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Fast Facts
Year(s) Issued: 1986
Number Cards: 172
Common Card Value (Good Condition): $5
Estimated Production Run: 2000-5000
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1985-86 Star Basketball – Summary
Star’s last final base issue is anchored by Patrick Ewing’s rookie card and a second-year Michael Jordan card. The only recognizable rookie card, aside from Ewing, is Kevin Willis, which is a bit of a disappointing rookie card class.
The design is the same for the 85-86 set, with the traditional front border color matching the player’s team colors.
Note the backs of the cards are also quite similar to previous issues, with a white back, and print representative of the front card color – as we see with the Jordan card below, which has red text.
This set, more than others, is marked by even more Star controversy. Based on our conversations with Steve Taft, over at All Vintage Cards, in the late 1980’s, a few former Star employees got their hands on some factory rejects and released them into the hobby. These were not authorized for issuance nor approved by Robert Levin, Star’s founder.
These cards, commonly known as ‘Type II Counterfeits,’ included a 100-card sheet from the 1985-1986 Star issue (2nd Series cards from 95 to 172). Thus, these counterfeit cards include the Patrick Ewing rookie card and the Michael Jordan #117, the two most valuable cards in the set.
We’ve produced three guides to help authenticate these cards:
A Guide To Authenticating A 1985-86 Star Ewing #166 Card
A Guide To Authenticating A 1985-86 Star Jordan #117 Card
How To Identify 1985-86 Star Celtics Type II Counterfeits
If you have any other guides on counterfeits you’d like to see, shoot me an email at help@starbasketballcards.com
1985-86 Star Basketball – Most Valuable Cards
Charles Barkley #2
The second-year Star card for Charles Barkley and one of the more valuable Star issues in the set
Akeem Olajuwon #18
The second year Star card for Akeem Olajuwon, and the last before his landmark 1986 Fleer issue
Magic Johnson #28 – SP
The third base issue from Star, and notably a short print issue that is harder to find.
Larry Bird #95 (Green and White)
​Star printed two variations of the 85-86 Celtics team set–one with white and another with green borders. White is slightly more challenging to find. Watch out for Type II Counterfeit versions of this card.
Clyde Drexler #106
Third year Star card for Clyde Drexler
Michael Jordan #117
The second-year Star card for Michael Jordan and one of the more valuable Star issues across their three years of basketball issues.
John Stockton #144
The second-year Star card for Michael Jordan and one of the more valuable Star issues across their three years of basketball issues.
Patrick Ewing #166 (RC)
It was Patrick Ewing’s rookie card and the second most valuable in the set behind the Jordan card. Watch out for Type II Counterfeits on this card!
1985-86 Star Basketball – Checklist
Philadelphia 76ers
1 Maurice Cheeks
2 Charles Barkley
3 Julius Erving
4 Clemon Johnson
5 Bobby Jones
6 Moses Malone
7 Sedale Threatt
8 Andrew Toney
9 Leon Wood
Detroit Pistons
10 Isiah Thomas UER
11 Kent Benson
12 Earl Cureton
13 Vinnie Johnson
14 Bill Laimbeer
15 John Long
