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Fast Facts
Year(s) Issued: 1985
Number Cards: 288
Common Card Value (Good Condition): $6
Estimated Production Run: 3000+
Keys For Collectors
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1984-85 Star Basketball - Summary
While the 83-84 Star Basketball set started it all, the 84-85 Star set is considered to be their landmark issue. The cards continued the simplicity of the Star trademark design with a colored background on the front matching the color of the player team colors.
However there was one slight change from the previous year set---backs of the cards utilized a standard reddish/pink background--note that in the 1983-84 Star set, the background color on the back of the cards is a lighter shade of the front color on the card.
The set contains three of the very first Michael Jordan cards, one of which is considered to be Michael Jordan's true rookie card (card #101).
An authentic #101 XRC Jordan
The other two Jordan's in the set (#195 Olympic Team and #288 Rookie Of The Year) are also highly desired, but are not as valuable as his #101 rookie card.
Note that all of the Jordan's are highly counterfeited so be sure to visit our page on Authenticating Star cards to ensure you aren't buying a fake.
A #288 Star Michael Jordan Rookie Of The Year Card
The 84-85 set was once again issued via team sets in poly bags, with a declared print run of 3000 total sets at the time. See the advertisement (courtesy of Collectors forum) below which shows that Star declared a print run of the set of 3000. However, I will note that in my discussions with Steve Taft, he states that production is probably 'slightly to moderately higher than stated production runs'.
It should also be noted that due to the issuance in poly bags, it was quite easy for corners to be damaged in the packaging. The Jordan #101 XRC card is the first card on the outside of the Chicago Bulls polybag, and thus condition on that card can certainly be challenging. In addition, the polybag which contains the Olympic subset and the Awards/Record/Leaders is combined, placing the #195 Jordan on top and the #288 Jordan on the bottom.
A 1984-85 Star poly bag which contains the Olympic players and the Awards leaders, and ultimately two Jordan cards, #195 and #288
Aside from Jordan the set features key rookie cards, of Akeem Olajuwon (before he changed his name to Hakeem), Charles Barkley and John Stockton. Also featured are the stars of the day including Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Dominique Wilkins, Clyde Drexler and Isiah Thomas.
1984-85 Star Basketball - Most Valuable Cards
Larry Bird #1
Note, bird has another card (MVP #12) in the set and that one is not quite as valuable as this one.
Dominique Wilkins #76
Second year card for Dominique
Michael Jordan (#101) Rookie Card
The most valuable card in the set and one that continues to break price records; the card is now selling for more than the 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan #57 Rookie Card. Collectors have recognized the importance of the card and the relative scarcity in comparison to his Fleer rookie.
Clyde Drexler #165
Second year card for Drexler
Magic Johnson #172
Michael Jordan #195 Olympic
One of the three Jordan's in the 1984-85 set and the top card on the polybag featuring Olympic players and award/record/leaders.
Charles Barkley (#202) - Rookie Card
The rookie card from 'Sir Charles' and one of the more expensive cards in the set (aside from the three Jordan cards)
John Stockton (#235) - Rookie Card
The rookie card for Jazz great John Stockton--notably, Karl Malone does not have any Star cards, and I haven't been able to confirm why, I can only suspect it was a contractual issue.
Akeem Olajuwon (#237) - Rookie Card
The rookie card for Rockets Center and HOF Star, Hakeem Olajuwon who had not changed his name to this point and was known to everyone as 'Akeem'.
Michael Jordan (#288) - Rookie Of The Year
The most affordable of the three Jordan's in the set, however still will set you back a pretty penny in nice condition.
