Legendary cards of Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
In this story:
The sports card hobby is, by its nature, driven by the next best thing. Rookie cards come out every year and many collectors spend their money and energy on the next superstar. It's fun to watch a great career unfold before your eyes and invest in his or her future. It's also great fun to collect cards of the all-time greats, learn about their achievements and share them with your friends and family. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is truly one of the legends of the NBA and his cards transport the collector back in time to a different era. Let's take a look at some of his most iconic basketball cards below:
RELATED: The essential cards of 1969 Topps Basketball Tall Boys
TOPPS 1969 LEW ALCINDOR
RELATED: 6 Undervalued Vintage Basketball Cards
Basketball cards don't have the same long history of baseball cards - it's very difficult to find pre-war examples. The vintage market in basketball definitely includes this important rookie card of then named Lew Alcindor. The oversized cards that made up the 1969 Topps set make this easy to recognize and the great close-up of Alcindor posing for the camera make this a classic rookie. Gem-mint copies have sold in the last several years anywhere between $240,000 and $500,000.
TOPPS 1975 KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR
This card is great for several different reasons - a close-up of Jabbar wearing his iconic goggles and his first card as a Laker. But more than that, the colors - even the choice of font just screams the seventies. This card is perfect as a time capsule into that era. It's hard to believe it's 50 years old!
FLEER 1986 KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR
It's well accepted as fact that the 1986 Fleer set is one of the most beloved and desired on the planet. While Michael Jordan takes the top spot in the set with his rookie card, Abdul-Jabbar is also represented here. Abdul-Jabbar was a veteran player at this point but was still putting up good numbers - and hardly anyone could guard that sky-hook!
PANINI IMMACULATE COLLECTION 2012 KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR
As with many legends from yester-year, Abdul-Jabbar has been well represented in card products over the last 20 years. This example from the high-end product, Panini's "Immaculate Collection", has exactly what a lot of today's collectors are searching for - a nice multi-color jersey patch alongside a great looking autograph and action shot of the man himself.
Brian Hough became a fan of the hobby by opening packs of 1986 Donruss and 1987 Topps baseball with his dad and little brother. He has been writing about the collectibles industry for years, initially as a price guide editor for Tuff Stuff Magazine, which was a monthly sports magazine focused on sports cards and collectibles, particularly known for its price guides and checklists, that initially launched in April 1984.