Skip to main content
parlae.ioBeta
Sign in

Best Dirk Nowitzki rookie cards

Key rookie card: 1998-99 Topps #154. 2 rookie cards, every one below.

Updated October 22, 2026

  • ...
$...lowest Buy It Now
Check prices on eBay →
Ending soon

Live from eBay, read when you opened this page. Parlae may earn a commission on purchases through these links.

Ending soon on eBay

All auctions on eBay

His top 5 cards

Full checklist

Advertisement

Know before you buy

Which Dirk Nowitzki card is the real rookie card?

Dirk Nowitzki's key rookie card is the 1998-99 Topps #154. Dirk Nowitzki was a 1st round, 9th overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, traded to the Dallas Mavericks. The checklist below lists 2 rookie cards by card number, each row from a cited source.

His rookie cards come from the 1998-99 season, his first in the NBA, across Topps and Upper Deck lines. The flagship 1998-99 Topps #154 and 1998-99 Upper Deck #320 are listed as rookie cards in the guides. Upper Deck also made serial-numbered rookies in SP Authentic (numbered to 3,500) and SPx Finite (numbered to 2,500); their card numbers were not confirmed on a fetched page, so they are not rows yet.

Sources: Old Sports Cards, si.com.

Dirk Nowitzki's career, in brief

  • Played his entire 21-season NBA career, 1998 to 2019, with the Dallas Mavericks.
  • Named NBA MVP for the 2006-07 season.
  • Won the 2011 NBA title and the 2011 Finals MVP award.
  • Scored 31,560 career points and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.

Career facts: [1]

His top 5, card by card

5. 2023-24 Donruss Optic Fast Break Signatures #5

Auto

Panini, autograph, 3 parallels listed.

Full checklist: 2 rookie cards, 30 total

2 rookie cards and 28 other cards with card numbers, each from the checklist linked on its row. A row marked "one source" is printed by one checklist site only. Parallels are counted, not listed.

Show all 30 cards

Checklist sources, checked 2026-10-17: Panini, Old Sports Cards, Checklist Insider, Checklist Center.

Graded: PSA 10, BGS and CGC explained

A PSA 10 (Gem Mint) or BGS 9.5 is the top grade most collectors look for: sharp corners, clean edges, centered printing and an unmarked surface. A graded card and a raw one are different cards to look up. How the four graders compare and what PSA grading costs.

  • 1998-99 Topps: the gold borders can be condition-sensitive (source: oldsportscards.com). SPx Finite: SI reports its foil has caused grading problems.

How PSA, CGC and Beckett grade

PSA

Top grades:
Gem Mint 10, then Mint 9 and NM-MT 8.
Half grades:
1.5 through 8.5 since February 2008; there is no PSA 9.5.

One overall grade on the label. Centering weighs heavily in it.

Source: Sports Collectors Digest on PSA's half grades

CGC

Top grades:
Pristine 10 (virtually flawless, 50/50 centering), then Gem Mint 10 and Mint+ 9.5.
Half grades:
Yes, from Fair 1.5 up to Mint+ 9.5.

Authentic (AU) for a genuine card that cannot take a number; Authentic Altered (AA) for one that was altered.

Source: CGC grading scale

Beckett (BGS)

Top grades:
Pristine 10; a Black Label Pristine 10 has a 10 in all four subgrades.
Half grades:
Yes, 1 to 10 in half points.

Four subgrades on the label: centering, corners, edges and surface.

Source: Beckett grading

Grading scales as each grader describes them, checked Oct 16, 2026.

Listing counts and lookups this week

Dirk Nowitzki market data

Counts and lookups, not prices over time
Listed on eBay right now
His key card...Lowest ask, key card...All his cards...eBay listings now. Never stored.
Collector attention
9,845 lookups this week, down 32% on the week before30 daysWikipedia lookups, week to Oct 21
His checklist
30 cards: 2 RCs, 7 autos, 2 numbered /99 or lowerParlae checklist, every sourced card

Collector attention

Collector attention: down 32% this week, down 7% over 30 days

Dirk Nowitzki card questions (6)

What is Dirk Nowitzki's rookie card?

Dirk Nowitzki's first base rookie card is the 1998-99 Topps #154. Dirk Nowitzki's rookie season was 1998-99.

What year is Dirk Nowitzki's rookie card?

Dirk Nowitzki's rookie season was 1998-99, so the rookie cards carry that year.

How many rookie cards does Dirk Nowitzki have?

Our checklist lists 2 Dirk Nowitzki rookie cards with card numbers, each from a cited source. It is not every parallel or color variation.

How much is a Dirk Nowitzki rookie card worth?

Parlae does not print card values. Find the year, set, card number, parallel and grade on your card, then check eBay sold listings or eBay's price guide for that exact card.
Cheapest on eBay now

Are collectors watching Dirk Nowitzki right now?

Collector attention is cooling: Wikipedia lookups of Dirk Nowitzki are down 32% this week. That is attention, not a price.

Does Dirk Nowitzki have a PSA 10?

PSA's population report says how many PSA 10s exist of each card; Parlae does not reprint it. To see PSA 10 copies listed now, tap the PSA 10 chip at the top of this page.

Advertisement

Collectors also shop

All NBA

More from Parlae

Card facts checked 2026-10-17. Parlae prints no card values. Set and brand names belong to their makers; Parlae is not affiliated with them.

Gift guides

Basketball card gifts · Best sports card gifts · Best boxes to gift · Card gifts for kids · Stocking stuffers · Gifts for collectors · Football card gifts · Baseball card gifts · Card gifts by age · Black Friday card deals · NFL team gear gifts · All card guides

By the Parlae deskCard data updated Oct 22, 2026 at 12:22 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number