There was a time when owning a Grant Hill Rookie Card made one the envy of many hobby circles. It didn’t matter which one, all were hot for a time.
If you made a list of ’90s NBA icons, Grant Hill would rank high. Although the back half of his career doesn’t come close to the level of his years in Detroit, the final result was deemed worthy of a spot in the Hall of Fame. When it comes to Grant Hill cards, it’s a similar result. The non-Pistons stuff might not garner much attention. But that’s not the case of his early cards, including the Grant Hill Rookie Card lineup.
For the most part, his early cards aren’t worth much. You can find the majority of his Rookies for about the same as an extra shot of butter on your movie theatre popcorn. They come from a different era when autographs were tough pulls, high-end meant foil and short prints were usually reserved for inserts.
And we had protective film on some cards where you had to choose whether to peel or not to peel.
Grant Hill has more than a dozen Rookie Cards, all of which are attainable today. Some of the parallels and high-grade versions can get more expensive, but not to extremes. Here’s a look at all of the Grant Hill Rookie Cards and where they sit next to each other.
Most Valuable Grant Hill Rookie Card Rankings
This list includes Grant Hill cards with the RC tag in the Beckett database. Inserts are not. Rankings are based primarily on their value in the price guide.
15. 1994-95 Collector’s Choice Grant Hill RC #219
Collector’s Choice may have been on the entry level end of things for Upper Deck but the line could always be counted on for clean design that didn’t look “entry level.” The 1994-95 Collector’s Choice Grant Hill isn’t worth much and it’s not hard to find. But it’s still got one of the better action shots when you line it up with his other Rookie Cards.
Parallels: Gold Signature, Silver Signature
Buy on:
14. 1994-95 Topps Grant Hill RC #211
1994-95 Topps Basketball went a little bit edgy with its design. But even then, it’s far from being over-the-top. Like a lot of flagship lines, scarcity isn’t an issue. This is a card that was designed to be readily available and the price today reflects that.
Parallels: Spectralight
Buy on:
13. 1994-95 Fleer Grant Hill RC #280
This is another entry-level Grant Hill Rookie Card. The design is largely minimal on the front save for that splash of color (in foil, no less) at the bottom. It actually gives the card some added personality. The dark back offers a more bold direction. This card is found in 1994-95 Fleer Series 2 packs.
Buy on:
12. 1994-95 SP Championship Grant Hill RC #57
1994-95 SP Championship brought Upper Deck’s SP line to retail. The result is something that looks more elegant than a lot of other retail products at the time but not to the same level as the main SP set. Prices on this Grant Hill RC reflect that with this one being on the more affordable end of things.
Parallels: Die Cuts
Buy on:
11. 1994-95 Hoops Grant Hill RC #322
1994-95 Hoops makes it easy to know this is a Rookie. The gold foil designation looks ready to play the role of Dikembe Mutombo, standing between Hill and the basket. If you’re looking for this card in packs, you’ll need Series 2. Although this is one of the cheaper Grant Hill Rookie Cards, the Hoops name does lend it a bit of lineage given the history of the brand in the modern hobby.
Buy on:
10. 1994-95 SkyBox Premium Grant Hill RC #226
From the beginning, SkyBox was big on big designs. This holds true for the 1994-95 SkyBox Premium Grant Hill Rookie Card. It’s the one that glows. It’s found in Series 2 packs.
Buy on:
9. 1994-95 Stadium Club Grant Hill RC #181
The awesome photographs that Stadium Club is usually known for — it’s not happening here. Instead we get something more photo day fashion complete with ’90s backdrop. This one lands at the end of the Series 1 checklist. Hill has another card in Series 2 that’s more traditional Stadium Club with a nice action shot. However, because this one came first, it gets the RC tag.
Parallels: First Day Issue, Members Only, Super Teams NBA Finals
Buy on:
8. 1994-95 Ultra Grant Hill RC #239
As far as photography and design go, the 1994-95 Ultra Grant Hill Rookie Card is one of only a couple to take the filter away and let the action shine. Is it the most dynamic shot? No. But it is something simple and elegant.
Buy on:
7. 1994-95 Upper Deck Grant Hill RC #157
If you’re looking for personality on a Grant Hill Rookie Card, this is the one. The colorful background, while clearly a product of the ’90s, surprisingly holds up well today. And Upper Deck could always be counted on for a slick and classy design.
Buy on:
6. 1994-95 Jam Session Grant Hill RC #55
Let’s see here — there’s the oversized tall boy format that could be taken advantage of with a big dunk or magical pass. Instead we get Hill’s head resting on a basketball. For those who dig portraits, it’s not bad. But it doesn’t take full advantage of the larger canvas.
Buy on:
5. 1994-95 Embossed Grant Hill RC #103
Things get all touchy feely for this Grant Hill Rookie Card. 1994-95 Embossed was a one-and-done release from Topps that tried the Action Packed approach with embossed cards. It failed to really catch on as a brand. Like other draft picks, Hill’s card includes a foil background for some further pop.
Parallels: Golden Idols
Buy on:
4. 1994-95 Flair Grant Hill Rookie Card #213
One thing that not many of the Grant Hill Rookie Cards have is a good action photo. Flair has that as well as a second one that’s more in line with most of his other RCs. Slick, glossy stock, elegant foil and the dual-photo front make this one of Hill’s most attractive Rookies.
Buy on:
3. 1994-95 Emotion Grant Hill Rookie Card #28
Adjectives seem like an odd focal point for a sports card set. But that’s exactly the road that SkyBox travelled for 1994-95 Emotion. This Grant Hill Rookie Card has a mix of gloss and foil. And despite the full-bleed design, it’s a busy card as well. Whether it makes you feel pumped is a personal choice.
Buy on:
2. 1994-95 SP Grant Hill Rookie Card #3
When Upper Deck debuted, their base line was considered premium. But as their popularity rose, other companies caught up. It was an era of one-upsmanship that saw limits pushed (and price tags rise). For Upper Deck, that meant going further with the introduction of SP. The 1994-95 SP Grant Hill Rookie Card is highlighted by etched foil and a high-end feel few of his other early cards can match.
Buy on:
1. 1994-95 Finest Grant Hill Rookie Card #240
Back in 1994-95, autographs were still very much a rarity in the world of sports cards. Crazy jumbo patches were still in a mythical crystal ball. At the time, the shiny stuff was a high mark when it came to base cards. And that’s where the 1994-95 Finest Grant Hill Rookie Card comes in. By today’s standards, it’s not exactly fancy — probably mid-range at best. But back then, chromium was king. This was also an era when chrome cards were given an added protector film to help protect surfaces from scratching.
Parallels: Refractors
Buy on:
Great article reminiscent of a player that I followed in the hobby closely.
Thanks for the memorabilia memories!