The NBA’s landscape changed dramatically in 1979 when a pair of clean-cut rookies broke into the league and brokered a new era that turned into one of the greatest rivalries in league history. The two rookies stormed onto the scene, putting their skills next to living legends like Julius Erving and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. But more importantly, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson each brought their own brand to the NBA, giving the league sturdy marketing pillars that helped fill arenas across the country.
Erving, Johnson, and Bird combined to win nine straight NBA championships from 1980 to ’88. In that same span, only three other teams ever made the NBA Finals (the Rockets twice and the Pistons). Three times, Magic’s Lakers and Bird’s Celtics matched up for the title, but despite that fierce competition, the duo became friends later in life and continue to serve as stewards of the game.
Just as Larry and Magic forever altered the NBA, Topps changed the basketball card landscape in 1980, delivering a new style of base card for its flagship set—and printing one of the most iconic NBA cards of all time. Throughout its history in the basketball card industry, Topps had tinkered with the design and size of its base cards. In 1980, the company issued standard-sized cards, but each card served as a perforated three-card panel, essentially giving collectors three cards for the price of one. Of the many tri-panels offered in the set, none holds more prestige than the one featuring rookie cards of Bird and Magic on either side of Erving’s “Scoring Leader” offering. It's not just the top 1980-81 Topps Basketball card, but one of the most iconic basketball cards ever produced.
This particular copy takes a very special place, having been signed by all three legendary NBA Hall of Famers. The bold blue ink autographs have been assigned 10 grades by PSA DNA. The card itself is a strong NM-MT 8. Just 16 signed copies rank higher in the PSA registry.
The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 01/08/2026.