16 Rick Mahorn
17 Kelly Tripucka
Houston Rockets
18 Akeem Olajuwon
19 Allen Leavell
20 Lewis Lloyd
21 John Lucas
22 Rodney McCray
23 Robert Reid
24 Ralph Sampson
25 Mitchell Wiggins
Los Angeles Lakers
26 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar SP
27 Michael Cooper SP
28 Magic Johnson SP
29 Mitch Kupchak
30 Maurice Lucas SP
31 Kurt Rambis SP
32 Byron Scott SP
33 James Worthy SP
Phoenix Suns
34 Larry Nance
35 Alvan Adams
36 Walter Davis
37 James Edwards
38 Jay Humphries
39 Charles Pittman
40 Rick Robey
41 Mike Sanders
Atlanta Hawks
42 Dominique Wilkins
43 Scott Hastings
44 Eddie Johnson
45 Cliff Levingston
46 Tree Rollins
47 Doc Rivers UER
48 Kevin Willis (RC)
49 Randy Wittman
Denver Nuggets
50 Alex English
51 Wayne Cooper
52 T.R. Dunn
53 Mike Evans
54 Lafayette Lever
55 Calvin Natt
56 Danny Schayes
57 Elston Turner
New Jersey Nets
58 Buck Williams
59 Otis Birdsong
60 Darwin Cook
61 Darryl Dawkins
62 Mike Gminski
63 Mickey Johnson
64 Mike O’Koren
65 Micheal Ray Richardson (two variations)
Seattle SuperSonics
66 Tom Chambers
67 Gerald Henderson
68 Tim McCormick
69 Jack Sikma
70 Ricky Sobers
71 Danny Vranes
72 Al Wood
73 Danny Young (RC)
Sacramento Kings
74 Reggie Theus
75 Larry Drew
76 Eddie Johnson
77 Mark Olberding
78 LaSalle Thompson
79 Otis Thorpe
80 Mike Woodson
Indiana Pacers
81 Clark Kellogg
82 Quinn Buckner
83 Vern Fleming
84 Bill Garnett
85 Terence Stansbury
86 Steve Stipanovich
87 Herb Williams
Los Angeles Clippers
88 Marques Johnson
89 Michael Cage
90 Franklin Edwards
91 Cedric Maxwell
92 Derek Smith
93 Rory White
94 Jamaal Wilkes
Boston Celtics
95 Larry Bird
96 Danny Ainge
97 Dennis Johnson
98 Kevin McHale
99 Robert Parish
100 Jerry Sichting
101 Bill Walton
102 Scott Wedman
Note: Star released two Celtics variations — green and white borders — both considered Type II Counterfeit. Use caution.
Portland Trail Blazers
103 Kiki Vandeweghe
104 Sam Bowie
105 Kenny Carr
106 Clyde Drexler
107 Jerome Kersey (RC)
108 Jim Paxson
109 Mychal Thompson
Washington Bullets
110 Gus Williams
111 Darren Daye
112 Jeff Malone
113 Tom McMillen
114 Cliff Robinson UER
115 Dan Roundfield
116 Jeff Ruland
Chicago Bulls
117 Michael Jordan
118 Gene Banks
119 Dave Corzine
120 Quintin Dailey
121 George Gervin
122 Jawann Oldham
123 Orlando Woolridge
Milwaukee Bucks
124 Terry Cummings
125 Craig Hodges
126 Alton Lister
127 Paul Mokeski
128 Sidney Moncrief
129 Ricky Pierce
130 Paul Pressey
Golden State Warriors
131 Purvis Short
132 Joe Barry Carroll
133 Lester Conner
134 Sleepy Floyd
135 Geoff Huston
136 Larry Smith
137 Jerome Whitehead
Utah Jazz
138 Adrian Dantley
139 Mitchell Anderson
140 Thurl Bailey
141 Mark Eaton
142 Rickey Green
143 Darrell Griffith
144 John Stockton
San Antonio Spurs
145 Artis Gilmore
146 Marc Iavaroni
147 Steve Johnson
148 Mike Mitchell
149 Johnny Moore
150 Alvin Robertson
151 Jon Sundvold
Cleveland Cavaliers
152 World B. Free
153 John Bagley
154 Johnny Davis
155 Roy Hinson
156 Phil Hubbard
157 Ben Poquette
158 Mel Turpin
Dallas Mavericks
159 Rolando Blackman
160 Mark Aguirre
161 Brad Davis
162 Dale Ellis
163 Derek Harper
164 Sam Perkins
165 Jay Vincent
New York Knicks
166 Patrick Ewing (RC)
167 Bill Cartwright
168 Pat Cummings
169 Ernie Grunfeld
170 Rory Sparrow
171 Trent Tucker
172 Darrell Walker
