Collectibles On SI

The Rarest 1986-87 Fleer Michal Jordan Is Being Sold

There is only one version of this Michael Jordan card in this grade and it is hitting the acution block in August
Adam Palmer|
June 5, 1998; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan in game two of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Anne Ryan-USA TODAY
June 5, 1998; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan in game two of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Anne Ryan-USA TODAY | Anne Ryan-USA TODAY via Imagn Content Services, LLC

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Between PSA, SGC, and BGS, there are about to be over 45,000 copies graded of the 1986–87 Michael Jordan Fleer rookie card 4,277 from SGC, 14,594 from BGS, and 26,088 by PSA. The grade distributions vary across the three grading companies, but only one card has achieved the highest grade possible from any of them.

A BGS Black Label 10 means the card received perfect subgrades in Corners, Edges, Surface, and Centering. While there are currently no known Black Label 10s for this card, there is an SGC Gold Label 10, which has officially hit the auction block.

It was a strange time for basketball cards, mainly because during the first few years of Michael Jordan’s career, there weren’t many mainstream sets. Some collectors argue that the 1984 Star card is Jordan’s true rookie.

While the Star card was released before the Fleer, issues with counterfeiting and the unconventional distribution method pushed many collectors away from it. In fact, the card was counterfeited so frequently that grading companies refused to authenticate or grade it for decades.

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Back in 2022, PSA lifted its long-standing ban on grading the Star card. In some cases before that, they wouldn’t even allow collectors to reholder previously graded copies into newer PSA slabs.

For many collectors, the 1986 Fleer Jordan remains the rookie card to own. Some copies have sold for nearly a million dollars. Most notably, a PSA 9 with a 10 auto recently sold for $2.5 million, making it the third-highest sale for any Jordan card.

The newly surfaced SGC 10 Gold Label card will be sold in August through Heritage Auctions and is projected to become one of the highest-selling Jordan cards ever. Grading is inherently subjective — each company has its own standards, but eye appeal, especially on vintage cards, plays a major role in value. For example, some PSA 10s may command more than others simply due to better centering.

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This particular copy, graded SGC 10 Gold Label, is one of the nicest examples in existence. As time goes on, it will become increasingly difficult to find ungraded versions that could receive such a high score, which is why this sale will be a significant moment in the hobby.

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Adam Palmer
ADAM PALMER

Adam has been a sports content creator since 2016, initially focusing on creating sports-related graphics for his Instagram page. In 2018, he transitioned to writing and podcasting about sports cards. Since then, he has worked both independently and with companies within the industry, producing podcasts, videos, and written content on sports cards.

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