A rare rookie card of basketball legend Michael Jordan recently fetched $1.008 million at an auction set up by Christie’s. The card was offered as part of a Jordan-themed offering, “Six Rings: Legacy of the GOAT,” that also included other memorabilia such as game-worn sneakers.
The rookie card was originally estimated at $2-3 million, but the bidding fell flat as it approached $1 million. However, it is still a record for the 1986-87 Fleer Jordan series.
This particular card, graded 8.5 (out of 10) by Beckett Grading Service, is not a 1986-87 Fleer original but rather a re-release that took place in 2006-07. The company issued 23 Michael Jordan cards as part of the release, all of which came with Jordan’s autograph. As of now, 14 cards have been discovered. The belief is that the remaining nine can be found in unopened boxes, which are reaching a price of up to $5K on eBay.
The sports cards market has been on the rise in recent years, with Jordan ones being particularly popular among the collectors. Part of their appeal is that Jordan is still considered the best player of all time, but the recent Netflix documentary “The Last Dance” further added to their popularity.
The priciest Michael Jordan card at the moment is the 1997 Upper Deck Game Jersey edition card that features a piece of Jordan’s jersey from the 1992 NBA All-Star Game and his autograph. It was sold for $1.44 million last year.
