Some of Larry Legend’s Best with the Brand
Larry Bird led Boston to three championships and four finals appearances in an incredible five-year stretch of play, during which the Hick From French Lick led Boston in playing some of the greatest basketball the world has ever seen. Indeed, some observers still maintain that Larry’s 1986 Boston club is the best there ever was.
A noted trash-talker and undeniable showman, Bird remains one of the defining players of the league’s history. He and Magic Johnson built one of the great rivalries in the history of American sport, helping to popularize the game of basketball for a new generation.
Let’s take a look at some of the best Topps cards of Larry Legend.
Larry Bird Cards to Collect
1981/82 Topps Basketball #4 Larry Bird
Player info
• Led Indiana State to first college basketball tournament in school history
• Played Magic Johnson and Michigan State in one of the most famous college finals in history
Set info
• 198-card set broken up into national cards and then east, midwest, and west cards that were distributed regionally
card info
• highly covetable early bird in Boston warmup gear
• card back features vitals, stats, and description calling Bird a magnificent passer and shooter
1980/81 Topps Basketball #34 Larry Bird/#139 Julius Erving/#174 Magic Johnson
Player info
• drafted sixth overall by Boston
• drafted at end of junior year and returned to Indiana state
• on signing, was highest-paid rookie in league history
Set info
• mini cards released on 88 perforated sheets featuring three cards each
card info
• decision to issue cards in this manner resulted in one of the most iconic pieces in topps basketball history, a full panel featuring rookies larry bird and magic johnson as well as legend julius erving
2008/09 Topps Chrome #169 Larry Bird Red Refractor /5
Player info
• won rookie of the year in 1980
• won first title in only second season in the league
set info
• 220-card base set
card info
• intriguing bird card in modern topps chrome refractor featuring iconic image of bird waving a towel
1981/82 Topps Basketball Super Action #101 Larry Bird
Player info
• 1982 all-star game MVP
• three-time three-point contest champion (1986, 1987, 1988)
set info
• ‘Super action cards’ were part of a 66-card group distributed nationally
• 11-card subset
card info
• another desirable early bird card showing the star finishing at the rim
• card back shows Bird’s collegiate stats and playoff stats with Boston
1993/94 Topps Finest Refractors #2 Larry Bird
Player info
• won three straight MVPs (1984-1986)
set info
• 220-card base set
• set marks the beginning of the refractor era in the basketball hobby
card info
• jump-shooting bird image alongside entries featuring Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal
• card back features vitals and stats and description of bird’s number 33 being retired by Boston in 1993
