Best Basketball Card of the 20th Century

[Eric72]

Cast your vote for the basketball card that you think is the best of them all. If your choice is not in the poll, please explain what leads you to believe it is better than the nine listed there.

Images and discussion are more than welcome.

Revised to add: I realize Cousy's name is spelled wrong...can't figure out how to edit poll choices.

Best regards,

Eric

[Forever Young]

Jordan 101.

Mj is the mantle or Ruth of the new generation. There is not a close second. The card not only is iconic, but it is super rare and condition sensitive.

[vthobby]

Ben,

PSA and SGC will not even slab these anymore (Jordan Star #101). The only recent verified sales are BGS.

The fact that 2 of the top 3 TPGs will not touch these cards in my opinion does not make it a great investment nor does it convey a sense of "authenticity" for the majority of these cards that are out there.

If this card was accepted by all 3 TPGs then it might have a shot at stardom but with PSA and SGC saying "no", then what message does that send to the market?

I admit that a BGS 9 recently sold for $7500 or so but if this card was so rare and incredibly valuable how do you explain that it ONLY sold for about 2.5X what a PSA 9 1986 Fleer Jordan goes for? There are THOUSANDS of PSA 9 Fleer Jordans so that BGS 9 #101 should have sold for many multiples of the Fleer Jordan if it was so rare and collectible. The fact that it "only" sold for 2.5X the PSA 9 Fleer Jordan RC tells me that there were 2 bidders out there that were maybe not so convinced of the rarity or future of that card.

IMO 1948 Bowman Mikan is "THE CARD". I actually feel that another card from that iconic set should be mentioned and that is the Card #1 Ernie Calverley as it is the first hoops card EVER that was issued in a strictly all hoops set. He was also a standout NCAA player.

Peace, Mike

PS 1 Of course, I know there are Authentic Star cards out there and most reside in BGS holders BUT once again, the fact that PSA and SGC will not slab these anymore hurts the perception of these cards in my opinion.

PS 2 This is my card from that 1948 Bowman iconic set (Card #1) and there are only 4 in a higher grade.

002.jpg

[Forever Young]

Originally Posted by vtgmsc

Ben,

PSA and SGC will not even slab these anymore (Jordan Star #101). The only recent verified sales are BGS.

The fact that 2 of the top 3 TPGs will not touch these cards in my opinion does not make it a great investment nor does it convey a sense of "authenticity" for the majority of these cards that are out there.

If this card was accepted by all 3 TPGs then it might have a shot at stardom but with PSA and SGC saying "no", then what message does that send to the market?

I admit that a BGS 9 recently sold for $7500 or so but if this card was so rare and incredibly valuable how do you explain that it ONLY sold for about 2.5X what a PSA 9 1986 Fleer Jordan goes for? There are THOUSANDS of PSA 9 Fleer Jordans so that BGS 9 #101 should have sold for many multiples of the Fleer Jordan if it was so rare and collectible. The fact that it "only" sold for 2.5X the PSA 9 Fleer Jordan RC tells me that there were 2 bidders out there that were maybe not so convinced of the rarity or future of that card.

IMO 1948 Bowman Mikan is "THE CARD". I actually feel that another card from that iconic set should be mentioned and that is the Card #1 Ernie Calverley as it is the first hoops card EVER that was issued in a strictly all hoops set. He was also a standout NCAA player.

Peace, Mike

PS 1 Of course, I know there are Authentic Star cards out there and most reside in BGS holders BUT once again, the fact that PSA and SGC will not slab these anymore hurts the perception of these cards in my opinion.

PS 2 This is my card from that 1948 Bowman iconic set (Card #1) and there are only 4 in a higher grade.

Attachment 187081

A bgs 9.5 just sold for 52k. And a 9 sold for just over 11k last year. I think they are a very good investment so if anyone has a 7.5 grade or higher and looking to move, hit me up.

[vthobby]

You say a 9 sold for $11,000 last year. Fair enough but a BGS 9 JUST sold on Ebay for $7200. Item # 201280085550.

