NEW Michael Jackson Trading Cards - First Look and Product Details
Without a doubt, one of the hottest names in the Hobby has long been MJ: Michael Jordan, that is. But now, thanks to a brand new line of collectibles from Keepsake Trading Cards, another MJ may be sharing the spotlight. According to the company's press release:
The Michael Jackson Bad World Tour Keepsake Premiere Collection will debut on December 15, 2025, celebrating the King of Pop's first solo tour, which kicked off on September 12, 1987, with a range of card designs.Keepsake press release
Product Specifications
The cards will be distributed four to a pack, with boxes containing 16 packs for a total of 64 cards in all. Keepsake has shared that each box will include two "hits," which can consist of memorabilia relics, numbered parallels, cut signatures, or "private collection" relic cards. Keepsake further notes that each 10-box case will on average include two relics.
Pricing
Keepsake has also provided the following pricing suggested retail pricing for the product.
- Hobby box (16 packs) - $49.95
- Breakers box (2 packs, one guaranteed hit numbered to 16 or less and exclusive parallels) - $59.95
- Blaster box (8 packs) - $29.95
- Hanger box (4 packs) - $14.95
- Hanger pack (4 cards) - $5.95
Notably, the blaster box costs more than if the same number of packs were purchased through hanger boxes, though the difference is not significant enough to concern most collectors.
Rookie cards?
As there have not been many fully licensed Michael Jackson trading cards in recent memory, collectors might wonder if these Keepsake Bad items might be considered the King of Pop's rookie cards. While there is subjectivity when defining the rookie card of a non-sports figure, particularly one who's been dead for 16 years, it's doubtful that the Hobby will come to view these new cards as rookies. In addition to foreign cards of the pop star dating back to the early 1970s when he was a member of the Jackson Five, there was also the heavily mainstream 1984 Topps Michael Jackson set.
Still, the Keepsake set looks to offer a tremendous number of exciting new Jackson cards into the Hobby at a much cheaper price point than many of the baseball, basketball, and football products vying for collector dollars. Apart from breakers boxes and hanger packs, the average price per card is under a dollar, which seems rather remarkable for any fully licensed Michael Jackson issue, particularly one offering chances at relics and autos.
Wanna Be Startin' Something?
For collectors looking to "collect them all," the Bad World Tour set includes 123 base cards in all, corresponding to the 123 tour dates on Michael Jackson's Bad tour. However, parallels and other hits bring the size of the master set to over 300 cards.
More information is available at the Keepsake website, including a link for pre-orders. At the time this article went to press, Hobby Boxes and Breaker Boxes have not yet sold out!
Jason A. Schwartz is a collectibles expert whose work can be found regularly at SABR Baseball Cards, Hobby News Daily, and 1939Bruins.com. His collection of Hank Aaron baseball cards and memorabilia is currently on exhibit at the Atlanta History Center, and his collectibles-themed artwork is on display at the Honus Wagner Museum and PNC Park.