Iconic Cards of 1996 Topps Chrome Basketball
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Almost three decades after its release, 1996/97 Topps Chrome Basketball remains one of the most valuable and important basketball sets in the modern history of The Hobby. It was a magical moment where technological design innovation met a historically loaded rookie class. All the ingredients were there for the debut Topps Chrome Basketball set to be one for the ages. The players who would come to define the set did not disappoint. Let's take a look at the essential cards of this iconic set.
#171 Allen Iverson RC
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While his may not be the most valuable card in the set, with Iverson, in a sense, we're still starting at the top. The much-hyped, electric guard from Georgetown was the unquestioned top pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. His playing legacy includes four scoring titles, 11 All-Star selections, 2001 MVP, and a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame. If that weren't remarkable enough, he also ushered in a new era of cool on the hardwood. A sensational athlete with some of the greatest handles in history, he became both an elite player and a cultural icon. This Iverson Chrome RC remains one of his most valuable cards ever. Per Card Ladder, a PSA 10 sold for as much as $61,000. This PSA 7 is currently available on eBay for $80.
#138 Kobe Bryant RC
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When it comes to value and desirability, it's Kobe Bryant's Chrome RC that still reigns supreme. Bryant's incredible career lifted him to heights few in the history of the game have reached. One of the true legends of The Hobby, his #138 RC is among the grail cards for Kobe collectors. Featuring Kobe in his original number 8 jersey, per Card Ladder, a BGS 10 is the second most expensive card of Kobe Bryant, selling for $1.75 million in 2021. This PSA 9 sold for $32,000 on July 1 of this year.
#YQ-15 Kobe Bryant Youthquake RC
Given Bryant's transcendent role in the basketball Hobby, his fantastic Youthquake card is an amazing, yet more affordable, Bryant for collectors to chase. The final entry in a 15-card insert that included the likes of AI, Ray Allen, and Stephon Marbury among others, sold through Fanatics Collect in March for $1,980. A PSA 7 can be had, at writing, for $200 over on eBay.
#182 Steve Nash RC
An essential RC of two-time league MVP Steve Nash, his 1996/97 Topps Chrome RC features a great player image of the young point guard at the helm of the Phoenix Suns offense. Capturing the rookie Nash displaying cool and calm beyond his years, fans would get used to Nash dissecting defenses throughout his long and storied NBA career. This PSA 9 sold on eBay for $1,826 on February 25 of this year.
#139 Michael Jordan
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It may not be a Jordan rookie card, but this spectacular offering marks Jordan's debut in the Chrome brand, and is more than worthy of mention here. The card captures Jordan at the peak of his powers, and the player image is among the best Topps Jordan shots the global icon got during his playing days. Finishing through contact at the rim against Alonzo Mourning, one of the great defensive players of the era, the refract card simply jumps, Jordan-like, out of the hand. This PSA 9 recently sold through Fanatics Collect for almost $14,000.
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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