Upper Deck x Michael Jordan Auction Sets Records, Led by 1986 Fleer Autographed Hobby Box
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After a major Upper Deck announcement last month that autographed packs of 1986-87 Fleer Basketball packs could be found as redemptions in 2026 Goodwin Champions, Upper Deck also upped the ante with an auction for a signed 1986-87 Fleer Basketball box by Michael Jordan as well as other items autographed by Jordan.
In total, the 10 items did well over $1.5 million on everything from the signed hobby box to autographed shoes and jerseys.
Auction Highlights
Some of the "lower-end" highlights included autographed jerseys from the 1990s. One from the 1995 "I'm Back" game featuring Jordan's 45 jersey sold for $7,300, and a 1997-98 red away jersey autographed by Jordan sold for $8,400. Neither was game-worn.
One of the more unique highlights from the auction was a pair of autographed Nike Air Jordan Retro 12s, best known as the shoes Jordan wore during "The Flu Game." While these aren't game-worn, there is a ton of significance to the shoes because of the game and the limited-edition autograph line to just 23 copies. These sold for $8,400.
The two non-Bulls items on the list were a Replica 1992 Team USA Jersey, limited to 109 copies, autographed by Michael Jordan, that sold for $9,416.50, and the UNC Air Jordan 1 Retro, which is limited to just 10 copies, autographed by Michael Jordan.
The UNC sneakers were the top-selling sneakers in the auction and went for $15,000. The Carolina Blue UNC sneakers were always a fan favorite in whatever style Air Jordans came out, so it's unsurprising they were the highest-selling sneakers in the 10-item auction.
The one piece of game-used memorabilia in the auction was the autographed limited-edition United Center floor piece. With only 23 copies of this piece of memorabilia, it was the second-biggest highlight in the auction. It sold for $16,000.
The Main Attraction
The highlight of the auction, of course, was the 1986-87 Fleer Basketball hobby box autographed and inscribed by Jordan.
The box even came with an Upper Deck Memorabilia case to highlight its importance. While it is autographed by Michael Jordan, it also has an inscription as well.
"Rookie Card Box 1/1"
The box sold for $1,488,100 at auction and was the crown jewel of the 10-item lot that Michael Jordan and Upper Deck put up for auction. For comparison, the last sale of a sealed 1986 Fleer box was $146,400 last year. The premium for a Michael Jordan autographed box with the inscription is crazy, but completely understandable given where the Michael Jordan market currently is.
This was all part of Michael Jordan's legacy contract with Upper Deck, announced earlier this summer. We have yet to see any of the redemptions up for auction from Goodwin Champions, but it is only a matter of time to see what a signed pack could go for.
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Brendan has worked for various platforms, including The Washington Post, SB Nation, NBC Sports Washington, and more, covering everything from college basketball to fantasy football and betting. An avid collector as a kid, he got back into collecting in 2021 and is a dedicated soccer, football, and basketball collector.
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