In May 1995, Trading Cards Magazine ran a piece by Jim Stevens asking which hockey cards were worth buying with $500. I thought it’d be fun to see how John Moore’s picks have held up!
You can see that Moore recommended: One Ken Dryden 1971-72 OPC RC #45, $300; one Patrick Roy 1986-87 OPC RC #53, $140; two Dale Hawerchuk 1982-83 OPC RCs #380, $36; and four Paul Kariya 1992-93 UD RCs #586, $24. Total expense: $500.
Let’s assume he was talking about cards that would grade PSA 8s, which is a bit optimistic, but I need to compare against something.
It looks like Ken Dryden’s PSA 8 RC’s are ~$1475, Roy PSA 8 rookies are ~$330, Hawerchuk’s RC is ~$40 (times two is $80), and Paul Kariya’s UD RC is essentially worthless in a PSA 8 slab. So combined, that’s $1,885 from the original $500. But just a moment, the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Inflation Calculator says that $500 in May 1995 has the same purchasing power as $1,043.60 in January 2025.
Not bad by Moore overall. But everyone probably should have stuck to Gretzky’s rookie cards, eh?
In November 2009, Mastro offered for sale an incredible near set of 17 different 1959 Bazooka football cards, 12 of which included the promo tab at the bottom!
Here’s the auction lot’s description:
Collection of 17 different 1959 Bazooka Football cards. The year 1959 was fairly uneventful in Topps’ several entree sports card issues. However, that company’s grist, Bazooka bubble gum, appeared very sparingly in boxed form. The container, a basic cardboard prism, measured approximately 5″ x 3″ x 1″ and held individually wrapped tasty ingots. To lubricate sales, one of an assortment of well-known sports figures would appear, in full-color, on the bottoms of the boxes. Baseball, of course, preceded football. Initially, nine different baseball players were imposed on the boxes. These are scarce. Later, 14 others were added. These are much tougher, and the evidence suggests that sales were listless. Bazooka,under the guidance of Topps, obviously had an investment in preparation, and as kids returned to school, the football segment of the strategy appeared. The marketing scheme was doomed from the start, and very few remains of this misdirected ambition exist today. All that money for one card, which dimensionally disrupted otherwise uniform stacks of cards. Bazooka would later promote the idea by offering panels of three baseball cards. There were 18 different in the 1959 Bazooka football production, and all are very scarce. Of these, three were produced in undetermined shorter numbers and include Conerly, Groza and Tom Tracy. The collection offered here is missing only the Tracy card. Of the 17 cards offered here, 12 include the promo tab at the bottom of the card. Those without the tab are John Arnett, LeBaron, Joe Perry, Kyle Rote, and Tittle. The cards are cut responsibly with very little violation of the dotted lines. Condition Report: Ameche (NR-MT to MT); Arnett (cut slightly inside dotted lines, EX-MT); Brown (very light crease on back, EX+); Casares (NR-MT to MT); Conerly (mild crease on back, EX); Ferguson (NR-MT to MT); Gifford (NR-MT to MT); Groza (light crease on back, EX+); Layne (mild crease through tab, NR-MT ); LeBaron (light surface wear, EX+); Lewis (light crease on back at tab, EX-MT); Matson (mild crease on back, writing on back, EX); Perry (NR-MT to MT); Retzlaff (NR-MT to MT); Rote (very slight miscut on left border, EX-MT); Tittle (left border cut imperfectly EX+); Unitas (mild surface wear, EX-MT).
Minimum Bid $1,500
I previously highlighted the set in a piece about a complete box featuring Frank Gifford in which I mentioned that Larry Fritsch believed that the Chuck Connerly variations were the toughest to track down, but this collection, as stated, was missing the Tracy card, one of the other presumed short prints.
By the way, the cards, particularly Jim Brown’s, are pretty pricey these days. In October 2024, Heritage sold an SGC 5 graded Brown for $9,600.
In the middle of 2022, on X, I shared a handful of 1961 Topps and 1961 Fleer football unopened products, and someone asked how it was that both Topps and Fleer had a license to print AFL and NFL cards in the same year. We also noted that it was weird that it was midway through seemingly exclusive 4-year deals for each brand. Honestly, after more research, I still don’t know why or how this happened, but I thought I would share some information about NFL and AFL trading card rights in the early 1960s.
