030. Kobe tragically passed away in a helicopter crash in January 2020 leading to the value of his memorabilia skyrocketing. Generally, a card with a higher grade (is in a better condition), and will be valuable than an identical card with a lower grade. They also had a low print run in comparison to other sets from the time, with just 100 cards overall. Whilst some fans enjoy watching, Read More 11 Most Valuable Tom Brady Rookie Cards (Costs Upto $3M+)Continue, If youre a fan of basketball then you know who Shaquille ONeal is. For example, a 1/1 card shows that it is the only one that exists and will be very valuable. Founded in 1993, Flair produced high-end trading cards before changing direction in 2006. Rounding out the most valuable 1990s basketball cards is another Big Shaq card example. The image features Jordan with the ball in his hands, barking orders at his teammates while hes in his iconic Red Bulls jersey. The card sold at auction in February 2021 for $1,440,000. 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. Kobe was always going to make any list with the most expensive 1990s cards, and the 1996-97 Topps set has one of the strongest rookie classes of all time. The odds reduce to virtually zero if the card is to be in mint condition. 1993-94 Finest Anfernee Hardaway RC #189 Buy on eBay. 1990 Hoops #391 Gary Payton Rookie Card. Speaking of Magic Johnson, Fleer did a fantastic job of capturing him in action on this card not so much because of what is going on but what you could imagine might be underway. 1998-99 Upper Deck Michael Jordan Living Legend - [Base] #147. SGC vs. BGS vs. PSA Grading: Who Is Best in 2023? This authenticates the cards and defines their condition (in a scale of 1 10). So, when gunning for rookie cards, they should be cards of players that went on to achieve great success in the game. The Flair showcase legacy collection is from the 1996-97 season. They were the NBA's Batman and Robin and would win 6 NBA championships togetherand they very well could have won more had their winning streak not been sidetracked by Jordan's retirement. 9 pick in that year's draft. Dimensions: 1-1/2 x 2-5/8. Some of the things considered are: centering of the card, printing errors, and evidence of wear. Less than 250 of these cards exist. The Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant who unfortunately recently passed away, made his debut. The Gold featured only the most desired names, including MJ and Allen Iverson. Fans and card collectors, Read More 11 Most Valuable Shaquille ONeal Rookie Cards (Round-up list)Continue, In recent years, the NBA fan base has seen a huge growth in the number of fans, Read More 11 Most Valuable Luka Doncic Rookie Cards (Worth Up to $4,600,000)Continue, Whilst most hobbies seem to come and go, sports card collecting is here to stay. Everyone likes to talk about the physicality of the game, as well as the dominance of a certain Chicago Bulls team led by. The 1990 -1991 season was as remarkable as any for Jordan individually as he'd lead the league in scoring, be named an All-Star, be selected to the All-NBA and All-Defensive teams as well as being named league MVP. The colors and the edging make it susceptible to chips and wear, which is another reason why its valued highly. The card also has Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers Guard printed in blue on the bottom. This authentic stamp of the biggest name of the game raises the value of the card. This means it has sharp corners, full original gloss, and a perfectly centered card image. 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. Of anyone besides Jordan on this list, Magic Johnson was probably the most exciting as you never knew what his next move was going to be. We wouldn't have really said this a couple years ago. This is one of the most valuable basketball cards out there. 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. This chrome approach to card design is one that is continued to this day. 1990 Upper . In fact, Michael Jordans 1993 Finest Refractor accounts for approximately $178,000 in PSA graded card sales according to PSAs auction price reports. The background is supposed to resemble the popular laser halftime show during the 1992-93 season, and it definitely makes it stand out from the crowd. However, PSA (Pros Sports Authority) is generally regarded as the best. But this particular one is pristine with BGS 10 grade. Malone was an incredible power forward who was extremely effective on both offense and defense as he used his strong frame to his advantage night in and night out. 