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How much is a larry bird basketball card worth
20 Larry Bird Basketball Cards You Need To Own
1
Larry Bird basketball cards continue to be extremely popular among sports card collectors.
Larry Legend was just that: a basketball legend.
For thirteen seasons, Bird put his heart and soul into the game and put fear into every other team. When all was said and done he'd win 3 NBA championships, 3 MVP awards and be named to 12 All-Star teams.
Because of this, he's one of the most popular players of all-time and one of the most highly collected in the basketball card hobby.
Appearing on Topps, Hoops, Fleer, Skybox and Upper Deck issues over the years, there are several key Larry Bird cards that any serious collector should own.
Here is a list of his top cards that you should consider for your collection.
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Ross Uitts - Owner
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1980 Topps #16 Larry Bird Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 value: $40,000
This entire Topps set has risen to fame mainly because of the legacy that Bird and Johnson went on to leave.
They were fierce rivals in college and throughout their NBA careers so Topps was smart to pair them up on this card.
While originally the three-panelled card was not a favorite among collectors, this card in particular became an amazing coincidence by showcasing three of basketball’s best known heroes: Larry Bird, Julius Erving and Magic Johnson.
The card is extremely difficult to find in decent condition as copies are riddled with print defects.
Larry Bird rookie cards are not the cheapest in the hobby, and are near the top of the most valuable basketball cards in the hobby.
1981 Topps #4
Estimated PSA 10 value: $750
After finishing 1980 as the NBA Rookie of The Year and making it to the NBA All-Star team, Larry blasted into ‘81 with all kinds of momentum.
It would be the first of the three years that Larry would lead The Celtics to win the NBA Championship.
The card features a somewhat bland photo of Bird wearing a Celtics jacket warming up pre-game. The border is green, matching the team colors perfectly.
The bottom left corner highlights Larry’s position, name and team in an almost comic-like blast.
1986 Fleer #9
Estimated PSA 10 value: $700
1986 was a huge year for Larry Bird. He would win the NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award for the third year in a row in the ‘86 season.
He also would take the Celtics to win the championship for a third time, and be named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player for his contributions to the victory.
His 1986 Fleer card features an action shot of Bird mid-dribble.
The photo is outlined in yellow and placed on a red-white-and-blue striped background.
While mint condition cards can go for $700, you can grab a near-mint for around $20 to commemorate this legendary year in Bird’s career.
Clearly, the Michael Jordan rookie card is the key to this famous set but Bird’s card is essential, too.
This card came out right in the middle of the ’80s when Bird and Johnson’s rivalry was arguably at its height.
Bird and Johnson even appeared in a commercial for Converse shoes with an epic one-on-one match, playing off of the duo’s real life rivalry.
The commercial was showcasing Converse’s new “weapon” basketball shoe line.
1987 Fleer #11
Estimated PSA 10 value: $2,500
While ‘86 was Bird’s big year, the 1987 Fleer #11 card is far more valuable.
This is mostly due to the fact that it’s nearly impossible to find a decent specimen of this card.
The card was likely in the last row for printing and is notorious for centering issues.
The design of this card has Fleer written all over it with its blocky gray borders and overall color scheme.
Mint copies of this card can go for triple the price of the 1986 Bird card, usually maxing out around $2,500 – 3,000.
1988 Fleer #9
Estimated PSA 10 value: $50
The 1988 Fleer Larry Bird basketball card shows an in-game Larry running down the court with a Laker legend James Worthy close behind.
The photo has a border that is both light and dark green.
A black and white gradient is set behind the framing of the picture. It’s not as expensive as other Bird cards but a keeper nonetheless.
1989 Fleer #8
Debilitating injuries plagued Larry for much of 1989.
He had to have bone spurs surgically removed from his heels and continued to suffer back trouble which he had battled with for most of his adult life.
The card has a nice, clean design that matches the Boston uniform perfectly.
A close-up, candid shot of Larry fills the front of the card, with a small Boston Celtics logo in the upper right corner.
The back of the card features some of Larry’s stats and some facts about his early career.
1989 Hoops #150
While ‘89 wasn’t so great for Bird health wise, it was a great year on a personal level.
He married his wife, Dinah Mattingly, who he is still with today.
Dinah was an Indiana state native who went to the same college as Bird.
The two have raised two adopted children.
Hoops burst onto the basketball card scene in 1989 with its unforgettable design featuring players in an arch-shaped photo.
While David Robinson’s rookie card is the key to the set, the Larry Bird is also a must-have.