This all started with the founding of the American Football League in 1959 and its inaugural season in 1960. They were challenging the established National Football League, who, as PSA wrote, “…had a fan base. They had connections with college athletes, and they had Topps bubble gum cards. The popular trading card company had issued its first professional football set featuring NFL players in 1956, which began an uninterrupted streak of Topps football sets featuring contemporary players that ran through the 2015 season.”
So, just as the leagues were competing against each other, Fleer and Topps would also. Fleer printed football cards from 1960 to 1963, having the rights to the AFL players in 1960, 1962, and 1963, and Topps had the rights to the NFL players during that time. Somehow, in 1961, both companies had players from the AFL and NFL.
Here is the year-by-year breakdown of each set.
1960 Fleer: The set has 132 cards, 125 with players and seven showing head coaches. It was Fleer’s first football set and was made up entirely of AFL players. And since it was the first year of the AFL, most players were coming into the pro ranks out of college, so Fleer showed them in college uniforms.
1960 Fleer #76 Paul Lowe
1960 Topps: The 132-card set only has NFL players and showcased the expansion Dallas Cowboys.
1961 Fleer: Fleer released the 220-card set in two series, the first with 132 NFL players and the second with 88 AFL players.
1961 Fleer #11 Jim Brown
1961 Topps: The 198-card set featured NFL players in the first series (#’s 1-132) and AFL players in the second series (#s 133-197), with card 198 being a checklist.
1961 Topps #1 Johnny Unitas
1962 Fleer: The set has cards of 88 AFL players, and many collectors believe it had the lowest print run of any of the Fleer football sets.
1962 Topps: The 176-card set features NFL players
1963 Fleer: The set features 88 cards of AFL players and a great unnumbered checklist. The set is known to have three of the most sought-after vintage football cards of the ’60s (the Checklist, Charles Long, and Bob Dougherty).
1963 Fleer Football Checklist
1963 Topps: The 170-card set of NFL players was grouped alphabetically by city name.
1963 Fleer #96 Ray Nitschke
Things got interesting after that. In 1964, the Philadelphia Gum Company obtained NFL rights through 1967, and Topps printed AFL-only sets between 1964 and 1967, leaving Fleer with no product in football (or baseball). Then, in 1968, after the NFL and AFL agreed to merge, Topps got the rights to both leagues.
I can make a lot of guesses about exclusivity and printing rights in the early 1960s that led to the 1961 sets from Fleer and Topps having both AFL and NFL cards, but I really don’t have any facts. If anyone knows what happened, please let me know in the comments and happy collecting!
Topps Magazine’s final issue (Number 16) came out in the Fall of 1993, and it featured this fantastic article by Larry O’Rourke on the 1992-93 Topps Basketball sets!
“After an 11-year hiatus, Topps returned to the NBA in 1992-93 with two star-studded sets, Topps and Stadium Club.”
I almost forgot about the 1992-93 Topps Archives set—regular Topps and Stadium Club are junk-wax staples; hey, Beam Team and ToppsGold!
Hobby and NBA history from Mastro’s December 2007 catalog, Pete Maravich’s 1970 rookie contract with the Atlanta Hawks. A groundbreaking $1.5M moment in sports history.
Long before the jump from high school courts to NBA hardwoods became commonplace, Pete Maravich hit the professional hoops scene to anticipation since unrivaled. The son of legendary mentor Press Maravich. “Pistol Pete” arrived at Louisiana State University along with his father and proceeded to topple scoring standards with amazing regularity. Wowing the masses at the NCAA level like none before, Maravich warranted attention and a previously unheard-of price tag -upon his arrival to the NBA. Here offered is the actual contract drawn up for and signed by the mop-topped Hall of Famer for his 1970 rookie campaign with the Atlanta Hawks. Setting the precedent for a nightly cult-like following, Maravich debuted at LSU in 1966, pouring in 50 points for the Tigers’ freshman squad. In an era during which freshmen were not eligible for varsity play, Maravich performed before a packed arena in his inaugural effort–providing the only show that mattered, the crowd dispersing immediately after the freshman contest, ignoring the varsity tilt altogether! Proving that those opening night exploits were no fluke, Maravich went on to average 44.2 points per game in his LSU varsity career. Posting that stunning mark in the days before the three-point arch was implemented. Plucked as the third overall pick in the 1970 NBA draft. Maravich was signed by the Atlanta Hawks for a record $1.5 million. The offered documents are rife with details and, more importantly, the princely sum promised the Hall of Fame guard. Entitled ” NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION UNIFORM PLAYER CONTRACT,” the seven-page binding document is accompanied by a three-page “RIDER” attachment, a one-page “AMENDMENT” and a five-page “GUARANTY AGREEMENT.” The additional paperwork was necessary as the language in the uniform contract was altered. Sizable passages are blacked out and followed by a typewritten notation of “See Rider attached hereto.” In short, in lieu of the standard one-year agreement. Maravich was to be awarded his hefty sum over a five-season period. The amendment simply altered the increments in which the showy performer was to be paid, allocating less than the original wager for the 1971-72 season and more for the following campaign. Both Maravich and Hawks President Thomas Cousins have initialed each page while, in blue ballpoint or marker, Maravich’s signature appears four different times, all told, projecting “9-10” strength in each instance. With normal compacting folds throughout, the documents are complete (and quite thorough!) in representing one of the sporting world’s most historic signings. LOA from Steve Grad & Zach Rullo/PSA DNA and LOA from James Spence Authentication.
