Boxing as a sport has a habit of attracting the most colourful and fascinating characters and seeing two athletes scrap it out in gladiatorial fashion is often a sight to behold.

In the modern era, few fighters have revolutionised the sport in the way in which ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson has – with his antics both inside and outside of the ring often making headline news the world over.

As a fighter, Tyson won 50 of his 58 professional fights – with sustained spells as Heavyweight Champion of the World and he became known for his devastating punching power.

Controversy followed Tyson throughout his career though, with his infamous ear bit of Evander Holyfield and various other misdemeanours often seeing him reprimanded by both the world of boxing and the US police, with Tyson also having spent time in prison.

Despite having retired from the professional ranks nearly two decades ago, Mike Tyson remains one of the most iconic sport stars on the planet and his global reputation remains untouched.

Event appearances and exhibition bouts now make up the calendar for Tyson, who continues to travel the world as a global sporting icon.

Here is a rundown of some of the most Mike Tyson cards on the market:

Mike Tyson Rookie Cards 

1986 Panini Supersport Mike Tyson

Non Autograph

With his career dating back to the 1980’s, the original Mike Tyson rookie card on the market is actually a sticker – produced by the now prolific Panini in their formative years.

Many stickers and cards at this juncture were centred around football players but such was Tyson’s notoriety that he was depicted in Panini’s Supersport range.

There is only one base version of the sticker, which sees Tyson smiling in the image and has the USA flag adorning the sticker too.

The condition of the sticker will be the defining factor in terms of its worth, but it is a hugely collectible piece of Mike Tyson memorabilia, dating back to his days as a fighting rookie.

2006 Topps Allen & Ginter Autographs Mike Tyson #MT

Autograph

The concept of autograph cards/stickers is comparatively new and as a consequence the first Mike Tyson autograph card hit the market in 2006 – after the great man had actually retired from professional boxing.

However, that does not impact on the value of the 2006 Topps Allen & Ginter Autographs Mike Tyson card, which comes in the original run of autograph cards made by Topps Allen & Ginter.

Holding a classic fighting pose, the image on the card shows Tyson in his ‘lean and mean’ days, where he was the undisputed World Heavyweight champion between 1897 and 1990.

Few cards on the market are as sought after and as valuable as this one, with only 200 in circulation and seeing a 2006 Topps Allen & Ginter Autographs Mike Tyson card on the second hand market is an absolute rarity.

Best Mike Tyson Cards 

1987 A Question of Sport Mike Tyson

British TV institution A Question of Sport is still watched by millions of people in the UK on a weekly basis, pitting sports stars against each other in a sports knowledge quiz.

Back in 1987, a range of ‘A Question of Sport’ cards were released and inevitably, with Mike Tyson being one of the biggest athletes in the world at that point – his card was highly sought after.

Showing Tyson in action, displaying his all-action fighting style as he lands yet another punch, the card is aesthetically very pleasing.

Once more, the condition of the card will have an impact on its value but with it dating back over 35 years, there is a fair amount of value associated with the card.

1991 Ringlords Mike Tyson

The Ringlords collection are always highly sought after by collectors and the 1991 Mike Tyson card is an excellent piece of ‘Iron Mike’ memorabilia.

Tyson is celebrating with his manager Don King in the image on the card, with the World Heavyweight Champion belt draped over his shoulder – a familiar image back in 1991.

There are two versions of the card, with the unstamped edition significantly rarer than the stamped version, however both cards are valuable for Mike Tyson card collectors.

2012/2016 Upper Deck All-Time Greats Mike Tyson Autograph

By the mid 2010’s autograph cards became the norm and inevitably, any ‘Legends’ collection would include a Mike Tyson card.

Both the 2012 and 2016 Upper Deck All-Time Greats runs included Mike Tyson autograph cards, and both editions have slick designs of the great man in action.

The 2016 edition of the card is a little easier to source than the 2012 edition but once again, both cards hold value when it comes to Mike Tyson card collation.

Mike Tyson Card FAQs

Is a Mike Tyson rookie card a good investment?

Since Mike Tyson first burst onto the boxing scene in the 1980’s, the sports card memorabilia market has changed substantially but any piece of Mike Tyson rookie memorabilia is certainly worth having,

The 1986 Panini Supersport sticker is the inaugural Mike Tyson sticker/card and as a result, is highly sought after by collectors.

In terms of investment, it is an excellent sticker that will certainly hold value over time, provided it is in good enough condition.

What are the best value Mike Tyson cards?

Relatively speaking, Mike Tyson cards are generally reasonably priced across the board, with the exception of pieces from early on in his career.

Both the 2012 and 2016 Upper Deck All-Time Greats Mike Tyson Autograph cards are excellent pieces of memorabilia from the great man that are relatively affordable, and they should carry value too moving forwards.

Contextually however, any Mike Tyson sticker or card is certainly worth having – regardless of ones ambition when it comes to sports card collection, simply due to Tyson’s status within the sporting world – there will always be a sell on value to be found.

The post Mike Tyson Cards – Rookie Cards & Other Best Cards appeared first on Sports Card Expert.

