1996-97 Topps Stars Basketball Forum

This is 1996-97. The single year of release was made up by Beckett. The card set itself refers to itself as 1996-97. It literally cannot get any clearer than the card itself saying what year it's from.

It was also not released during the offseason, but during the middle (earlier portion) of the 1996-97 releases. Some of the inserts in this set started in Topps, continued here, and then on into Stadium Club. Some were in available in the 1996-97 Topps flagship as well. (Edit to clarify: You could pull the same cards out of Topps Stars and Topps flagship, the autographed Rookie reprints. I pulled the George Mikan autograph out of the Topps flagship. 2 of the autographs were in every Topps Factory Set that year as well. There is no way to tell which set the card was released in after the fact)

There is zero question this is a 1996-97 release. I'm glad Admin finally fixed it because I've complained about the improper labeling more than once to no avail. If my memory is correct, my comment was the third time since 2012. One when I joined, one when I posted the scans of the ballot card- which, like the checklist, Beckett does not even acknowledge exists- and when this card came up as Card of the Day.

We match the cards, not Beckett. We want to be accurate. This set is 1996-97, and calling it that is accurate.

Very interesting everybody, I'm happy so many people gave their input.  I am under the impression that Admin was the one who changed it to 1996-97, so in that respect I guess they have already made the executive decision.

I just want to make sure that when I change the order of the cards in my collection that it doesn't end up changing back.  Other than that I would have been fine with it either way.  

Billy, what would your opinion of this set be if that card didn't actually say 1996-97?  The reason I ask is because of the logic that C2Cigars mentioned.  Would you have still advocated the change? 

I tried. I tried so hard to stay out of this one.

However, I looked at the card SDC linked. (Of course, I had to get really close to my screen.)

Topps calls it 96-97. I'm with the 96-97 group on this one.

PS: It's really a shame Billy is so shy and is afraid to really open up and speak his mind. You never know what he's thinking. 

Yes. The 50th Anniversary celebration was part of the 1996-97 season, not just 1996.

At some point I need to plead my case on the first two years of SPx. They did call themselves only one year on the packaging, but the NBA is dual year, always. They were trying to be too much like baseball. You can't force the paramaters of one sport onto another. The cards themselves say "this season" and refer to the 1995-96 season for the first year of release, 1995-96, listed here as 1996.  I don't know the 1996-97 set as well, and don't remember any of the text on it. Because of the way the first two years are listed, both the 1996-97 and 1997-98 sets are listed under the same year here. I've always sorted and counted them properly in my own collection, and they- and formerly Topps Stars- have basically made the year stats useless for me on this site...not to say I don't check them regularly, but I can't put any stock in them. When I first joined in 2012, I had composed an email to Admin asking for the inclusion of the 1995-96 SPx set, until I found it listed under 1996. I was going chronologically through my paper listings updating my collection. I don't think I sent it, but I may have. I thought it was missing from the Database because it is listed as only 1996. The rookies in the set also don't have the RC tag, which they should. Read the Garnett card in the 1995-96 set.

I tried being the guy who rarely spoke, but when he said something people listened. Think it may have lasted about a week. Probably less  

I think you'd be safe in petitioning Admin to change the SPx sets. Sounds like a reasonable request to me.

I bother Admin enough already! (LOL) It is something that I feel strongly about, but then again, I'm me so that's pretty much anything related to my sports. They are probably reading the thread anyway.

Ahh!  I wish someone would alert me if they end up changing the SPx sets as well!  lol  I have one card from 1997 SPx that marks the beginning of my 1997 sets.  If it changes it's going to have to be moved in front of 96-97 Stadium Club.