1988-89 Fleer #9 Larry Bird
Larry Bird, reigning three-time champion of the 1980s Celtics dynasty.
About Larry Bird
By the time Fleer slotted Larry Bird in at #9, there was no rookie-card magic left to capture — just a legend in full flight. "The Hick from French Lick," nicknamed for the tiny Indiana town where he grew up, famously left Indiana University after a month, then carried Indiana State to the 1979 NCAA title game against Magic Johnson's Michigan State, launching a career-long rivalry. Drafted sixth overall by Boston in 1978, he spent all 13 seasons (1979-92) at forward for the Celtics: 1980 Rookie of the Year, 12 All-Star selections, nine straight All-NBA First Teams, three championships (1981, 1984, 1986), two Finals MVPs, and three consecutive MVPs from 1984-86 — still the only forward ever to do it. Injuries held him to just six games in this card's 1988-89 season, a rare gap in a career of 21,791 points and 8,974 rebounds. Dream Team gold came in 1992, and the Naismith Hall of Fame called in 1998.
Sources: Wikipedia · Basketball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 1-6 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 4,583 | 376 | 2,038 | 1,377 | 446 | 346 | 0 |
| SGC | 450 | 8 | 125 | 173 | 97 | 47 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-08-18. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8). The graders do not break out the stickers, so sticker pages carry no table.
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Related cards
More Larry Bird in this product: #124 All-Star, Sticker #2
More Boston Celtics cards:
- #8 Danny Ainge
- #10 Dennis Johnson
- #11 Kevin McHale
- #12 Robert Parish
- #124 Larry Bird
- Sticker #2 Larry Bird
- Sticker #9 Kevin McHale
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1988-89 Fleer Larry Bird card?
It is card #9 of the 132-card 1988-89 Fleer Basketball base set, picturing Larry Bird with the Boston Celtics.
How many cards are in the 1988-89 Fleer Basketball set?
132 base cards - 119 players ordered by team, the All-Star subset #120-131 and a checklist - plus the 11-card Super Star Sticker insert, for 143 cards in a master run. There are no variations; three backs carry uncorrected errors (#20, #26, #100).
Sources: Trading Card Database, Cardboard Connection, the PSA price guide, Basketball-Reference, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, PSA & SGC population reports. Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-08-23.