1984-85 Star Basketball - Checklist
Boston Celtics
1 Larry Bird
2 Danny Ainge
3 Quinn Buckner
4 Rick Carlisle
5 M.L. Carr
6 Dennis Johnson
7 Greg Kite
8 Cedric Maxwell
9 Kevin McHale
10 Robert Parish
11 Scott Wedman
12 Larry Bird
LA Clippers
13 Marques Johnson
14 Junior Bridgeman
15 Michael Cage RC
16 Harvey Catchings
17 James Donaldson
18 Lancaster Gordon
19 Jay Murphy
20 Norm Nixon
21 Derek Smith
22 Bill Walton
23 Bryan Warrick
24 Rory White
NY Knicks
25 Bernard King
26 James Bailey
27 Ken Bannister
28 Butch Carter
29 Bill Cartwright
30 Pat Cummings
31 Ernie Grunfeld
32 Louis Orr
33 Leonard Robinson
34 Rory Sparrow
35 Trent Tucker
36 Darrell Walker
37 Eddie Lee Wilkins RC
Phoenix Suns
38 Alvan Adams
39 Walter Davis
40 James Edwards
41 Rod Foster
42 Michael Holton
43 Jay HumphriesRC
44 Charles Jones
45 Maurice Lucas
46 Kyle Macy
47 Larry Nance
48 Charles Pittman
49 Rick Robey
50 Mike Sanders
51 Alvin Scott
Indiana Pacers
52 Clark Kellogg
53 Tony Brown
54 Devin Durrant
55 Vern Fleming RC
56 Bill Garnett
57 Stuart Gray
58 Jerry Sichting
59 Terence Stansbury
60 Steve Stipanovich
61 Jimmy Thomas
62 Granville Waiters
63 Herb Williams
San Antonio Spurs
64 Artis Gilmore
65 Gene Banks
66 Ron Brewer
67 George Gervin
68 Edgar Jones
69 Ozell Jones
70 Mark McNamara
71 Mike Mitchell
72 Johnny Moore
73 John Paxson
74 Fred Roberts
75 Alvin Robertson RC
Atlanta Hawks
76 Dominique Wilkins
77 Rickey Brown
78 Antoine Carr RC
79 Mike Glenn
80 Scott Hastings
81 Eddie Johnson
82 Cliff Levingston
83 Leo Rautins
84 Doc Rivers
85 Tree Rollins
86 Randy Wittman
87 Sly Williams
New Jersey Nets
88 Darryl Dawkins
89 Otis Birdsong
90 Darwin Cook
91 Mike Gminski
92 George L. Johnson
93 Albert King
94 Mike O'Koren
95 Kelvin Ransey
96 Micheal Ray Richards
97 Wayne Sappleton
98 Jeff Turner RC
99 Buck Williams
100 Michael Wilson
Chicago Bulls
101 Michael Jordan RC
102 Dave Corzine
103 Quintin Dailey
104 Sidney Green
105 David Greenwood
106 Rod Higgins
107 Steve Johnson
108 Caldwell Jones
109 Wes Matthews
110 Jawann Oldham
111 Ennis Whatley
112 Orlando Woolridge
Seattle SuperSonics
113 Tom Chambers
114 Cory Blackwell
115 Frank Brickowski RC
116 Gerald Henderson
117 Reggie King
118 Tim McCormick RC
119 John Schweitz
120 Jack Sikma
121 Ricky Sobers
122 Jon Sundvold
123 Danny Vranes
124 Al Wood
Milwaukee Bucks
125 Terry Cummings
126 Randy Breuer
127 Charles Davis
128 Mike Dunleavy
129 Kenny Fields
130 Kevin Grevey
131 Craig Hodges
132 Alton Lister
133 Larry Micheaux
134 Paul Mokeski
135 Sidney Moncrief
136 Paul Pressey
Denver Nuggets
137 Alex English
138 Wayne Cooper
139 T.R. Dunn
140 Mike Evans
141 Bill Hanzlik
142 Dan Issel
143 Joe Kopicki
144 Lafayette Lever
145 Calvin Natt
146 Danny Schayes
147 Elston Turner
148 Willie White
Golden State Warriors