The catalog included a close-up of a few of the signatures.
It looks like Lelands resold the contract in June 2004 for $6,095; I suspect it’d go for quite a bit more today.
Today, here’s a short basketball-dedicated list of 6 original pictures that Topps, Kahn’s Wieners, Fleer, and Bowman used to create some awesome cards.
1968 Topps Test #5 John Havlicek
In February 2020, Heritage Auctions sold this unique 8×10’’ photograph of John Havlicek, which Topps used for their scarce 1968 Topps Test Issue, for just $312.
John Havlicek Photo – Front
John Havlicek Photo – Reverse
1968 Topps Test #5 John Havlicek
1960 Kahn’s Wieners Jerry West
I don’t know if this photograph is a Type 1 example, but it is autographed and authenticated by JSA. In early 2023, the photo was listed for sale on eBay for $8,750.
Jerry West Photo – Front
Jerry West Photo – Reverse
1960 Kanh’s Wieners Jerry West
1961 Fleer #19 Tommy Heinsohn
The following 8×10’’ Type 1 image of Tommy Heinsohn was listed for sale on eBay for $1,800 in January 2023 but is now listed for $749.99. Heinsohn was an all-time great and was elected to the Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach.
Tommy Heinsohn Photo – Front
Tommy Heinsohn Photo – Reverse
1961 Fleer #19 Tommy Heinsohn
1961 Fleer #22 K.C. Jones
Robert Edward Auctions sold this Type 1 image of Boston Celtics Hall of Fame great K.C. Jones for $1100 in their 2020 fall auction.
K.C. Jones Photo – Front
K.C. Jones Photo – Reverse
K.C. Jones Photo – LOA
1961 Fleer #22 K.C. Jones
1976 Topps #60 Pete Maravich
Lelands’ 2022 Summer Classic Auction had three great Type 1 basketball photos used for the 1976 Topps basketball set, but the Maravich stood out. It sold for $1375.
Pete Maravich Photo – Front
Pete Maravich Photo – Reverse
Pete Maravich Photo – LOA
1976 Topps #60 Pete Maravich
1948 Bowman #69 George Mikan
This Mikan Type 1 image was signed and sold for $30k at Robert Edwards Auction’s 2018 Spring Auction.
George Mikan Photo – Front
George Mikan Photo – Reverse
George Mikan Photo – LOA
1948 Bowman #69 George Mikan
I hope you enjoyed seeing these amazing original photographs. Please reach out if you have any other type photographs used to create basketball cards, particularly any from the ’80s Fleer basketball sets.
Flipping through old auction catalogs is a dangerous game—so much rare memorabilia, and my wish list just keeps growing! Here’s a cool one from Mastro in 2007: a 1960s Jerry West die-cut advertising sign.
Here’s how they described it:
Presented is a “Wilson 50 Years” store advertising sign displaying the image of hoops legend Jerry West. To commemorate their fiftieth year as one of the top sports retailers in the industry-and to help commence another fifty-Wilson released this splendid marketing device. The 21-1/2″-tall item displays the impeccably crisp image of the basketball Hall of Famer in his 1960s Los Angeles Lakers garb. The All-Star guard is captured holding a basketball with the manufacturer’s label conveniently exhibited. A caption along the bottom reads, “a progressive past…a golden future.” The relic demonstrates superb preservation, exhibiting unobtrusive furrows confined mostly to West’s neck. The advertisement’s colors are every bit as vibrant as the day it was released. Matted and framed to total dimensions of 20-5/8″ x 29-5/8″
Unfortunately, I haven’t come across another example; let me know if you have a lead on one online or have more details about it and happy collecting!