1990 Fleer #8
Health problems continued to plague Bird in the 1990 season.
He compressed a nerve root in his back which caused him to miss 22 games that year.
He went on to have a disc in his back surgically removed, however his deteriorating spine would push him to retire in the years to come.
His 1990 Fleer card shows a nice shot of Bird in the middle of one of his legendary jumpshots.
1990 Hoops #39
Hoops used an action shot of Bird driving hard to the basket.
The frame around the shot is a carryover from their 1989 design, but the gradient gray background behind it and position of player name and team info mixed things up.
Larry’s name and position are seen in the top left corner of the card.
1990 Skybox #14
The 1990 Skybox set features full color on both the front and back of the cards.
A cut out of Bird dribbling the ball is placed over a heavily edited background, not unlike the school photo backdrops of the time.
The back shows Larry sitting courtside, watching the game play out, as he would have had to for so many games that season.
You can pick up a mint condition card for under $20, so really why wouldn’t you?
1991 Fleer #8
Coming back after surgery, Larry just wasn’t the powerhouse that he once was. He had to sit out more games in the ‘91 season than the previous year.
In total, he would miss 37 games that year due to severe back pain.
The Fleer card features Bird mid game, coming down with a hard-earned rebound.
The thick blue border on the left was an interesting design choice at the time making the 1991 Fleer set easily recognizable.
1991 Hoops #9
The ‘91 season did have a true moment of glory for Larry. In one of the few games that he was physically able to play, he scored a whopping 49 points!
The Celtics went on to win in double-overtime against the Portland Trail Blazers.
This card shows Larry barreling down the court with the ball, determined to score.
If he scored on that particular play, surely there’d be some trash talk to follow.
Bird was as infamous for his trash-talking as he was famous for his skills on the court.
1991 Skybox #12
Heavily edited photos were a staple of the nineties.
Computer graphics were taking off in leaps and bounds, and no sports cards were safe.
This card has an image of Bird taking a shot with a giant, green, three-dimensional star behind him.
A large pink beam lays behind the star. You can own some of these excellent graphics yourself for around $15.
1991 Upper Deck #344
This Upper Deck card features Bird fighting off a defender in the post on his way to score.
The 1991 Upper Deck set was beautifully designed with its great action shots and hardwood graphic design along the right and bottom of the cards.
1992 Fleer #11
In 1992, the Celtics would make it to the semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Bird was having an exceptionally bad time with his back, and ended up missing 4 out of 7 games.
Cleveland would beat Boston in the 7th game, winning the Eastern Conference.
This card features some neat textures in the border.
The space behind Larry’s name looks like a painted basketball, which was kind of an interesting touch to the design, although it does make it harder to read the lettering.
1992 Hoops #10
In a time of overused graphics, Hoops got it right with a clean design over a sharp action photo.
These cards are easy to come by for under $10, so what better way to honor the year Bird took home the gold medal than with this fine piece of sports memorabilia.
1992 Skybox #10
Larry once again got to make history in the summer of ‘92.
He was one of the players chosen to be on the very first Olympic basketball team from the United States that featured pro NBA players–the infamous “Dream Team”.
Michael Jordan and Bird’s rival-turned-friend, Magic Johnson would join Larry in Spain.
The greats came home sporting gold medals around their necks.
The 1992 Skybox set put the focus on the photos by eliminating borders and backgrounds altogether.
The result looks great, relying on excellent action shots instead of computer graphics.
They also gave a nod to the “Dream Team” with the “USA Basketball” logo in the bottom right.
Taken in his last season of professional basketball, this card is an affordable, good-looking piece to any Larry Bird basketball card collection.
1992 Stadium Club #33
Stadium Club took a similar route, showcasing borderless photos as their card fronts. In the case of this card, the result is less eye catching.
The image would actually be much more impressive as poster than a pocket sized picture.
Due to the low price of this card, it is an easy one to find autographed, with multiple sources selling signed specimens for around $30.
1992 Topps #1
The final Larry Bird Topps card features a photo of Bird just moments before shooting the ball.
In the summer of 1992, he would announce his retirement from the NBA, mainly because of his never-ending back problems.
He would go on to have a very successful career in the basketball world off the courts as a coach and president of the Indiana Pacers.
1992 Upper Deck #3A
The final card on our list today has a fairly traditional design with a mid game action shot on the front.
The colors on the bottom border match the jersey colors in the photo perfectly, which is a nice touch.