So as far as the downward trend of BGS 9 as evidenced by your quoted price and the recent Ebay price, I guess if you can find a BGS 9 at a good price more power to you.

The 9.5 price shuts alot of folks out at that price.

Mike

[Griffins]

'86 Jordan is the '52 Mantle of basketball.

Not the greatest player of all time, not the RC of a iconic player, but the iconic card of a generations legend.

[Forever Young]

Originally Posted by vtgmsc

You say a 9 sold for $11,000 last year. Fair enough but a BGS 9 JUST sold on Ebay for $7200. Item # 201280085550.

So as far as the downward trend of BGS 9 as evidenced by your quoted price and the recent Ebay price, I guess if you can find a BGS 9 at a good price more power to you.

The 9.5 price shuts alot of folks out at that price.

Mike

It was a buy it now that was up for minutes I believe.

As for as the 9.5 goes, I don't see how it matters that it shuts a lot of people out as there is only 1.

[showtime]

Originally Posted by vtgmsc

Ben,

PSA and SGC will not even slab these anymore (Jordan Star #101). The only recent verified sales are BGS.

The fact that 2 of the top 3 TPGs will not touch these cards in my opinion does not make it a great investment nor does it convey a sense of "authenticity" for the majority of these cards that are out there.

If this card was accepted by all 3 TPGs then it might have a shot at stardom but with PSA and SGC saying "no", then what message does that send to the market?

I admit that a BGS 9 recently sold for $7500 or so but if this card was so rare and incredibly valuable how do you explain that it ONLY sold for about 2.5X what a PSA 9 1986 Fleer Jordan goes for? There are THOUSANDS of PSA 9 Fleer Jordans so that BGS 9 #101 should have sold for many multiples of the Fleer Jordan if it was so rare and collectible. The fact that it "only" sold for 2.5X the PSA 9 Fleer Jordan RC tells me that there were 2 bidders out there that were maybe not so convinced of the rarity or future of that card.

IMO 1948 Bowman Mikan is "THE CARD". I actually feel that another card from that iconic set should be mentioned and that is the Card #1 Ernie Calverley as it is the first hoops card EVER that was issued in a strictly all hoops set. He was also a standout NCAA player.

Peace, Mike

PS 1 Of course, I know there are Authentic Star cards out there and most reside in BGS holders BUT once again, the fact that PSA and SGC will not slab these anymore hurts the perception of these cards in my opinion.

PS 2 This is my card from that 1948 Bowman iconic set (Card #1) and there are only 4 in a higher grade.

Attachment 187081

the reason the others don't grade them is because the plates and card stock for many years of the star sets were used well after the initial run. I don't remember the whole story but I do remember hearing the owner of star kept a lot of the unused card stock and plates for some time. at a future date either he or someone he gave them to ran off tons of freshly printed cards from numerous years of production. though they are not technically counterfeits since they are on the true card stock and from the original plates most collectors of the set are aware that the original run numbers are nowhere near what is actually out there now. most of us who collect them are aware it is very possible we have later printed runs in our sets. but I just like the look of the cards so I am content. I believe there was a lawsuit that brought put many people on the hook related to this. there were also current ebay sellers that were included. I believe bigboydsportscards or something to that effect was also included. many years ago I even bought complete unopened packs from him as he had a plethora of them. regardless of all the shadiness with them, I still love those cards. and the Jordan is definitely rarer than the 86 fleer but will never ever be recognized as the rc or be sought after by collectors as much.

[Forever Young]

Originally Posted by showtime

the reason the others don't grade them is because the plates and card stock for many years of the star sets were used well after the initial run. I don't remember the whole story but I do remember hearing the owner of star kept a lot of the unused card stock and plates for some time. at a future date either he or someone he gave them to ran off tons of freshly printed cards from numerous years of production. though they are not technically counterfeits since they are on the true card stock and from the original plates most collectors of the set are aware that the original run numbers are nowhere near what is actually out there now. most of us who collect them are aware it is very possible we have later printed runs in our sets. but I just like the look of the cards so I am content. I believe there was a lawsuit that brought put many people on the hook related to this. there were also current ebay sellers that were included. I believe bigboydsportscards or something to that effect was also included. many years ago I even bought complete unopened packs from him as he had a plethora of them. regardless of all the shadiness with them, I still love those cards. and the Jordan is definitely rarer than the 86 fleer but will never ever be recognized as the rc or be sought after by collectors as much.

