The Essential Cards of Charles Barkley to chase
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"Sir" Charles Barkley has made quite a career for himself in recent years, becoming one of the funniest, honest and most well known NBA basketball commentators and on-screen personalities the game has ever had. That out-sized personality has always been there and made Barkley one of the most fun players to watch - but it wasn't just fun and jokes. Barkley is regarded as one of the best power forwards of all time, though he never managed to be on a team that won it all. His basketball cards have remained sought after by collectors and have seen steady gains over the last several years.
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FLEER 1986 CHARLES BARKLEY
Starting where it all began - Barkley's 1986 Fleer rookie. While there's a certain other famous player that also has his rookie in this iconic set, Barkley's card has more than held its own. The famous red, white and blue borders, combined with a great action shot of Barkley mid-dunk makes this an obvious must-have for basketball collectors.
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SKYBOX AUTOGRAPHICS 1997 CHARLES BARKLEY
Things have improved in recent times, but Barkley was not always an active signer for the card companies as autograph inserts became more popular. The 1997 Skybox Autographics on-card autograph has therefore always been a key piece of Barkley collections and they don't come cheap. It was just the 2nd year of the Autographics subset - and for collectors with deeper pockets and looking for even more of a challenge, there's a "century" parallel numbered to - you guessed it - 100.
TOPPS FINEST 1993 CHARLES BARKLEY
1993 was the first year for Topps Finest and basketball - a marriage that's been successful ever since. There was a lot of hype about this product when it first arrived and it's still considered one of the more collectible sets of the last few decades. The refractor versions are the real star here and the ones which have gained in value over time. Barkley is captured in his Phoenix Suns uniform.
UPPER DECK GAME JERSEYS 1997 CHARLES BARKLEY
Game used jersey cards aren't as special today as they were almost thirty years ago, but back then they were revolutionary. The 1997 game jersey cards have exploded in the last few years and not just in basketball. There's a connection to the hobby of the past in collecting these cards, and the current pricing reflects that.
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.