It’s the sixth card available from his retirement year, and an excellent conclusion for any fan’s set.
Larry Bird Basketball Cards Wrap-Up
Larry Bird is a true basketball legend from the golden age of the sport.
He is an Olympic gold medalist, a three time NBA champ and a three time NBA Most Valuable Player.
He rose from a difficult family life in Indiana to being one of the greats alongside Michael Jordan and Bird’s long time friendly rival, Magic Johnson.
While his impressive career was cut short due to a progressive back injury, Larry has still remained as an important Basketball figure.
In the years that followed Larry’s retirement, he became a very successful coach for the Indiana Pacers, even winning the NBA Coach of the Year award.
Bird had signed on to coach under the agreement that he would do it for three years, no more and no less.
After his three years were up, he came back to the Indiana Pacers as the President of Basketball Operations.
He serves in this position today, and makes his business decisions just as cutthroat as his game playing.
He’s even managed to win awards in this role, taking home the 2012 NBA Executive of the Year title.
The Celtics retired Bird’s number 33 shortly after he retired as a player.
In 1998, Larry was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
A crowd of fans joined him for the induction, chanting his name as he joined the ranks of the everlasting basketball greats.
As far as stats go, Larry was the first ever player to shoot 50% or higher on field goals. His player efficiency rating ranks him at 18th of all time.
He is ranked 5th of all time for triple doubles. Larry has been described as the epitome of loving the game of basketball and playing it passionately.
It’s not hard to see why so many have added Larry Bird to their list of basketball card must-haves.
Since his retirement as a player, Bird has served as a coach and then as the president of basketball operations for his home state team, The Indiana Pacers.
We’ve brought together some of the best Larry Bird basketball cards out there with this list.
These cards commemorate the 13 seasons of glory he had playing for the Boston Celtics.
Any true basketball fan’s collection just wouldn’t be complete without Larry. We hope you’ve enjoyed the list.
Ross Uitts
Updated August 24, 2022
Ross Uitts
Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? Contact him at [email protected]
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Top Larry Bird Cards, Rookie Cards, Autographs, Inserts, Most Valuable
Larry Bird is widely considered one of the best basketball players of all-time. He has furthered his reputation in the game with successful stints as a head coach and team executive. Likewise, the many Larry Bird cards have an equally strong reputation in the hobby, and, understandably, he is one of the most collected names among the retired players.
Coming a few years before the Michael Jordan era, Larry Bird was responsible for a very significant period of growth in the NBA and basketball card collecting. Feeding off his intense rivalry with Magic Johnson that carried over from college, Bird's Celtics and Johnson's Lakers frequently squared off in games that decided the NBA championship during the 1980s. These two men dominated the early part of the decade, and, in a way, carried the collecting torch until Jordan was ready. Bird and Johnson have also shared space on many cards, starting with their rookies.
Unfortunately for Bird collectors, the heyday of his playing career did not coincide with strong basketball collecting interest. Outside of a few select offerings, most Larry Bird cards from the 1980s and 1990s are worth very little. Bird was not involved in the insert craze of the late-'90s that pushed basketball values way up. He also came well before the time that autograph and relic cards were a regular part of collecting.
View active Lary Bird card auctions with the most bids on eBay.
However, the boost in basketball card collecting has brought with it renewed interest in early Larry Bird cards. He has also been featured in many products with game-used and autographed cards. These post-2000 cards make up the bulk of his collecting value as well as a large portion of the top Larry Bird cards.
The following selection contains some of the best choices among the various "Larry Legend" cards. This list aims to honor some of the most highly regarded and collected cards of the Celtics great.
1980-81 Topps Larry Bird RC #34 / Julius Erving #174 / Magic Johnson RC #139
Buy on eBay.
Like other cards that fall into the "Holy Grail" status of the hobby, there is little explanation required for this amazing card. Featuring the sole rookie cards for Bird and Magic Johnson, the 1980-81 Topps Basketball card would be considered elite with those two alone. But on top of that, it also showcases Dr. J, sandwiched between the two rookies. Three Hall of Famers. Two rookies. One card. Enough said.
If you want something more affordable, the Larry Bird rookie mini not paired with both Erving and Bird goes for much cheaper prices.
1981-82 Topps Larry Bird #4
Buy on eBay.
The following season, "The Hick from French Lick" was featured in 1981-82 Topps Basketball. Very thin borders cause centering issues, but the ungraded and low-grade prices are still pretty reasonable for the second Larry Bird base card.
