So, this is the series you have decided to complete? Well, I have good news and bad news for you. For good news, it will be easy on the pocket-book. There are a few pricey choices in this series, but for the most part, no headache.  Also, a complete set like this will be extremely valuable in 20 or 30 years. So, if you are patient, and in it for the long run, you just may be able to pick up some serious cash for it in the years to come. The bad news? Well, you have a LONG way to go. Picking up a 132 card series is no small task, even for the avid collector.

However, here are some things you should know before setting out on your daunting and difficult task. First, the cards ARE out there, just keep your eye open, and watch the auctions. Next, don’t pay more than $40 for the #1 card, Bill Walton. I know it is valuable, but NOT worth more than $40, and by that I mean even in excellent to mint condition! However, for just a very good conditioned card, a third of that should be enough. You see, with a card like this, condition means a lot. Oh, and while I am thinking about it, remember Seattle SuperSonic Fred Brown? His card is #59. Do not give someone $6 for this card! It is worth about $1.50, and I mean in excellent condition.

Needless to say, his professional career basically followed suit. He was part of the Boston Celtics team that won eight NBA title in nine years.  Number 15 was, of course, immediately retired after Tom retired. Well, since now you remember Tom Heinsohn, I’ll bet you are also remembering just how hard it is to find the 1957-1958 Topps basketball card of him. You know, the one featuring him going up in his number 15 Boston Celtics jersey? Card number 19 in the series? Ah, now you remember, because more than likely it is a card you have been looking for!

Well, plan on looking some more, unless you are planning on spending a hundred dollars or more on it. It seems like this is indeed the going price for the Tom Heinsohn Boston Celtic number 19 Topps trading card.  And is this for the near mint version? Maybe. If you look hard enough. But don’t expect to get a “very good” version any cheaper. Actually, expect to pay even more for a mint version.

You might find it for less if you are an incredibly gifted bargain shopper, or enjoy digging through flea market rubble. However, for those of you with more money than time on your hands, expect to dump at least the lowest triple digits on this one.

The 2006-07 SP Authentic Basketball set comes in a box of 24 packs, with each pack having 5 cards. They have cards of veterans, rookies, autographed cards and even memorabilia. The base set has about 90 cards of veterans and given the small amount of common cards and inserts, it is possible that you will get all the veterans for your basketball card collection, including duplicate. They also have basketball card rookie cards and if you are lucky, you might get a Rookie Authentic card signed by the basketball player. This edition also has autographed cards and memorabilia cards. Our suggestion, buy the entire set.

The 2006-07 SP Signature Edition is every basketball card collector’s dream set as it contains autographed cards of all its players. The card set comes in a tin, with a single pack of three cards, one being an autographed card and the other two are base cards. When this edition was created, it was a one of a kind, but that is not the case today. You have more options available in the market that helps you get more and better signed or autographed cards for your basketball card collection.

If you are new to basketball card collecting, it may be a good idea for you to start off with these branded packs.

So, what is the high end collectibles market in basketball cards and are they really worth the money? Well, if you are interested in speculating in the current market, take a look at the 2006-07 Bowman Sterling Basketball and 2006-07 Chronology Basketball sets. These two basketball card collectibles may be worth the money you are investing and could form a part of your basketball card collection. The 2006-07 Bowman Sterling Basketball box contains six packs of five cards and a box topper pack that contains an extra card. Each pack is supposed to contain two regular rookie cards, one autographed rookie card, one relic rookie card and a veteran card. Autographed rookie cards may be worth the price and has demand in all seasons The advantage of this box is that though it is in the higher end series and you might not get what you want, it still leaves you satisfied with what you have. The second high end collectible for your basketball card collection is the 2006-07 Chronology Basketball which contains cards in tins and there are eight tins in a case. Each tin contains autographed cards of players of the past, present and the future basketball players. As an additional bargain these tins contain redemption cards for the most sought after present day rookie cards.

At the other end of the market are true vintage collectibles. For example, a Michael Jordan rookie is valuable, but isn’t really a vintage collectible. Before the sports card market for basketball took off, in the 1980’s is when you would start. We’ll cover this in a future article.

Rookie basketball cards of new players are definitely a gamble as they will become valuable, only if the player does extremely well. It also depends on various factors like the basketball player performance, fan popularity and even his personality. However, despite the odds, avid collectors feel that no basketball card collection can be complete without the latest rookie cards in it. Like all other sports card collecting, even in basketball, the primary reason to collect is because they love their player or team, connect with them and want a piece of the action.

A few rookie cards to look out for your basketball collection include Kevin Durrant, Greg Oden, Joakim Noah, Brandon Wright, Nick Young, Yi Jianlian, Corey Brewer, Mike Conley Jr., Acie Law and Al Horford. These are promising young players who have been drafted by the NBA, a lot of things have been said about them in the media. Each player has his own strengths and weaknesses that stake the odds in his favor. Of course there are many other company checklists that you should study and do research before making your final buy of rookie basketball cards.

