Ayrton Oneill
Basketball cards have become increasingly popular in recent years, with collectors of all ages and interest levels chasing them down. When it comes to the best basketball card manufacturers, there are several notable companies in the industry. One of the most well-known manufacturers is Panini, which is the largest and leading sports card manufacturer in the world. Panini has exclusive trading card licensing deals with several top sports leagues, including the NBA, and is known for its quality, artistry, and reputation. Other popular manufacturers include Topps, which previously held the license for NBA cards before losing it in 2016, and Fleer, which was especially popular in the 1980s and 1990s and is known for its Michael Jordan rookie card.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| World's largest and most successful sports card company | Panini |
| Previously the most expensive sports card manufacturer | Topps |
| Popular in the 1980s and 1990s | Fleer |
| Good price to buy | Panini |
| Best resale value | Panini Prizm |
| Good for pulling favourite player cards | Panini Select |
| Best for cards featuring the latest rookies | Chronicles Draft set |
| Most premium basketball set | Eminence |
| Historic set in the hobby | Contenders |
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What You'll Learn
Panini: the world's largest sports card manufacturer
Panini is the world's largest and most successful sports card company. Founded in 1961, it has grown into a multi-billion-dollar corporation. Most people consider Panini the biggest brand for NBA basketball cards due to its emphasis on quality, artistry, and reputation.
Panini entered the basketball card market by negotiating exclusive trading card licensing deals with several top sports leagues. It is currently the only company fully licensed by the NBA. Its cards are widely regarded as some of the best rookie cards one can buy of a modern player. For players with exclusive autograph deals outside of Panini, this is even more true since none of their autographs or RPAs are licensed.
Panini Select features a lot of parallels and autos, giving collectors a good chance of pulling their favorite player cards. Select sets consist of a more limited roster of 100 base cards, while Prizm sets typically have around 300 cards. Select is also more exclusive, with the newest releases only available by purchasing a hobby box. This makes Select cards short prints of the league's most impressive players, making these boxes a great starting point for a valuable collection.
Some of Panini's iconic basketball sets include Prizm, Select, and National Treasures. Eminence is perhaps the most premium basketball set manufactured by the company. All cards from this set are numbered to ten or fewer, and all patches are game-used. Eminence cards feature gorgeous holofoil and intricate designs. However, Eminence is a non-annual release, with only three sets released in 2014, 2019, and 2021.
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Topps: the previous sports card manufacturer before losing its license in 2016
Topps was a major player in the sports card industry, particularly when it came to basketball cards. However, the company faced a significant setback in 2016 when it lost its license, which dealt a blow to its business.
Topps had a long history in the sports card market, and its products were well-known and sought-after by collectors. For many years, Topps enjoyed a dominant position, with its cards widely recognised as industry standards. However, the loss of its license in 2016 marked a turning point for the company.
Prior to 2016, Topps had experienced both highs and lows in the sports card market. Notably, between 1970 and 1982, the company operated without an NFL license, yet it still managed to produce NFL cards. During that period, Topps employed airbrushing techniques to remove team logos from player uniforms in its card designs. Despite this challenge, Topps demonstrated resilience and adaptability in navigating the lack of an official license.
In 2016, however, Topps faced a more significant challenge when it lost its license to design and distribute branded cards. This loss was particularly impactful as it affected half of Topps' card business at the time. The license was acquired by Panini, a competitor in the sports card industry. This transition from Topps to Panini represented a shift in the market, with Panini emphasising quality, artistry, and building a strong reputation in the eyes of collectors.
Following the loss of its license, Topps found itself at a crossroads, needing to chart a new path forward. The company demonstrated its resourcefulness by quickly introducing Topps Now, a real-time digital printing unit that offered limited-time cards capturing special moments in sports and non-sports events. This pivot allowed Topps to generate significant revenue and showcase its ability to innovate and adapt to changing market demands.
In conclusion, while Topps faced a significant challenge with the loss of its license in 2016, the company's resilience, creativity, and willingness to embrace new strategies positioned it for continued success in the evolving sports card industry.