1983-84 Star Company Larry Bird #26 SP
Buy on eBay.
Acting as the collecting bridge for basketball fans during the card drought that fell between 1981-82 Topps and 1986-87 Fleer, 1983-84 Star Co. offers a short-printed Larry Bird card. The green borders are perfect given the high prices the card commands.
1986-87 Fleer Larry Bird #9
Buy on eBay.
1986-87 Fleer Basketball is an iconic set that put basketball cards back on the map. While Bird may not be the first, second, or even tenth most desirable card, the great design and relevance of the product combined with a player of his caliber make for a dynamic combination.
1986-87 Fleer Sticker Larry Bird #2
Buy on eBay.
As the only insert option 1986-87 Fleer, the sicker set has enjoyed increased attention over time, and not just the MJ card. This is another Larry Bird card that has been seeing a boost from collectors.
1993-94 Finest Larry Bird #2
Buy on eBay.
Despite retiring at the end of the 1991-92 season, Bird still managed to be prominently featured in 1993-94 Topps Finest Basketball. The base card can still be had for a few dollars, but the real chase is the Refractor version, which has since gone on to be one of the hobby's most popular parallels.
1993-94 Hoops Commemorative Larry Bird, Magic Johnson Dual Autograph
Buy on eBay.
At 1:13,896 packs, puling this card was an accomplishment in itself. But the long-term importance of a card that features the signatures of two elite players on one card is nearly impossible to convey. Cards like this didn't exist at the time.
Be very careful when buying one of these cards because they are notorious for counterfeit problems. A good clue for an authentic version is a visible Skybox embossed emblem in the center of the card. Unfortunately, this is still no guarantee of authenticity. Also, be aware the card came as a redemption card in 1993-94 Hoops Series 2 boxes.
1999 UD Century Legends Epic Signatures Larry Bird Autograph #LB
Buy on eBay.
They don't get more simple than this but good luck finding one. The very first mainstream brand to feature a certified auto of Bird exclusively, Bird's Epic Signature card is a rare and valuable option despite having no serial numbering. At 1:23 packs, the autographs were not even that difficult to pull, but the boxes of this popular product quickly dried up and are now hard to find. There is also a Century parallel that is hand-numbered to 33 copies.
2002-03 Ultimate Collection Signatures Larry Bird Autograph #LBS
Buy on eBay.
2002-03 Ultimate Collection Signatures has a nice design and large signature area. High-end collectors will be interested in the gold parallel that is nearly identical except for being hand-numbered to 33. The only other noticeable difference is the "33" in the background of the signature area. The regular version utilizes a silver font while the gold parallel appropriately uses a gold font.
Exquisite Collection Larry Bird Autographs
Buy on eBay.
2003-04 Exquisite Collection ushered in a new era of basketball collecting and it took rookies, veterans and retired players along for the ride. Limited Logos emerged as a collector favorite based on the on-card autograph and medium-sized jersey pieces. A small headshot, rainbow foil and black background helps give this top Larry Bird card personality without overshadowing the autograph and jersey piece.
While this is arguably the most popular Larry Bird Exquisite autograph, it is far from the only one.
Multi-Player Larry Bird Autographs
Buy on eBay.
With the influx of autographed cards since 2000, there have been many new and valuable Larry Bird cards for collectors to pursue. There are also many cards that feature Bird paired with other superstars. The 2006-07 Exquisite Collection Dual Enshrinements card showcasing autographs from Bird and Jordan is a great example of that. While it's overly limited print run makes it very difficult to locate, it is still a fantastic card. To the delight of most collectors, it also features Jordan as a member of the Chicago Bulls. There are quite a few cards featuring the signatures of Bird and Jordan and really you cannot go wrong with any of them.
1980-81 Topps Larry Bird Magic Johnson Erving #6 BGS 7.5 Near Mint+ RC Beckett $1549.00
2009-10 NBA SP Game Used Larry Bird Michael Jordan Magic Johnson RARe 55 99 COA $399. 99
Rare mint Larry Bird Boston Celtics 1989 Fleer Basketball All Star Sticker $60.00
1990-91 SkyBox Dennis Rodman Detroit Pistons #91 With Larry Bird HOF $50.00
1997 bleachers larry bird 23k gold gem-mt 10 $33.00
2014 Panini Prizm Larry Bird #17 Representatives-Prizm PSA 10 GEM MINT 🔥💯🔥💯 $80.00
2018 Panini Contenders Legendary Contenders Auto Larry Bird 69 99 PSA 9 $173.50
2021-22 hoops Larry Bird PSA 10 POP 1 Evay 1 1 $100.00
1990 Fleer LARRY BIRD BECKETT WARM UP PRACTICE-WORN JERSEY PATCH CELTICS $30.99
1990 Fleer All-Stars Basketball #2 Larry Bird Boston Celtics HOF PSA 10 GEM MINT $193.33
2015 UPPER DECK ALL-TIME GREATS MASTER COLLECTION LARRY BIRD SILVER AUTO 19 20 $279.99
The most expensive basketball cards of November-December - Hobby: Collectible cards - Blogs
Hobby: Collectible cards
Blog
Hello everyone!