Your information is incorrect. The reprint/counterfeit rumor of the 1984 Star set was, and is, one of the biggest misconceptions in the hobby and has long since been proven to be a fallacy. The 1984 Star set and the MJ 101 XRC card was NEVER reprinted. Most knowledgeable collectors today who deal in high-end basketball cards know this. I would advise anyone who do not to read the following article published five years ago in which Steve Taft, the industry's foremost expert in Star Company cards was interviewed by the site JordanCards.com.

http://jordancards.com/blog/the-real...rt-steve-taft/

Taft is an original Star Co. dealer from the eighties. He is THE guy who worked with law enforcement and the lawyers of the NBA to bring down the Robert Levine / Home Shopping Network scandal. He is responsible for training Beckett, SCD, and GAI on how to authenticate genuine Star Co. issued cards and weed out the crap. Below is a more recent thread in which Taft commented.

http://www.beckett.com/forums/thread...31-page-1.html

And the current population numbers on the Star MJ 101 XRC supports all this and reflects the true rarity of the card. When compared to the 1986 Fleer, the pop report of the 1984 Star is not just low. It is ludicrously low. Using current, unbiased, real data from the pop reports of the Big 3 grading companies (PSA, BGS, SGC) will reveal the following eye-opening analysis:

1986 Fleer Jordan Total Pop = 14,655 + 7,920 + 1,431 = 24,006

1984 Star Jordan Total Pop = 384

24,006 vs. 384

That is an incredible 62 to 1 ratio. J

If PSA ever grades the card will explode like a "supernova". Think about all the collectors that will need one for their psa registered "set(s)".

[vthobby]

Originally Posted by Forever Young

Your information is incorrect. The reprint/counterfeit rumor of the 1984 Star set was, and is, one of the biggest misconceptions in the hobby and has long since been proven to be a fallacy. The 1984 Star set and the MJ 101 XRC card was NEVER reprinted. Most knowledgeable collectors today who deal in high-end basketball cards know this. I would advise anyone who do not to read the following article published five years ago in which Steve Taft, the industry's foremost expert in Star Company cards was interviewed by the site JordanCards.com.

http://jordancards.com/blog/the-real...rt-steve-taft/

Taft is an original Star Co. dealer from the eighties. He is THE guy who worked with law enforcement and the lawyers of the NBA to bring down the Robert Levine / Home Shopping Network scandal. He is responsible for training Beckett, SCD, and GAI on how to authenticate genuine Star Co. issued cards and weed out the crap. Below is a more recent thread in which Taft commented.

http://www.beckett.com/forums/thread...31-page-1.html

And the current population numbers on the Star MJ 101 XRC supports all this and reflects the true rarity of the card. When compared to the 1986 Fleer, the pop report of the 1984 Star is not just low. It is ludicrously low. Using current, unbiased, real data from the pop reports of the Big 3 grading companies (PSA, BGS, SGC) will reveal the following eye-opening analysis:

1986 Fleer Jordan Total Pop = 14,655 + 7,920 + 1,431 = 24,006

1984 Star Jordan Total Pop = 384

24,006 vs. 384

That is an incredible 62 to 1 ratio. J

If PSA ever grades the card will explode like a "supernova". Think about all the collectors that will need one for their psa registered "set(s)".

That is an interesting ratio, very similar to the 1948 Bowman George Mikan Rookie. Between SGC and PSA there have been 319 graded and with Beckett, maybe another 20 or so. A PSA 8 Mikan also just set a world record for that card in that grade by selling for $16,800 in one of the recent high visibility auctions.

Mike