Nothing But Bangers in Weekly Auction #167
Shohei Ohtani’s Rookie Card Leveled Up — Times 100
Shohei Ohtani has captured the baseball world’s attention — and the card market has followed. Now, Fanatics Collect is putting a remarkable piece of Ohtani’s hobby legacy up for bid in Weekly Auction #167.
Lot 744 features 100 copies of the 2018 Topps Update Series #US1 Shohei Ohtani Rookie Card, each graded PSA 10 Gem Mint. Offered as a single lot, this auction presents a rare opportunity to acquire a high-grade collection of one of the most important modern-era rookie cards in bulk.
The #US1 card has become a cornerstone of Ohtani’s hobby profile, widely collected and actively traded. While PSA has graded tens of thousands of these cards, assembling 100 PSA 10s is a feat few have achieved — or even attempted.
Whether viewed as an investment piece, a foundation for a collector’s Ohtani focus, or a long-term hold, this lot stands out for its scale and significance. With Ohtani redefining what’s possible on the diamond yearly, interest in his early cards remains strong.
Topps Basketball Tall Boys Take Center Court
Vintage basketball collectors, get ready — Fanatics Collect’s Weekly Auction #167 is bringing serious hardwood heat with a lineup of classic Topps Tall Boys from the game’s golden era.
Leading the charge is a true grail: the 1969 Topps Lew Alcindor Rookie Card, a towering piece of basketball history. Issued during Topps’ first foray into the sport, the ’69 set introduced the now-iconic oversized Tall Boy design — a style synonymous with vintage basketball collecting.
The auction doesn’t stop there. Collectors will also find the 1970 Topps Lew Alcindor, showcasing the legend’s early dominance post-rookie year, alongside one of the hobby’s most electrifying cards: Pete Maravich’s 1970 Topps Rookie — a colorful take on one of the game’s most creative scorers.
Rounding things out? A sealed 1976 Topps Basketball wax box. The 1976 Topps Basketball set marked the return of the Tall Boys; this box could hold potential rookie gold — Hall of Famer Moses Malone. These boxes are increasingly scarce, and finding one intact is a win.
Topps’ Tall Boys stand tall — literally and historically — in the hobby. Whether you’re chasing rookies, building vintage sets, or want to own a slice of basketball cardboard lore, this auction lineup delivers.
Could the Curry RC Superfractor be in this box??
2009 Topps Basketball: End of an Era, Beginning of Greatness
Before the next era of Topps NBA cards tips off, Fanatics Collect is rewinding the clock to where it last left off — 2009 Topps Basketball.
The Baby Faced Assassin’s RC
In Weekly Auction #167, three standout lots spotlight a set that’s grown into a modern hobby legend:
- A sealed 2009 Topps Basketball wax box, a rare, untouched piece of wax with a very real shot at housing the Stephen Curry Rookie Superfractor 1/1 — a card that’s never been seen.
- A standalone 2009 Topps Stephen Curry Rookie Card graded PSA 9 MINT, showcasing the early look of a player who changed the game.
- A 2009 Topps James Harden Rookie Card—pre-beard—and another foundational piece from a set loaded with future MVPs.
Harden didn’t always have a beard?!
The 2009 Topps release marked the final NBA-licensed basketball set from Topps. That alone makes it a cornerstone for collectors, but the rookie class and the mystique of what could still be sealed in boxes give it staying power.
Design-wise, it’s clean, timeless, and refreshingly understated. Print runs were modest, and unopened boxes are increasingly tough to find. With Curry cementing his legacy and Harden continuing his climb up the record books, these cards — and this set — feel more relevant than ever.
As Topps prepares its NBA comeback, collectors should consider 2009 both a closing chapter and a launchpad. This auction perfectly captures that.