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. Here is a selection of the most popular sites: Basketball cards from the 1990s are some of the rarest and highly sought-after sports cards around today. ), The 1982 Penny Value Chart (Most Valuable Penny Sold for $18,800), Most Valuable Antique and Vintage Vases: Identifying, Valuing and Buying (2023 Updated), A Detailed Outlook on the 2000 Sacagawea Dollar Value, Antique Floor Lamp: Identification, Valuation, And Buying Guide (2023 Updated), Kobe Bryant Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems #81, 1997 Michael Jordan Upper Deck Game Jersey (Autograph) #GJ13S, Classic Draft Pick Shaquille ONeal Auto RC, Upper Deck Ovation Super Signatures Gold Michael Jordan #MJS, Finest Gold Refractor Kobe Bryant Rookie #269, 1998 Michael Jordan Skybox Moltern Metal #41, E-X2000 Credentials Kobe Bryant Rookie #30, Finest Kobe Bryant Refractor W/Coating #269, Flair Showcase Legacy Collection Row 1 Kobe Bryant Rookie #31, Upper Deck Michael Jordan (Game Jersey Autographs) #GJ10A, Auction (Popular high-end auction sites such as. Now that we've got that out of the way, let's take a look at the list: It should come as no surprise that Michael Jordan's 1990 Fleer basketball card comes in at the top spot ashis cardsare always in high demand with collectors. They included a "Trade Upper Deck" card that could be sent to Upper Deck along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope in exchange for a special card of the No. Regarded as one of the greatest basketball players and centers of all time, Shaquille ONeal received 4 NBA Championship titles and multiple MVP awards. This gorgeous basketball card is one of rare cards hand numbered by Michael Jordan to only 23. Exceedingly rare, the odds of pulling a Jordan were 1 in 55,000 packs, which goes some way to explaining why its so expensive. It last sold in 2019 for $350,100. In the early to mid 1990s, there were few players as exciting to watch as Shawn Kemp. 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. 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. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! The decade was highlighted by Jordans dominance, and the emergence of Kobe Bryant, Shaquille ONeal and Tim Duncan. Finest did begin adding a protective coating to peel and remove to their cards in order to prevent sticking and chipping off of the highly glossy, chrome-like surface. His 1996-97 E-X2000 rookie also sells for a boat load, as do high-grade versions of his Topps base rookiereally, you can't go wrong with any early Kobe cards. Classic Games were a pre-rookie/prospect card company that managed to get the temporary exclusive rights to produce Shaq cards during his time at LSU, and the player was already becoming a major celebrity because of his size and skills. It doesnt matter that the height of their careers was after the 1990s. After averaging 20.4 points per game as a freshman at Georgetown, Allen Iverson racked up 25.0 points, 4.7 assists and 3.4 steals per contest as a sophomore to secure his spot as the No. The card was released in a defining year for Iverson when he made his debut and won rookie of the year. Hes in his Orlando Magic jersey, as he was their number one pick in the 1992 NBA Draft. 1990 Hoops card list & price guide. We've listed the cards in order, starting with a great option from the late 1990s. (Especially considering his untimely death following a helicopter crash in January 2020.). This Kobe rookie is a limited-edition example, numbered 442/449 cards. Pippen's cards have also taken off since "The Last Dance" documentary went on air. The card is currently listed on eBay for $250,000. Top 1990s Basketball Rookie Cards to Collect Bolded links go directly to detailed player or set profiles. (Youll be able to tell, as the back notes where the swatch is from.). 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. It didn't take long for him to develop into the face of the Timberwolves franchise. Gary Payton was included in the release of 1990 Fleer Update. Also, I will NOT be using insert set values only the values of base sets. It's a perforated card, with untouched versions of the trio being the most valuable overall. This 1992 Classic Draft Pick Shaquille ONeal Auto RC is regarded as one of the most valuable examples. It has a picture of the phenom in game action, as well as a smiling MJ in the background. One of the most important factors when determining what a card is worth is its grading. The pre-rookie card is 1 of only 1200 and is graded by the PSA as a 10, making it highly desirable and rare. