1948 Bowman

Country of origin: United States
Size: 2-1/8" x 2-1/2"

This was the first ever set of basketball-only trading cards, and the first depicting NBA players (released just 2 years after the formation of the NBA). It was nearly a decade until the next basketball card set was produced for national distribution , making these the only cards to feature some early NBA teams such as the Providence Steamrollers and the St, Louis Bombers. The set contains 72 total cards, 12 of which depict basketball play diagrams. There are versions of some cards that are missing the background color, likely because the printing press ran out of ink. The rookie card of early NBA star George Mikan is by far the biggest draw in the set.

Additional resources: Checklist