After a short break, the top most expensive basketball cards are back. Today we will capture 2 months - November and December.
In order for the cards of different periods to be presented in the top, I divided it into three parts: before the 90s, the 90s and the first half of the 00s and the last 10 years.
Let's go from new cards to old ones (most often this means an increase in cost).
So, the top 4 most expensive new cards.
4) In fourth place is a 1/1 LeBron James card from Flawless 2015-16 with the NBA logo. They paid $10,300 for it.
3) Next is newcomer Steph Curry from Topps Chrome 2009-10. The gold parallel in this collection has a circulation of 50 copies. Added to this is the almost perfect condition of the card, and the total price is $10,600.
2) And the same amount was paid for a Karl-Anthony Towns card with a mourning patch dedicated to Flip Saunders of Flawless 2015-16.
1) And in the first place, 2 league logos and two Golden State stars - the same Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. It's the same Flawless collection from last season. The price of this card is $12,000 without one dollar.
Further older cards. I will say in advance that all 4 are from the second half of the 90s
4-3) And open the top two cards of Michael Jordan with a jersey and an autograph. In the first case, the card in this form was inserted into the blocks of the Upper Deck 19 collection98-99 - a kind of parallel with the autograph with a circulation of 23 copies. $10,999 was paid for the card. And the second card in the collection of the previous season was a regular unnumbered jersey. For a re-release in 2013, an autograph was at stake in the Jordan collection. The resulting result was estimated at $15,000.
2) Next, another overlay of the top newcomer from Topps Chrome. This time it's Kobe Bryant and the 1995-96 collection. Plus, the card itself is in excellent condition. Price $17500.
1) And in the first place is the red parallel Metall Universe PMG by Michael Jordan with an edition of only 100 copies. In addition, the card number 23/100 is of additional interest. It should also be noted that the card was sent to the PSA for an authenticity check, but not for a condition assessment. The rating would not be high - edge damage (not rare for cards of this sub-series) is visible to the naked eye. As a result, the card was sold for $21453.
Well, the oldest top contains only the classic rookie cards of future NBA legends.
4) And this list opens with Wilt Chamberlain's map from the Fleer collection from 1961. The condition of the card is 9 points out of 10 possible, and the price is $32,211.
3-2) Next, two cards from rookie Michael Jordan. Moreover, for a rarer 9-point card from Star-85, they paid more ($40,207) than for a 10-point card from Fleer-86 ($35,999).
1) Well, absolutely out of competition is the triple card of Larry Bird, Julius Irving and Magic Johnson - the main newcomers of the 1979 season-80 from Topps. Three members of the Hall of Fame + the perfect condition of the card itself gave a total of $96423.
Thank you for your attention!
Larry Bird asked to have tattoos removed from his mural - Basketball
Legendary Celtics and Indiana State player Larry Bird requested that tattoos be removed from his mural.
A street artist depicted Byrd on the wall of a house in Indianapolis with tattoos, although the famous basketball player does not have any.
Larry Bird mural stirs up controversy in Indianapolis https://t.co/KSKbAHeVbk pic.twitter.com/ZZTDndyU19
— KRON4 News (@kron4news) August 20, 2019
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The border is green, matching the team colors perfectly.
In one of the few games that he was physically able to play, he scored a whopping 49 points! 
He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? Contact him at [email protected] 
These two men dominated the early part of the decade, and, in a way, carried the collecting torch until Jordan was ready. Bird and Johnson have also shared space on many cards, starting with their rookies.
Cards like this didn't exist at the time.
99
99
00
They paid $10,300 for it. 
$10,999 was paid for the card. And the second card in the collection of the previous season was a regular unnumbered jersey. For a re-release in 2013, an autograph was at stake in the Jordan collection. The resulting result was estimated at $15,000. 