149 Purvis Short
150 Chuck Aleksinas
151 Mike Bratz
152 Steve Burtt
153 Lester Conner
154 Sleepy Floyd
155 Mickey Johnson
156 Gary Plummer
157 Larry Smith
158 Peter Thibeaux
159 Jerome Whitehead
160 Othell Wilson
Portland Trailblazers
161 Kiki Vandeweghe
162 Sam Bowie RC
163 Kenny Carr
164 Steve Colter
165 Clyde Drexler
166 Audie Norris
167 Jim Paxson
168 Tom Scheffler
169 Bernard Thompson
170 Mychal Thompson
171 Darnell Valentine
LA Lakers
172 Magic Johnson
173 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
174 Michael Cooper
175 Earl Jones
176 Mitch Kupchak
177 Ronnie Lester
178 Bob Mcadoo
179 Mike McGee
180 Kurt Rambis
181 Byron Scott
182 Larry Spriggs
183 Jamaal Wilkes
184 James Worthy
Washington Bullets
185 Gus Williams
186 Greg Ballard
187 Dudley Bradley
188 Darren Daye
189 Frank Johnson
190 Charles Jones
191 Rick Mahorn
192 Jeff Malone
193 Tom McMillen
194 Jeff Ruland
Olympic Team
195 Michael Jordan
196 Vern Fleming
197 Sam Perkins
198 Alvin Robertson
199 Jeff Turner
200 Leon Wood
Philadelphia 76ers
201 Moses Malone
202 Charles Barkley RC
203 Maurice Cheeks
204 Julius Erving
205 Clemon Johnson
206 George L. Johnson
207 Bobby Jones
208 Clint Richardson
209 Sedale Threatt
210 Andrew Toney
211 Sam Williams
212 Leon Wood RC
Cleveland Cavaliers
213 Mel Turpin RC
214 Ron Anderson RC
215 John Bagley
216 Johnny Davis
217 World B. Free
218 Roy Hinson
219 Phil Hubbard
220 Edgar Jones
221 Ben Poquette
222 Lonnie Shelton
223 Mark West
224 Kevin Williams
Utah Jazz
225 Mark Eaton
226 Mitchell Anderson
227 Thurl Bailey
228 Adrian Dantley
229 Rickey Green
230 Darrell Griffith
231 Rich Kelley
232 Pace Mannion
233 Billy Paultz
234 Fred Roberts
235 John Stockton RC
236 Jeff Wilkins
Houston Rockets
237 Akeem Olajuwon RC
238 Craig Ehlo RC
239 Lionel Hollins
240 Allen Leavell
241 Lewis Lloyd
242 John Lucas
243 Rodney McCray
244 Hank McDowell
245 Larry Micheaux
246 Jim Petersen RC
247 Robert Reid
248 Ralph Sampson
249 Mitchell Wiggins
Dallas Mavericks
250 Mark Aguirre
251 Rolando Blackman
252 Wallace Bryant
253 Brad Davis
254 Dale Ellis
255 Derek Harper
256 Kurt Nimphius
257 Sam Perkins RC
258 Charlie Sitton
259 Tom Sluby
260 Jay Vincent
Detroit Pistons
261 Isiah Thomas
262 Kent Benson
263 Earl Cureton
264 Vinnie Johnson
265 Bill Laimbeer
266 John Long
267 Dan Roundfield
268 Kelly Tripucka
269 Terry Tyler
Sacramento Kings
270 Reggie Theus
271 Don Buse
272 Larry Drew
273 Eddie Johnson
274 Billy Knight
275 Joe Meriweather
276 Mark Olberding
277 Lasalle Thompson
278 Otis Thorpe RC
279 Pete Verhoeven
280 Mike Woodson
Awards/Records/Leaders
281 Julius Erving
282 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
283 Dan Issel
284 Bernard King
285 Moses Malone
286 Mark Eaton
287 Isiah Thomas
288 Michael Jordan
