Michael Jordan rookie cards sell for $738,000 apiece

Hoop, there it is! That’s the first thing that came to mind when I heard the news that not one, but two Michael Jordan rookie cards (Fleer 1986) sold for a mind-blowing $738,000 each! I know that I’ve been covering sports card sales more and more recently, and just when I thought I found a break in the action, this exciting news hit the front page. I just couldn’t resist telling you all about it, especially when it involves Air Jordan or Sir Altitude for all of you Space Jam fans out there!

The sale was made during an auction that was held on January 30, 2021, by Goldin Auctions. Prior to the sale of these cards, the record had been held by another Jordan rookie card that sold for $217,000 just a few weeks before. And, as it turns out, that exact card sold for a mere $32,000 back in 2019. So, it’s fair to say that things have increased significantly over the past year or so. Why? Well, let’s dig a little deeper.

According to numerous reports, Jordan’s stock as a whole has risen by quite a wide margin ever since the release of the critically acclaimed mini-series, The Last Dance. The series made its debut back in April of 2020 (right around the time when the Covid-19 pandemic was in full swing) and ever since then, fans and card collectors have rekindled their love and admiration for the legend himself. I know that I’ve probably said this before, but it’s probably one of the best sports documentaries that I’ve seen in a long time, and that’s coming from a Knicks fan.

While Jordan was, and always will be, a HUGE name in the sports and card collecting world, his legacy seems to have been given a shot of adrenalin, partly thanks to the release of the all-telling series. After the final episode, even I was inspired to go rummaging through my closet for my old basketball so I can go shoot some hoops at my old park, which I haven’t done in years.

Rookie cards always bring in the big numbers, especially when they’re in Mint, or better, condition. These two particular rookie cards were PSA graded at GEM Mint 10, which is the highest grade given to any sports card. That means these two cards are not only old, but they are flawless as well, and it’s believed that there are only about 300 or so currently in existence. All of these factors equal big bucks when it comes time to go to auction.

Now, is the sale of this Fleer 1986 rookie card the biggest among all other sports cards? No. In fact, even though its price tag is staggering and impressive, it still isn’t the most expensive Basketball card either. Actually, that crown belongs to King James himself. That’s correct, even with the record-setting sale of these two Jordan Rookie cards, Lebron James is still at the top of the heap, thanks to his 2003 rookie card. 

Even combined, both of Jordan’s rookie cards come in just shy of Lebron’s, which was sold for a mighty $1.8 million dollars at auction back in 2019. Still and all, the sale of these Fleer 1986 Jordan rookie cards has had quite an impact on the sports card collecting world, and will no doubt set the bar for all others that may come after them. 

Again, the sports card industry is currently on the rise and there are record-breaking sales taking place almost every day. So, keep a sharp eye out and if anything major happens, I’ll do my best to have the story for you here on our blog page.

Until we meet again,

Vince the Prince