Kobe Bryant Rookie Card: Which One It Is and How to Identify It

• 1996-97 Topps Chrome #138 (Topps): For collectors, the choice is clear when it comes to the best Kobe Bryant rookie card and it's 1996-97 Topps Chrome.
• 1996-97 Topps (base) #138 (Topps)

• Card is #138 in the Topps Chrome set: this is card #138 from the 1996-97 Topps Chrome set.
• Condition issue seen on many surviving copies: the card also has condition issues, including a green tint that plagues many examples.

• Popularity has drawn counterfeits: the Chrome rookie's popularity has led to some counterfeit problems.
• Recommendation: stick with graded versions to be sure the card is legitimate.

Base 1996-97 Topps #138 shares the same card number and photo as the Chrome version per general set-numbering convention, but a source-quoted confirmation of the base card specifically was not located in this pass.

• Card number and set on the back must match the listing above; "rookie card" is a specific card, not any early card of the player.
• Print quality: genuine cards have crisp text and a regular dot pattern under magnification; reprints and fakes blur, especially in small type.
• Stock and size: compare thickness, gloss and corners against a common card from the same set.
• Chrome and Prizm parallels carry a foil, color or serial-number mark that the base card lacks; the base card is the reference rookie unless the source says otherwise.
• Grading is a separate step; a slab authenticates and grades, and the grading guide explains what the number means.

Shoot the front flat, straight on, in daylight, with all four corners in frame, then the back so the card number and copyright line are readable. For chrome or foil cards, take a second front shot tilted under the light to show the finish. The app reads the player, set and number; the checks above confirm the version.