Twenty years ago, however, that was not the case. There was only one company, Fleer, that manufactured basketball cards. It was during this time that great champions like Michael Jordan entered the NBA along with others and dazzled basketball fans with his skills. However, before Fleer entered into the basketball card manufacturing business, Star company manufactured rookie cards of these players. Despite this, today the most sought after cards for a complete basketball card collection is the Fleer Historic Set of 1986-87 and the most sought after rookie card is the Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card. The Jordan rookie card is the most sought after basketball card for basketball fans, bar none.

Apart from Michael Jordan, this Historic Set of Fleer features other great players like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Dr. J Julius Erving and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. The Historic Set from Fleer is also a great addition to your basketball card collection because it contains other great rookies like Karl Malone, Joe Dumars, Isiah Thomas, Chris Mulin among others. The near mint condition cards from this set are definitely an asset to your existing basketball card collection.

First, near the top of the list are two basketball player superstars from the eighties. For basketball card collectors, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are near the top of the list. Their playoff duels are classics for any basketball card collection.

At the top of the list, Michael Jordan.  Jordan, by far, has the most sought after basketball cards. At any price range, from the rookie card to all-stars to reprint, basketball cards of Michael Jordan are the most popular.

It has been seen that leading card manufacturers like Topps, Upper Deck, Fleer etc have their own websites that sell basketball cards in sets to buyers. They announce the various card sets that are popular and by checking with the price guides and other checklist reviews you can buy the set of cards that you like most. This is a good option for people who have started recently collecting basketball cards as these sites provide indepth review, analysis and information related to basketball cards, not to mention value and price.

Among the online retail units that sell basketball cards, Naxcom is rated the best by both dealers as well as buyers. Other online retail card units like the House of cards or DCS Sports Cards, Games and Cards are also a good place to buy basketball cards. These outlets buy the cards from the manufacturing companies and sell it through their sites. They offer shipping of the cards to your place of residence, thereby making the entire card purchase simple.  This option is great for collectors who are very busy and cannot spare much time researching basketball cards.

Lastly, basketball cards, like all other sports cards, are auctioned through the Internet through auction sites like Ebay and uBid. If you want an individual card to complete your existing collection, then Ebay is your best bet. However, if you want card sets directly from the retailers and that too at an attractive bargain then you should try uBid

Rookie cards are the most sought after cards in the game of basketball. Most players, via their basketball players union, have entered into a contract with the card manufacturing companies. Hence they almost immediately come out with a rookie card of the player, before he even appears in his first game. These cards of the players, especially those with a lot of promise, are highly popular and are a good buy. Also, rookie cards of existing players, who are both excellent in the game and popular, should form a part of your collection, as they are valued very highly. The value of rookie card fluctuates on large scale and is determined by various factors like performance of the player, past record and his popularity in public. Rookie cards are a good bet to be used as trading cards.

Among other collectible cards, come the limited card editions released by the various basketball card manufacturing companies. It has been seen that signature editions or inserts are very popular with collectors as it binds them with their players. Some card manufacturing companies have come out with specific period related card sets that are a good buy for collectors, like for example, the historic cards manufactured by Fleer. Some basketball cards come with the authentic signature of basketball players and are quite popular among collectors as it gives a personal touch to their basketball card collection.

Lastly, of course, all sports card manufacturing companies come out with their own checklists that help us get an idea of what to buy and where to buy it. These checklists can be compared with the price guides that mention the value of each card and hence helping in taking the final decision as regards purchase depending on one’s budgetary allowance.

First, the condition of your basketball card plays a very important role in determining its value. Any card that is kept in impeccable condition will be valuable and fetch a high price for the seller. So it is important to determine the condition of the card before actually selling it. Condition of the card can be easily determined by a local card shop dealer or any online site which guides you to determine the condition of basketball card yourself. There are fixed criteria on which condition of the basketball card is determined and the approximate value it can fetch.

Secondly, the year of the card is very important as older vintage cards are more valuable when compared to newer ones. Also, if you possess a rookie card, then its value increases as rookie cards of players are in greater demand. Similarly, if your card is from a rare and limited edition, then its scarcity will increase the value of the basketball card. To get more information regarding the basketball card history, origin and other details, do as much as research possible.

Lastly, the best way to identify the exact value of the basketball card is to subscribe and read price guides that talk about the value of the card. Also internet auction sites are another resource that gives you information about the value of your card and can be a valuable tool in determining the value of your basketball card. To find a price, find a card similar to your card listed on Ebay and track it. Once the auction has expired, take a look at the final price for the basketball card to get an idea of its value.