Collecting Sixers History
The history of the Philadelphia 76ers is chock-full of Philly Tough and spectacular displays of basketball greatness. Whether it’s Wilt Chamberlain’s impossible combination of size, strength, and skill, on-court brawls with Bird’s Celtics, or Dr. J defying gravity at the Spectrum, the team has left an indelible mark on the game, while building one of the most die-hard fan bases in American sport.
Let’s take a deeper look at how to collect the 76ers.
76ers Mount Rushmore
The Sixers have been blessed by some of the most dominant players of all-time and some of the most electrifying athletes to ever hit the hardwood. For the Mount Rushmore of Philadelphia 76ers basketball, we’re going with two extraordinary big men, one of the smoothest players in history, and one of the most relentless guards to ever play.
1980 Topps Basketball Scoring Leader Larry Bird / Julius Erving / Magic Johnson
Player Accomplishments
• 1983 Champion
• 1981 MVP
• 11x All-Star
Card Info
• Iconic card with Erving alongside rookies Larry Bird and Magic Johnson
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Player Impact
• An unmatched combination of athleticism and grace, Irving is one of the most beloved players to ever play
1975 Topps Basketball #254 Moses Malone RC
Player Accomplishments
• 1983 Champion
• 1983 Finals MVP
• 12x All-Star
Card Info
• Malone RC from his time with the ABA’s Utah Stars has sold for as much as $102,000
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Player Impact
• In One of the greatest Finals performances in history, Malone led Sixers to a dominant sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers to win the 1983 title
1996 Topps Chrome Basketball #171 Allen Iverson RC Refractor
Player Accomplishments
• 3x First Team
• 4x Scoring Champion
• 11x All-Star
Card Info
• One of the most valuable cards in Topps Chrome Basketball’s debut set
Player Impact
• Personified cool both on and off the floor, with an individual performance in the 2001 playoffs that remains the stuff of legends
1968 Topps Test Basketball #1 Wilt Chamberlain
Player Accomplishments
• 2x Champion
• 4x MVP
• 13x All-Star
Card Info
• This rare Chamberlain card has sold for as much as $55,200, with a total PSA population of only 11
What They Said
• Won three straight MVPs in his return to Philadelphia and arguably belongs on the Mount Rushmore of three separate franchises
Champions in the City of Brotherly Love
After back-to-back playoff losses to the Boston Celtics in 1965 and 1966, Wilt Chamberlain and the 76ers finally got over the hump in 1967. After posting a then-league-best 68-13 regular season record, the team demolished the Celtics dynasty in a five-game series win, in which Wilt averaged a triple-double and a ridiculous 32 rebounds per game.
Philadelphia’s title-winning team was led by Wilt, but he was helped by the fantastic play of All-Stars Hal Greer and Chet Walker, as well as Wali Jones and Billy Cunningham. Greer’s 1969 Topps Ruler is a fun and quirky addition to a team collection. A PSA 8 of Chet Walker’s 1969 Topps Basketball ‘Tall Boys’ card while with the Bulls sold for $132 in July 2024.
The Sixers went on to defeat Chamberlain’s former team, the Warriors, in six games, with all five players scoring over 17 points per game.
While the Lakers and Celtics dominated the ’80s, Philadelphia was one of the few franchises willing and able to go head-to-head with these dueling dynasties. From 1980 to 1989, only the 1989 Pistons and 1983 76ers were able to stop the relentless parades in Boston and L.A. Philly’s fierce and combative battles with Boston in this era took the rivalry to new levels.
The four-game sweep of the Lakers in the 1983 Finals featured one of the most dominant Finals performances of all-time, with MVP Moses Malone averaging 25.8 PPG, 18.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.5 steals per game, and 1.5 blocks per game. Incredibly, he out-rebounded the great Kareem Abdul-Jabaar 72-30 in the blowout championship series.
Malone, Dr. J, and a phenomenal backcourt featuring Mo Cheeks and Andrew Toney made this Sixers team simply unstoppable.
Fan-Favorite Sixers
A four-time All-Star during his 11-year tenure with Philadelphia, Maurice Cheeks was a key part of the 76ers 1983 title run. A defensive stopper in the backcourt, Cheeks had his number 10 raised to the rafters in Philly back in 1995. After his playing career ended, Cheeks went on to coach Philadelphia, and he remains a beloved figure in the city. In February 2025, a PSA 10 of his 1981 Topps Basketball card sold for over $600.
One of the greatest shot blockers and defenders in league history, Dikembe Mutombo was only in Philadelphia for a season and a half, but his towering presence was critical to the Sixers’ run to the Finals in the 2001 playoffs.
Joining the team mid-season, Mutombo went on to record 23 points, 19 rebounds, and seven blocks in a Game 7 win over the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Mutombo won his fourth and final Defensive Player of the Year award that season. His card from the iconic 1996 Topps Chrome set features him with the Atlanta Hawks
Capturing History Your Way
The Sixers are an essential part of Philadelphia culture. A loyal fanbase, a storied history, and a combination of grit and grace, of pride and power, collecting the 76ers is a way for collectors to tell a story of championships and character — of winning, or going down swinging.
