March 30, 2023: Spring Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/30/2023
The oversized “Tall Boys” 1976 Topps Basketball issue is presented here in all its 3 1/8-by-5 ¼-inch glory, a spectacular example of the important issue that marked the expansion of the National Basketball Association in assimilating teams from the rival American Basketball Association. That ended up meaning a smaller number of cards but dramatically enlarged card size to record proportions for any mainstream set. The offered near set is in outstanding Near-Mint to Near-Mint to Mint condition, with the emphasis to the upper end of the spectrum and the Hall of Famers and stars providing a nice glimpse into the wider condition range, starting with the sole slabbed example, the key No. 10 David Thompson Rookie, found here in a PSA 8 holder. The near set has perhaps 20 percent or so in the Near-Mint range, and even with those they are mostly really Near-Mint-Plus, straining to challenge the wider Near-Mint to Mint group. The elegant “Tall Boys” boast simply superb colors and gloss, with excellent centering and a very uniform and consistent presentation. The only discouraging word: the missing cards are some of the real bruisers, like Erving, Maravich, Havlicek, Abdul-Jabbar (regular and All-Star), Gervin, Malone and the Checklist. If you already have those keys socked away, this is the lot for you, cause you'll never find the remaining 136 in a more pristine state.
1976 Topps Basketball High-Grade Near Set, PSA 8 Thompson Rookie (136/144)
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