30 Day Baseball Card Challenge

Thursday, May 7, 2020

MVP: Most Valuable Post

Video games.  Nerdy girlsBirkenstocksPegged jeansPick up basketballCollecting cards for investment purposesWhat do all of these things have in common?

They're all phases I went through at some point in my life.  But with the exception of video games and nerdy girls, all of these phases have come and gone.

That being said... I still enjoy tracking the values of cards from time to time.  I typically do it if I'm planning on buying a specific card and I'm conducting research on the market rate.  But every now and then out of curiosity, I'll look up certain high valued singles to see if they've gone up or down in value.

Before you ask.  I don't have any intentions of selling my cards.  These days I collect for entertainment purposes only.  And I had a blast going through my Michael Jordan PC and looking up the market rate on complete eBay listings.

Let's just say that today's post is no doubt my most valuable post in regards card values.  It's pretty crazy to see the impact one documentary has on trading cards.

So without further ado, here are my Top 23 Michael Jordan cards based on current market value.  I decided to put them in chronological order starting with my oldest Jordan card...


1986-87 Fleer Sticker #8 ($400 to $500)

This is the closest I'll ever come to owning a Michael Jordan rookie card.

By the way... I decided to leave all of these cards in their penny sleeves, top loaders, and Perfect Fit sleeves, because I didn't want to accidentally damage them while scanning them.


1987-88 Fleer #59  ($150 to $250)

The prices I've listed are based on recent completed sales for raw cards and exclude outliers.


 1987-88 Fleer Sticker #2  ($60 to $80)


1993-94 Fleer Ultra Power in the Key #2  ($70 to $110)


1995-96 Fleer Metal Slick Silver #3  ($70 to $90)


1996 SPX Gold #8  ($100 to $125)


1996-97 Bowman's Best Best Shots Refractor #BS6  ($125 to $150)


1996-97 Finest (Rare/Gold) #291  ($110 to $150)


1996-97 Fleer Metal Steel Slammin' #6  ($190 to $205)

Like a lot of the 90's inserts in this post... this card has really shot up since the documentary.  Before it came out this card had completed listings in the $50 to $150 range.


1996-97 SP NBA Game Film #GF1  ($80 to $105)

There hasn't been any completed listings of this card that I'm aware of in the last 30 days.  That being said... this is one of my favorite Jordan inserts.  It's die-cut, a pretty tough pull (1:120 packs), and has two faux film cells embedded into the card.


1996-97 SP Premium Collection #PC5  ($90 to $105)


1996-97 SP SPx Force #F1  ($100 to $130)


1996-97 Stadium Club Special Forces #SF4

Completed sales for this card are all over the place.  Thirty-five days ago, a copy sold for $19.50Three days ago another one sold for $42.  In between those two dates, copies sold for $100, $200, and even $300.  It's a great looking card, but I'd estimate the market value is closer to $42 than $100.


1996-97 Topps Holding Court Refractor #HC2  $230 to $280)

I picked up the complete 15 card set of these inserts back in 2010 for only $42.


1996-97 Topps Mystery Finest Bordered Refractors #M14  ($100 to $150)

This is another example of a set purchase that soared in value.  I picked up two of these Mystery Finest Bordered Refractor sets for $30 back in 2009.


1996-97 Ultra Starring Role #4  ($600 to $700)

Even before the documentary, I knew this card had value.  It was selling for $300 to $500 a few months ago.


1997-98 Metal Universe Championship Galaxy #1  ($2,048)

This is my highest valued Jordan.  Actually... it's the most valuable card in my collection.  An ungraded copy recently sold for over two thousand dollars.  Unfortunately, it's the only ungraded copy that has sold in the past year, so it's hard to estimate the actual value of this card.


1997-98 Stadium Club Triumvirate #T9B  ($455)

There hasn't been any completed sales for an ungraded version of this card in the last two months.  The last one sold in February for $455.


1997-98 Chrome Season's Best Refractor #6  ($151 to $296)

This is one of the prettiest Jordan cards I own.  It's like holding a rainbow in your hands.  Anyways... the $151 sale happened two days before the premiere of the documentary, while the $200+ sales have taken place since.


1998-99 Black Diamond Quad #6 (#'d 91/150)

Back in 1998-99, Upper Deck flooded the hobby with Jordan tribute cards.  Instead of giving collectors one base card in their Black Diamond product, they made fourteen.  Each one had three parallel versions with the Quad (green) being the most rare.  I couldn't find any completed sales for this card, but a Quad version of card #12 sold 9 days ago for $150.


1998-99 Metal Universe Planet Metal #1  ($425 to $480)

Beautiful looking card... but not that rare.  Not sure why they sell for so much.


1998-99 Topps East/West #EW5  ($100 to $175)

This is one of my favorite cards, because it features both of my PC guys.  If I had any regrets, it would be that I didn't try to buy a refractor version of this card when it was more affordable.


