3 Types of Vintage NBA Jerseys That Could Be Worth a Small Fortune
Written by
Cameron Diiorio
Edited by
Cory Dudak
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The National Basketball Association has been home to dozens of household names in sports such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
And for those who are passionate about watching the sport of basketball, the NBA’s emphasis on team spirit has led to an active market for collectible merchandise.
According to the NBA website, the original NBA uniform only featured numbers and letters without team colors.
Basketball jerseys have come a long way since then — and they’ve turned into a commodity that’s somewhat easy to make a buck off of.Â
Out of all the NBA merchandise, NBA jerseys are by far the most valuable. It is not uncommon to find people of all ages wearing jerseys out and about: at NBA games, concert venues, sports bars or even on a trip to the grocery store.
By understanding the different types of jerseys available on the market, it is easy to check and see whether your NBA jersey is worth reselling.
Authentic Jerseys
To look just like the NBA’s greatest athletes, authentic jerseys are a must.
Authentic jerseys are designed to the same specifications the pros wear. This includes embroidered nameplates, numbers and team-related graphics.
It is no surprise that Authentic jerseys will sell for the highest price. Jerseys from modern players are going for hundreds of dollars, such as a 2015-2016 LeBron James jersey from his tenure with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Even going back in time, authentic Seattle Supersonics jerseys — or jerseys from teams that have either changed their names or cities altogether — will go for a high price.
When it comes to the price tag of jerseys, rarity and popularity of the player will hike up the price. Of course, an autographed authentic jersey will go for a large amount of money.
Swingman Replica Jerseys
Made for daily use, Swingman jerseys are replicas of the jerseys that players would wear on the court. Swingmans are loose-fitting and suitable for wearing out and about.
They are still expensive, especially any vintage Swingman jersey. For example, a vintage Swingman Hakeem Olajuwan jersey can go for $200-$400.
Swingman jerseys vary in price depending on when the player played and how popular the player is.
Swingman Throwback Jerseys
Swingman Throwback Jerseys are jerseys that are created in our modern times featuring old-school designs.
For those that missed out on being able to purchase a jersey of a player like Allen Iverson or Larry Bird when they were playing, these Swingman Throwback jerseys are a common find, but can still resell for a decent price. eBay has Allen Iverson Swingman jerseys listed for under $100 to almost $400.
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