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Fleer: popular in the 1980s and 1990s, especially Michael Jordan's rookie card
Basketball cards are quickly becoming one of the most popular cards on the market to buy and sell. While there are several card manufacturers in the market, Fleer stands out for its popularity in the 1980s and 1990s. Fleer is now owned by Upper Deck but was once its own company.
Fleer's Michael Jordan 1986-87 rookie card is considered one of the most sought-after cards in all of basketball. The card holds significant value and is considered Jordan's "official rookie" card. It is important to note that the odds of finding a Jordan rookie card in a pack were about 1 in 11, making it a relatively common find in the early 1990s.
The iconic image on the card is widely recognised, and collectors continue to covet this piece of sports memorabilia. The card is also significant because it helped revive basketball card collecting, which was on life support during the mid-1980s due to limited public interest. The 1986-87 Fleer NBA Basketball set, which included Jordan's rookie card, was created in response to a surge in NBA popularity and featured several NBA legends and Hall of Famers from that era.
In addition to the Jordan rookie card, Fleer also produced sticker sets during the 1980s and 1990s that are popular among collectors. These stickers featured rookie images of Michael Jordan, further adding to the appeal for collectors.
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Panini Prizm: good resale value
Basketball cards are becoming one of the most popular cards on the market to buy and sell. Panini is the world's largest and most successful sports card company, and the biggest brand for NBA basketball cards due to its emphasis on quality, artistry, and reputation. It is also currently the only company that is fully licensed by the NBA.
Panini Prizm, which debuted in 2012-2013, is a highly popular product line from Panini. Prizm filled a chromium void once held by Topps Chrome after Panini took over the exclusive NBA license in 2009-2010. Prizm's popularity has continued to grow over the next decade, with new configurations and pack types introduced to meet demand.
Prizm Rookie Cards (RCs) are generally at a premium compared to many other widely available brands due to their higher demand. Some Prizm RCs carry more value than others, with the player being the main factor influencing their value. Cards from the first few releases of Prizm are also tougher to find, making them more valuable than newer cards.
While some sources suggest that Panini cards have poor resale value, others specifically highlight the Prizm line as an exception, with some cards rivaling the value of players' top autographs from premium products. The most valuable Panini Prizm cards include those of big-name players such as Damian Lillard, Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, and Klay Thompson, as well as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum, and Zion Williamson.
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Chronicles, Contenders, and Donruss: good starter options
Chronicles, Contenders, and Donruss are three good starter options for basketball card collectors.
Chronicles cards are great for newer and younger collectors because they feature rookies, superstars, and numbered versions of both. There are 20 different sets within Chronicles, making them an interesting and exciting option for collectors. However, it's important to note that unless it's a low-numbered parallel or auto, Chronicles cards may not hold their value by the end of the year.
Contenders basketball cards are known for their autographs, specifically the Rookie Ticket Autographs. The 2023-24 Panini Contenders collection continues this tradition, featuring signatures from first-year standouts, veterans, and retired players. Hobby boxes in this collection come with a pair of signed cards and an average of three inserts per pack.
Donruss is another well-known basketball card manufacturer, although specific details about their cards are scarce.
When it comes to basketball card manufacturers, Panini is the world's largest and most successful. They entered the basketball space by negotiating exclusive trading card licensing deals with top sports leagues and are currently the only company fully licensed by the NBA. As a result, most people believe Panini is the biggest brand for NBA basketball cards due to their emphasis on quality, artistry, and reputation.
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Frequently asked questions
Panini is the world's largest and most successful sports card company. It is the only company that is fully licensed by the NBA.
Chronicles Draft, Select, National Treasures, Eminence, and Prizm are some of the most popular Panini sets.
Yes, Topps was the previous sports card manufacturer before losing its license in 2016. Fleer, now owned by Upper Deck, was also popular in the 1980s and 1990s.
A 1986-87 Michael Jordan Fleer rookie card sold for $840,000 in 2021. An Upper Deck Exquisite Collection LeBron James Rookie Patch sold for $900,000 in 2020.
The quality and scarcity of a card impact its value. Opening packs/boxes can be fun, but it's unlikely that you'll find a valuable card.
