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As I find time, I will be changing the criteria of the list, adding/removing cards to it, and adding additional rankings (e.g, scarcity, most recognized cards). When I do this, I may organize the cards by year followed by a string of rankings. I started this list on March 6, 2003. For the first few weeks, the list will be in total disarray. After I communicate with some of the other vintage collectors' the list will undoubtedly be revised. Furthermore, if you have any comments/suggestions on the list, please start a discussion in my forum, or, if one exists, contribute to that discussion.

Eventually, this will turn into a top 100 basketball cards of all time. In this list, I will obviously focus on different factors. I mean, I'm going to want to see the 1986 Jordan RC in the top twenty.

So this is going to cause some ruckus in the hobby. Now, before I begin, I wanted to tell you that there are many ways someone can make a top 50 vintage basketball card list. For example, someone could make a "most-valueable" list. This is probably the easiest list you could have. You basically assume what would happen if you put 10 vintage basketball collector's in a room with every vintage basketball card and said "pick 100". However, in doing so, you wouldn't even reach a 1957 card until all of the Bread for Energy, Scott's Potato Chips, and Bell Brand cards were listed. Now, you could also make the list directed to the cards that have had the most impact on the hobby. You would find such a list comprised mostly of the mainstream rookie cards. You could base the list on the "magical ambiance" that surrounds certain cards. However, this list would again just focus on the mainstream rookie cards of famous players. You could also do a literal top 50 Pre-1970 baskteball cards where a 1/1 PSA 10 1969 Topps would beat out every PSA 8 Bob Cousy. Anyway I see it, this list will be flawed. A list based on the "worth" of a card (e.g., future value potential) could also be done in addition to an infinite amount of other variatoins.

So these are the assumptions I used in creating the "Value Ranking" for my list.

1. These are generally ranked based on what would probably happen if you put the top 5 collectors in a room with every pre-1970 basketball card in the world;

2. The cards are all in the same EX condition, assume all the cards are a PSA 6;

3. Commons are removed entirely from the list. In some cases semi-stars may be removed/moved. It would be a shame to have a Buddy Grant Scott's card (although I think it may be Buddy Grant's only vintage card) ahead of a 1957 Petit;

4. I will do some adjustment to to order to reflect certain cards. I will move up the 61 Fleer Chamberlain, although, if you really did the list by value and all cards were in the same condition, (e.g., PSA 6), it wouldn't be anywhere near the top of the list;

5. Every time a player is placed in the top 50, I will make it harder for that same player to appear again (this way the top 50 doesn't consist of 20 George Mikan's);

6. I will only take 1 cards from Scott's Potato Chips, Royal Dessert, Bell Brand, and Bread for Health;

!!!CARDS IN DARK GREY STILL HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED, ORGANIZED, AND APPROPRIATELY PLACED ON THE LIST!!!

Val. Rank	Year	Issue	Player	Comments
1	1950	Scott's Potato Chips	George Mikan	I have a feeling that this will drop down on the list over the next 10 years . I know of some people "sitting on sets" and I think there will be some major finds (e.g., 5-10 sets) with respect to Scott's Potato Chips. The only set I know of that ever went on sale sold for $25,000 on Mastros. If one Mikan ever sold publicly and was in good condition, expect it to go for $10,000+. The thing about the Scott's and the BFE Mikan is that you would still get roughly the same price regardless of condition (e.g., PSA 6- PSA 8) because there are just so few of these available. (e.g., less than 10 for both). I won't list any more Scott's.
2	1950	Bread for Energy	George Mikan	Not too many of these will probably pop up. I know of roughly 8 in the world, but let's assume that there are 15. The last one to sell publicly sold for $7,000. I think that in 5 years, this card may beat out the Scott's if my prediction about the major finds comes correct. From my perspective, these two Mikans are the "Holy Grails"/"Black Lotus" of the hobby. I won't list any more BFE
3	1968	Topps Test	Wilt Chamberlain	This is a card that got the #3 spot because I didn't want Mikan taking up the top 10. There are probably about 10-15 of these out there.
4	1948	Bowman	George Mikan	That's 3 for Mikan.
5	1968	Topps Test	Jerry West
6	1957	Topps	Bill Russell
7	1933	Sport Kings	Nat Holman
8	1935	Wheaties	Babe Didriksen	Yes, this card deserves to be here.
9	1961	Fleer	Jerry West	A PSA 10 sold for $37,000 in 2002.
10	1961	Fleer	Wilt Chamberlain
11	1960	Kahn's	Jerry West	I won't list any more Jerry West
12	1950	Bread for Health	Dolph Schayes	I won't list any more Bread for Health
13	1952	Royal Dessert	Joe Fulks	I won't list any more Royal Desserts
14	1968	Topps Test	Oscar Robertson
15	1948	Bowman	Red Holzman
16	1948	Bowman	Joe Fulks
17	1948	Bowman	Jim Pollard
18	1948	Bowman	Carl Braun
19	1957	Topps	Bob Cousy
20	1957	Kahn's	Jack Twyman
21	1961	Fleer	Oscar Robertson
22	1961	Fleer	Bill Russel
23	1961	Fleer	Eglin Baylor
24	1969	Topp	Lew Alcindor
25	1968	Carnation Milk	Gail Goodrich
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27	1933	Sport Kings	Joe Lopchic
28	1933	Sport Kings	Ed Watcher
29	1910	Hamilton Girl	Leather Premium	This is not a player at all. But if you sold one, you'd get about $2,500.
30	1957	Topps	Bob Cousy
31	1969	Topps	Bill Bradley
32	1969	Topps	John Havelic
33	1955	Ashland/Aetna Oil	"Hot" Rod Hundley	A magical card. This is the only true star in the first college basketball card set produced. The famous Ashland/Aetna Oil.
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35
36
37	1951	Berk Ross	Bob Cousy
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39	1933	Sport Kings	Ed Watcher
40	1957	Topps	Bob Petite
41	1961	Bell Brand
42	1955	Ashland/Aetna Oil	Adolf Rupp
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44	1957	Topps	Bill Sharman
45	1957	Topps	Paul Arizin
46	1961	Fleer	Bob Cousy
47			slater martin
48			Mikkelson
49	1961	Hawk's Essex Meats	Bob Petit
50	1969	Topp	Walt Frazier