Kobe Bryant (Finest Apprentices)
Basketball Card (Topps) • 1996-97 Topps Finest
Card Type
Base Apprentice Card
Set & Number
1996-97 Topps Finest - 74
Rarity
Rare (Apprentice Theme)
Edition & Language
1st Year (Rookie Year) • English
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Grade
Near Mint (NM)
Estimated Market Value
$150 - $250 (Raw); $600 - $1,200+ (PSA 9/10)
Recent Sales
Recent PSA 9 copies have sold in the $500-$700 range, while PSA 10 copies of the base apprentice can exceed $2,000 depending on peel status and centering. Raw copies with coating usually fetch a premium over 'peeled' cards.
Condition Details
The centering appears slightly shifted towards the right side. The protective coating is still intact, which is highly desirable for this set. No major surface scratches or edge wear are visible through the sleeve, though minor clouding of the refractor finish can occur beneath the coating.
Grading Recommendation
High Recommendation. This is Kobe Bryant's rookie year Finest card. If the surface beneath the coating is clean and corners are sharp, a high grade significantly increases value. Highly recommend PSA or BGS.
Card Description
Features two mirrored action shots of a young Kobe Bryant in his Los Angeles Lakers #8 jersey. The front includes the 'Finest Apprentice' logo in gold and Kobe's name in script.
Notable Features
Features the original protective film coating ('to be removed by collector'). This card is the non-refractor base version of the Apprentice subset, identified by the metallic finish vs. the rainbow chrome refractor finish.
Authentication Notes
The 'Finest Protective Coating' text should be crisp. The gold foil 'Apprentices' logo and Kobe's name should be embossed/raised. The card stock is a thick metallic card typical of 90s Topps Finest products.
Scanned: 2026-04-15T03:08:28.382328