The 1992 US Olympic Men’s Basketball team, or Dream Team, is one for the history books. For the first time ever, the United States allowed active pros to represent the nation at the Barcelona games. Detroit’s own Chuck Daly helmed the team, but it was the 12 man roster that stole headlines. The Last Dance gave an inside look at some of the epic scrimmages, practices, and games. Now, we look at the top 5 most valuable basketball rookie cards (PSA 10) from members of the squad.
5. Scottie Pippen 1988 Fleer #20 PSA 10
It is not surprising to see Pippen on this list. Especially after the hype for The Last Dance hit the trading card world. Maybe this was long overdue too, as before Pippen arrived in Chicago, Jordan’s Bulls had yet to win a single playoff series. The NBA’s greatest number two in history has seen his rookie card rise. The Scottie Pippen 1988 Fleer #20 PSA 10 jumped to over $2,000 in the last month.
4. Patrick Ewing 1986 Fleer Rookie #32 PSA 10
Coming in at number four is the number one overall pick in the 1985 draft. Throughout his career, Patrick Ewing was known as a fierce rim protector, scorer, and leader. He was the archetype for NBA big men of the ’80s and 90s. Ewing’s Knicks squad may have been the biggest threat to the Bulls’ first three-peat in the early ’90s. The Hoya Destroya never did win an NBA title. However, Ewing was the 1986 Rookie of the Year and a two-time gold medalist. The Patrick Ewing 1986 Fleer #32 PSA 10 has sold for as high as $2,550 per PSA auction data.
3. Charles Barkley 1986 fleer #7 PSA 10
Barkley is yet another NBA all-time great who is title-less. This is the result of having a prime that overlapped with that of Jordan’s. Barkley is probably best known for his 1993 season. In that year, Sir Charles won league MVP and led the Phoenix Suns to an NBA finals appearance. However, you could make the argument that his trash talk is just as noteworthy. To match his epic career, the Charles Barkley 1986 Fleer #7 PSA 10 has hit it’s all-time high most recently selling for over $4,000.
2. Michael Jordan 1986 Fleer #57 PSA 10
It is not surprising to see “His Airness” on this list, but it may surprise some that MJ is not number one. Jordan’s rookie card was also included in the absolutely stacked 1986 Fleer checklist. For perspective, the 1986 Fleer basketball empty box sells for over $100 if in good enough condition. The Michael Jordan 1986 Fleer Rookie #57 PSA 10 is the gold standard in the modern sports card hobby. This card is worth over $50,000 now and will surely continue to see its value rise.
1. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird 1980 Topps Larry Bird / Julius Erving / Magic Johnson Scoring Leaders PSA 10
The top of this list sees an odd scenario. The 1980-81 Topps basketball checklist graced the Hobby with one of its most unique cards. The set includes several “league leader” cards that featured multiple players. One of the 1980-81 Scoring Leaders cards happens to hold three of the NBA’s fifty greatest players, Julius Erving, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird. Two of these were key members of the 1992 Dream Team and had lengthy interviews in The Last Dance. While Erving had been in the league for nearly a decade, this card is considered Magic and Bird’s rookie. Most recently, the Larry Bird/Julius Erving/Magic Johnson 1980 Topps Scoring Leader PSA 10 sold for $114,000 at auction.
This card’s rarity also helps its value. According to the pop report, only 23 PSA 10s exist. While this card tops the list, it should be noted that there is a much bigger drop off between the value of a PSA 10 and lower grades than Jordan’s 1986 Fleer Rookie #57.
