Overview
Larry Bird clearly put his mark on the NBA as a member of the Boston Celtics. His stellar play and head-to-head battles with Magic Johnson helped push the NBA into the forefront and ultimately paved a path for Michael Jordan to emerge as the first true NBA superstar. As a result, Larry Bird cards and memorabilia are among the most popular options among retired players.
After an impressive three years at Indiana State University, Larry Bird was selected by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NB Draft. "Larry Legend" enjoyed a successful NBA career that spanned 13 seasons, and included 12 All-Star appearances and three NBA championships, to go along with three regular-season MVPs and two Finals MVPs.
All issued after his retirement, Larry Bird has a ton of autographed cards available for collectors. Larry Bird only has one rookie true card for collectors, and he shares the card with two other Hall of Fame players.
Unlike his cards, Larry Bird autographed memorabilia carries a premium and is not as readily available.
See also: Top Larry Bird Cards to Collect
Larry Bird Rookie Cards Checklist
1980-81 Topps Basketball #34 Larry Bird RC, #174 Julius Erving, Magic Johnson RC #139
While it would be nice if Larry Bird had his very own rookie card, you could not ask for better company. Bird is joined by his biggest on-court competitor, Magic Johnson and Julius Erving. This is also the only rookie card for Magic Johnson. Few cards in the history of basketball collecting are more important than this special rookie card.
There are also five other multi-player cards in 1980-81 Topps that feature Larry Bird, including:
- #47 Scott May, #30 Larry Bird, #232 Jack Sikma
- #143 Marques Johnson, #30 Larry Bird, #232 Jack Sikma
- #146 Junior Bridgeman, #31 Larry Bird, #198 Ron Brewer
- #228 Fred Brown, #31 Larry Bird, #198 Ron Brewer
- #34 Larry Bird, #164 Bill Cartwright, #23 John Drew
The last card, in particular, is the most similar to the famed rookie card, as Bird occupies the left spot and the card features the same image of Bird as seen above. All five present an appealing budget option for collectors who cannot afford the main version with Magic and Dr. J.
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Autograph Guide
Larry Bird Autographed Memorabilia Buying Guide
Below you will find an example of what Larry Bird's authentic signature looks like. This can be used as a first point of reference for determining the legitimacy of autograph memorabilia, but is not a substitute for having your items authenticated by a well-respected professional autograph authentication company. Reputable authentication companies include JSA, PSA, Panini Authentic and Mounted Memories, to name a few.
Larry Bird Cut Signature Exemplar
Larry Bird Key Signature Attributes: An authentic Larry Bird signature autograph will exhibit several distinguishing characteristics, depending on when in his career the item was signed. Other characteristics that play into his signature style are the particular item and venue. Look for the following signature features:
- Larry Bird has fairly distinct signature thanks to his looping style.
- The signature begins with a large cursive "L" that extends over the whole first name.
- The "a-r-r" is generally distinguishable but can become jumbled together.
- The "y" is always legible and the bottom loop normally connects back into the letter.
- The cursive "B" starts the last name and immediately transitions to the remainder of the last name.
- The "i-r-d" is clearly distinguishable and the "i" is not dotted.
- The "d" is implied with an upward curving finish.
Larry Bird Signed Basketball Pricing:
Active Listings for Larry Bird Signed Basketballs
Larry Bird Signed Jersey Pricing:
Active Listings for Larry Bird Signed Jerseys
Larry Bird Signed Photograph Pricing:
Active Listings for Larry Bird Signed Photographs
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More Info
Be sure to checkout our other Larry Bird collecting guides and articles:
- Top 10 Larry Bird Cards of All-Time
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