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? 25 Most Valuable 1990 NBA Hoops Cards. The T210 Old Mill deck is one of the most varied. Getting your basketball card graded is simple as submitting your card to the company. 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. This 1992 Classic DP Shaquille ONeal card is one of the most valuable of them all. This Michael Jordan insert is from Upper Decks 98/99 SP Authentic release. The pack version is the one that is considered his true rookie card, and it was also short-printed since it was a late addition to the set, making it the more valuable of the two and his most valuable rookie card overall. Decades later, the error products that make it out can become very valuable. Only the first 10 cards in the set were done in green with the rest in red making this one in green foil very rare and valuable. Regardless, Hardaway goes down in history as a lighting quick player who constantly attacked the bucket, something Fleer captured nicely on his rookie card. 10 Basketball Cards Every 90s Kid Should Own. 1990 Hoops #223 Sam Vincent. 33 LSU jersey, in his center position, reading the game. Out of 100 produced, only 10 were made with green foil with the other 90 in red. 1998 Upper Deck SP Authentic Michael Jordan #M4 PSA 10 GEM MINT $22,575, 30+ Vintage Christmas Cards Worth Looking At In 2022, The Top 10 Most Valuable Glass Insulators Today, Top 10 Most Valuable Case Knives: Complete Value Guide, Top 10 Most Valuable Beach Stones: Complete Value Guide, 10 Rarest and Most Valuable Lladro Figurines: Value Guide, 10 Rarest and Most Valuable Starbucks Mugs: Value Guide, 12 Most Valuable Tom Clark Gnomes: Value and Price Guide, Vintage Linens (Identification and Value Guide), Vintage Luggage: Brands, Identification, and Buying Guide, Vintage Playing Cards (Identification and Value Guide), Vintage Japanese Music Box Rare Collectibles, Sports Memorabilia Price and Identification Guide, White Sewing Machine 101: Everything you need to know. The card is graded as a PSA 7 with the autograph graded as an 8. 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. And in this guide, we look at the 11 most valuable the set has to offer. The card features the Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant in a yellow Lakers jersey dunking the ball from behind his back. Like many sports cards of this era, they were heavily produced in such large quantities that the market is still flooded with them. It is also very rare. The lanky 6'11" forward played sparingly as a rookie, tallying 10.4 points and 6.3 rebounds in 28.7 minutes per game, but his potential was impossible to ignore. The First MJ card to make the list is his Finest Refractor from 1993. It is the same thing with basketball cards. Only 100 of these cards were produced, with 90 of them having a red foil background. 2 spot in these rankings. The card features Kobe in a yellow Lakers jersey passing the ball with one hand. These two are the most well-known and trusted grading companies. I'd like to think he's in the middle of going across the lane for one of his signature "baby sky hook" shots that were nearly impossible to defend. His Finest rookie card is his most valuable by a wide margin, and it stands as one of the iconic cards of the decade. The company will closely check the card, and give it a grade (out of 10 points). Selling your basketball card is actually very easy because you can sell them in yard sales, in pawn shops near you, and in a host of online places. Still, Jordan and Garnett cards, particularly their refractors, can fetch some top sales at auctions. This is truly the most valuable basketball card brand of the 90s. Only 10 of these cards exist, with this being the only one graded 8.5 by PSA. This means it is rarer than the unsigned cards. Thus, cards that are worth money are those graded as mint by trusted grading companies like PSA and BSG. 1997 1998 UD Game Jersey Michael Jordan #GJ13, 1996 Finest Gold Refractor Kobe Bryant #269 PSA 10, 1992 Classic Draft Pick Shaquille ONeal Auto RC, 1996-97 Topps Chrome Refractor Allen Iverson RC BGS 10, 1999 Upper Deck Ovation Super Signatures Gold Michael Jordan #MJS card, 1997 Skybox Z-Force Michael Jordan Quick Strike card, 1990 Big Blue Shaquille ONeal #19 Non Perforated card, 1996 Fleer Metal Universe Kobe Bryant #181 Error Card, 1997 SPx Gold Die-Cut Michael Jordan #5 Signed PSA 10, 1998 Upper Deck SP Authentic Michael Jordan #M4 PSA 10 GEM MINT, 10 most valuable basketball card of the 1990s, 1.