Let’s go back in time.
A few weeks ago I came across a 400 count box full of 1972-73 Topps basketball cards. They were in real nice shape and I flipped through them I fell in love. I decided to go ahead and sort them out to see how much of the set I had, and the results of that effort led me to decide to go ahead and make this one of the first vintage basketball sets I’m going to put together.
Here’s a quick video I did to show my sorting!
The Breakdown
Wax Boxes contained 24 packs with ten cards in each pack. They retailed for 10c and were the only standard retail packaging that year. However, there was also a promotional offering with General Mills that provided the opportunity to obtain both 50 cello packs and 132 card uncut sheets for a combination of proof of purchases and a small fee.
The 264 card set is made up of players both from the NBA and ABA. Cards 1-176 depict NBA players, and cards 177-264 show the stars of the ABA. Between both leagues, this set is loaded with legends. The most significant card in the set is the Julius Erving rookie, but it also contains the rookie card of Phil Jackson along with other stars like Wilt Chamberlain, Pete Maravich, Oscar Robertson, Walt Frazier, and Rick Barry.
Design
The design of this set is straight up 70’s to the core. Most cards feature the player overlayed on top of a brightly colored background. A few cards depict action game shots in a more traditional photo. The team names are in big, cartoon like, bubble letters along the bottom that grow in size from left to right to form a triangular shape. This design is memorable and I became a bigger fan as I went through the sorting process.
The backs look like a vertical version of the 1978 Topps baseball set.
The backs of the cards remind me of a vertical version of the 1978 Topps baseball set. A combination of orange and blue is layered on top of the grey card stock to make from a clean look.
Values
As mentioned before, the Dr. J rookie is the big hitter from this set and commands the biggest price on the secondary market. Ungraded copies can be picked up for about $500, while high grade versions will run about $3,500. Depending on condition, complete sets can be purchased from about $1,000 to $2,600.
With so many stars, there are some other cards that carry a decent price tag depending on condition. The Wilt, Pistol Pete, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are popular, and the Julius Irving All-Star or League Leader cards provide a very affordable way to get his “rookie cards.
Checklist
The full checklist can be found on the Trading Card Database via this link.
Wrapping It Up
I love the collectibility of this set. The inclusion of both leagues does a great job capturing the history of professional basketball at that time. The checklist is loaded with legends, and the values of the cards make building the set an attainable goal while still being a challenge. The colorful design and the player photos are a great reflection of the era and make for an enjoyable flip through the binder.
Let me know what you think! Do you have a favorite vintage basketball set of your own?