Michael Jordan and the Essential Cards of 1993/94 Topps Finest Basketball
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Before Topps Chrome came along and changed The Hobby, there was 1993/94 Topps Finest Basketball. The debut in the brand for the NBA, this set announced the beginning of an era, with the first-ever basketball refractor cards. The colorful design remains one of the more recognizable of the Topps Basketball sets, and the cards represent a big step in the evolution of the Basketball Hobby. Let's look at some of the essential cards of 1993/94 Topps Finest Basketball.
#1 Michael Jordan Refractor
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Starting right at the top, the set's leadoff card opens things with a bang. Michael Jordan's first card featuring Chromium technology, #1 is a landmark moment in The Hobby. While hardly the most valuable Jordan card, it's an important entry for Jordan in the collecting world. The card most recently sold for $24,400 on April 25 through auction at Goldin.
#212 Chris Webber Refractor RC
Chris Webber, the top pick of the 1993 NBA Draft, was one of the most anticipated rookies of the era. A remarkably skilled big, Webber was sensationally traded from Orlando to Golden State after being selected at the top of the draft. Webber led a strong rookie class including the likes of Nick Van Exel and Sam Cassell. In May of this year, the card sold for over $3,000.
#189 Anfernee Hardaway Refractor RC
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Anfernee Hardaway was the other standout rookie in the class of 1993. Within years, Penny would become a piece of pop culture with the Lil' Penny ad campaign with Chris Rock. His Topps Finest Refractor is one of the top RC's in the set. With a PSA 10 population of 183, the most recent price for the card, at writing, is $306.
#21 Charles Barkley Main Attraction
1993/94 Topps Finest Basketball featured only one insert. Main Attraction is a 27-card set that includes many of the biggest names of the era: Pippen, Olajuwon, Reggie Miller, Shaq, Patrick Ewing, and more.
This Barkley card pops out of the hand. The player image capturing Barkley's fierce and competitive personality, this is a great card of Barkley, fresh off leading the Suns to the Finals and winning the 1993 NBA MVP Award.
#3 Shaquille O'Neal Refractor
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This offering from Shaquille O'Neal's second card year, following his Rookie of the Year campaign in 1992/93, met the Magic moment in Orlando that was unfolding as Shaq teamed up with Penny Hardaway to briefly form one of the most exciting duos the league has ever seen. With a PSA 10 population of only 51, a top-grade version of the card has sold for as much as $8,400.
Michael Terry is a writer based in Brooklyn. He specializes in sports, culture, and collecting. His work has appeared at Topps RIPPED, ESPN, Grantland, Vice Sports, and more.
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