Auctions
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar rookie card stands tall with rare Alton Lister (?) gem
Before changing his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, he was Lew Alcindor, a 7-2 phenom at UCLA.
Playing under John Wooden, Alcindor set the college world on its ear, leading UCLA to a 30-0 record in 1966-67, his sophomore season. He went on to win national titles in both his junior and senior seasons, and then signed a five-year, $1.25 million contract with Milwaukee. In his first season with the Bucks (1969-70), he won NBA Rookie of the Year. A season later (1970-71), he and Hall of Fame point guard Oscar Robertson led the Bucks to their first NBA championship.
Shortly after winning that title, Alcindor would become known publicly as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Over a long and unique career, he won five more titles, six MVPs and 19 All-Star Game berths, while averaging 24.6 points and 11.2 rebounds.
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We were reminded of Abdul-Jabbar’s remarkable career by an eBay auction of his rookie card, a 1969-70 Topps Tall Boy card that got all early hoop collectors excited. Listed in November with a starting bid of 99 cents, it quickly built up steam, attracting 54 bids over 10 days and soaring to $20,715. The card’s PSA 8 grade helped.
Lower-grade examples get appreciably cheaper. To wit: We spotted a host of PSA 7 examples that sold for: $4,615 on 36 bids; $4,255 (27 bids); $3,958 (46); $3,827 (21); and $3,750 (32).
Plus, more than a dozen 1969-70 Alcindor rookies graded PSA 6 sold for prices between $1,500 and $2,000.
Finding higher grades is a different story. PSA has only 18 Alcindor rookies graded 9 and only two graded a perfect 10. The most recent auction price for a PSA 10: $240,000.
As usual, our monthly chart of the top eBay sales features plenty of basketball cards featuring such legends as Michael Jordan, Steph Curry and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Even former NBA star Yao Ming makes an appearance.
TOP 10 CHART
Through 11/30/2025
1. $62,500 on 84 bids: 2000 Bowman Chrome Tom Brady Refractor (PSA 9)
2. $50,100 on 123 bids: 2018 Bowman Chrome Shohei Ohtani (batting), auto (PSA 10)
3. $49,801 on 72 bids: 2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady Rookie Ticket, auto (BGS 9, auto 10)
4. $47,6000 on 44 bids: 1998-99 Upper Deck SP Authentic Michael Jordan Sign of the Times Gold, auto (BGS 9, auto 10)
5. $45,055 on 71 bids: 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle (SGC 2)
6. $43,100 on 37 bids: 1999 Donruss Elite Walter Payton/Barry Sanders Passing the Torch, #6/1500, autos (PSA 10)
7. $41,651 on 96 bids: 1976 Topps Walter Payton with secondary-market autograph (PSA 3, auto PSA/DNA 7)
8. $38,201 on 55 bids: 2023-24 Panini Crown Royale Yao Ming Kaboom! Green (PSA 8)
9. $37,100 on 81 bids: 2004-05 Panini La Liga Mega Cracks Lionel Messi (PSA 8)
10. $36,400 on 70 bids: 2018 Bowman Chrome Shohei Ohtani Blue Refractor (batting), #23/150 (PSA 10)
THE NEXT 10
These items ranked just outside our Top 10 list:
• $35,200 on 60 bids: 2010 Topps Chrome Ken Griffey Jr. Superfractor, #1/1 (PSA 9)
• $33,833 on 80 bids: Fleer Stickers Michael Jordan with secondary-market autograph (PSA 8)
• $33,600 on 2 bids: 2012-13 Panini National Treasures Kobe Bryant/Shaquille O’Neal Champions Signature, #14/15, two autos (PSA 10)
• $31,100 on 45 bids: 2024 Topps Dynasty Shohei Ohtani Dynastic Decoration Auto, logo patch, #4/5 (ungraded)
• $29,600 on 68 bids: 2009-10 Topps Chrome Stephen Curry, #724/999 (PSA 10)
• $27,100 on 61 bids: 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan (PSA 9)
• $26,700 on 89 bids: Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Stephen Curry Rookie Autograph, #3/31, auto (PSA 10)
• $26,600 on 27 bids: 2021-22 Panini Flawless Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Star Swatch, #8/10, auto patch (BGS 9.5, auto 10)
• $25,433 on 34 bids: 1987-88 Fleer Alton Lister (PSA 10)
• $24,720 on 1 bid: 2018 Bowman Chrome Shohei Ohtani (pitching), auto (PSA 9)
To riff on an old Sesame Street bit, one of these names is not like the other. Yes, it’s Alton Lister who stands out among the luminaries above.
We mean no disrespect to Lister—just the opposite. He was a solid NBA performer, a 7-foot defensive stalwart who spent 16 years playing among some of the game’s best, from Bird, Magic and Dr. J to Jordan, Ewing and Karl Malone. Lister spent a few years as a starter for Milwaukee and Seattle before becoming a steady contributor off the bench for Golden State, Milwaukee (again), Boston and Portland. He finished his career with averages of 6.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots per game.
But even Lister himself would admit that his card looks out of place amid the multiple Curry and Jordan items.
So why did Lister’s 1987-88 Fleer card draw the eye-popping price of $25,433? As a knowledgeable collector, you already know the answer: It’s the parenthetical detail after his name: PSA 10.
There are only 11 Gem-Mint cards of Lister’s 1987-88 issue. Collectors who choose to get cards graded may not be moved to send out an Alton Lister card. So people who are motivated to build a perfect-10 set of 1987-88 Fleer will pay top dollar for this hard-to-find piece.
Before this current eBay sale, PSA listed $16,078 as the top price paid for a 10-grade Lister card.