As perhaps the greatest athlete of all-time, Muhammad Ali remains one of the most recognisable sport stars to have ever walked the earth.

Despite having passed away in 2016, Ali’s global appeal, reputation and intrigue remains as strong as ever and all sports memorabilia associated with ‘The Greatest’ is as popular and as sought after as ever before.

Few sport stars have the fabled and storied history Muhammad Ali endured throughout his career but his struggles with authority and naysayers only served to spur him on further to become Heavyweight Champion of the World and to leave a lasting legacy that is unlikely to ever be surpassed in the world of boxing.

First beginning his fighting career back in 1960 and retiring in 1981, Ali enjoyed 21 years at the very top of the sport – ending his career with a 56-5 fight record.

Whilst it is accepted now that Ali fought on for too long at the back end of his career, not only blemishing his fighting record but also impacting on his health in later life, he is and was a global sporting icon and all cards and stickers that depict the great man carry a real sense of value and worth.

Here is a rundown of some of the most valuable Muhammad Ali cards on the market:

Muhammad Ali/Cassius Clay Rookie Cards 

1960 Hemmets Journal Cassius Clay

Non Autograph

Sports cards back in the 1960’s were very different to how they are today but even back then, the appeal and prestige of some Muhammad Ali memorabilia was pertinent.

Then fighting under the name of Cassius Clay, he was the most exciting athlete on the planet – with his devastating speed in the ring and quick wit out of it, making him a global superstar.

The 1960 Hemmets Journal featured a four-card panel with a young Cassius Clay joined by other athletes from the 1960 Rome Olympics and are a real collector’s item – especially if they have been maintained in any sort of condition.

1962 Rekord Journal Cassius Clay

Non Autograph

Sweden were at the forefront of sports cards back in the 1960’s and the 1962 Rekord Journal and shows Clay in a dual design alongside Kjell Jarlenius, a notable handball player at that time – another real find on the market.

Best Muhammad Ali/Cassius Clay Cards 

1965 Bancroft Tiddlers Giants of Sport Cassius Clay

Depicting an image which is now synonymous with Ali the world over, the 1965 Bancroft Tiddlers Giants of Sport Cassius Clay card is a genuine relic for all sports card enthusiasts.

With Ali (or Clay as he was then) striking his infamous hands up fighting pose and a close up picture of his face, the card design is very much of its time – yet it looks as relevant today as it ever has been,

Value is key here, not only because it has Muhammad Ali on the card but by virtue of the piece originating back to 1965 – making it one of the very best Muhammad Ali cards available.

1966 Panini Campioni dello Sport Cassius Clay #377

Panini now have a real hold on the sports card and sticker market but back in 1966, their offerings were few and far between.

However, Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) was the box-office draw in the 1960’s from a sporting perspective and the Italian sticker of him from 1966 shows a youthful looking Clay, getting ready to step into the ring.

Condition will be central to value with this sticker, but it is a slick design, that also inscribes Clay’s name on the card – the first sticker or card of its time to do so – only adding further to the value of the piece.

1983 Topps Greatest Olympians Cassius Clay #92

In a career as decorated as Ali’s, it is easy to forget that he was an Olympic champion, and the 1983 Topps Greatest Olympians Cassius Clay card is a beautiful depiction of the great man celebrating his 1960 triumph.

From a range where all Olympic champions in America were immortalised in card form, the 1983 Topps Greatest Olympians Cassius Clay card is brightly coloured and adorned with the red, white, and blue of the American flag.

Base versions of this card are extremely rare, with only 2500 in circulation, whilst there are 50 cards that have the inscription ‘Congratulations’ on, adding further to any future sell on value.

Muhammad Ali/Cassius Clay Card FAQs

Is a Muhammad Ali/Cassius Clay rookie card a good investment?

Sports memorabilia always carries value and a lot of that hinges on just how reputable a particular sports star or team is.

Voted in 2000 as the Greatest Athlete of the 20^th Century, Muhammad Ali is a Bonafede global icon, who’s appeal, and status far transcends the sport of boxing.

As a consequence, having a Muhammad Ali rookie card is a proper investment for all levels of card collection enthusiast.

Inevitably, most of the Ali rookie cards date back to the 1960’s, meaning condition could be an issue but if a legible and maintained card can be sourced, it should be snapped up.

What are the best value Muhammad Ali/Cassius Clay cards?

Finding cheap Muhammad Ali cards is perhaps a little easier said than done, with all of the associated memorabilia with Ali holding a certain sense of prestige and worth for all levels of collector.

Genuine rookie cards are out of the question when searching cheap Ali cards, simply due to not only their value but their rarity and longevity.

The 1992 Pro Line Portraits Autograph Muhammad Ali collection is a NFL affiliate card but it offers collectors with an affordable purchase option – especially when it comes to also holding some sell on value.

More recent versions of Muhammad Ali cards such as the Muhammad Ali Silver Refractor Leaf 2010 Boxing Legend card are currently available at cheap prices and whilst it remains to be seen how much they could yield in the future, by virtue of being Ali memorabilia – it looks to be a sound investment.

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