1998-99 Topps Season's Best #SB6  ($70 to $100)

This is another card that's all over the place.  Before the documentary, you could pick this card up in the $40 to $50 range.

Here's a bonus Jordan from his days with the Washington Wizards...

2002-03 Fleer Premium Premium Power Ruby #4 (#'d 40/100)  ($400)

This is my rarest Jordan.  It's just a shame that he's not pictured with the Bulls.  Regardless... this rare parallel has sold for $305 (before the documentary) and $400 (10 days ago), so I won't be throwing it in the trash.

So there you have it.  The heart of my Michael Jordan PC.  I know the bulk of my readers prefer baseball cards, but I've got to admit... I've really enjoyed seeing some of you write basketball posts.  I'm not going to commit to anymore, but I do have at least two more basketball items that I'll probably share at some point.

That brings us to our question of the day...

What's your most valuable post?

In other words, think about posts you've written (or maybe go and write a post) that contain some of your highest valued cards and leave a link down below.  Before I receive angry comments about me focusing on money, rest assured that your post doesn't have to be based on monetary value.  It could be a post featuring your most treasured base cards.

And if you don't have a blog... just tell us your most valuable or treasured pieces of cardboard down below.

Happy Thursday and sayonara!

17 comments:

  1. I can't believe I'm going to say this... but consider grading your Jordan cards. For insurance purposes, for whomever you plan on leaving them to, and if you ever want to sell.
    My local shop sold a PSA 9 '86 Jordan sticker last week for $4000.

    Just a thought.
    Great cards!

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  2. I hate graded cards, but in this case, it seems smart. I don't want to do that to mine though!

    Very nice Jordan collection. I have a few, but nothing that is quite as nice as these!

    As for my most 'valuable' card. Not sure. I have a Tom Brady serial numbered rc. One slightly off corner though, so grading is probably out. I have a 66 Mantle, but again, not great condition. I guess my collection isn't very valuable, better throw it out!!

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  3. Hmmm. I’m not sure. Maybe various ones about my Trout RC TTM?

    That’s a great collection of MJs. The 90s had the greatest looking cards of any decade. Can’t convince me otherwise. I love that Power In The Key insert.

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  4. Seems like not long ago one of your posts made me want to look up prices on my Jordans, (I'm just too lazy to do it).

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  5. I am simply speechless after seeing these Jordan’s. Time for me to retire from the hobby lol. Those are beauts! My Jordan’s don’t even compare

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  6. Those are some cool Jordans. If I were in your place, I would sell a few at least. I dug through where I thought my basketball cards were, and only found about 5% of what I thought I had in my Jordan collection.
    As far as my most valuable post, I posted a while back about some parallel cards that I pulled from packs, and with an Ronald Acuna Blue Bowman rookie and a Max Scherzer Bowman Chrome X-Fractor rookie, I think it's probably my most valuable post. https://toppscardsthatneverwere.blogspot.com/2019/10/parallels-and-numbered-cards-ive-pulled.html

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  7. The only Jordan cards I have are a couple of his Upper Deck White Sox minor league cards. I can't even relate to anything that's in this post. It's a whole other world.

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  8. My Most Valuable Post would be have to be this one: https://diamond-jesters.blogspot.com/2017/06/30-day-challenge-day-30.html

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  9. I second that motion. Just have Jordan baseball. Got a box of football for free with a half row of hoops in there too, but I doubt there are any significant Jordans.
    I'd have to go back and look, but I think I posted my best autos and vintage rookies at one point. Koufax, Gibson, etc. and the Maz auto I pulled from '08 Heritage.

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  10. You have some serious Jordan homage going on there, Fuji. Not being a basketball fan, I think I have about 3-4 Jordans from Upper Deck that are probably worth diddly.

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  11. Wow. Practically every card in that post is more valuable than my most valuable card.

    You've got a pretty impressive collection.

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  12. You can really see how card design changed over the course of Jordan's career, can't you?

    As for an Most Valuable Post from my young blog, it'd probably be the one about my first major league game:

    https://ninepockets.blogspot.com/2019/05/scrapbook-my-first-major-league-game.html

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  13. Crazy Jordans! I looked through the Jordan cards I have - only about 30 and all base. That includes some of his baseball issues.
    As for my mvp, it is likely my recent post showing my ted williams autograph.
    http://cardsasiseethem.blogspot.com/2020/04/ted-williams-is-in-my-hall-of-famer.html
    I suppose by the time I get to the end of my hofer posts, the last post will be the map since I am showing all of the cards in the collection in each post.

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  14. Seems like you went on a Jordan buying frenzy for 1996-97 Jordan cards,to bad you didn't do that in 84-86 when everyone was ignoring Star cards.

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  15. captain canuck - if i ever decided to sell my stuff, i will. no way i'd sell any high end stuff that isn't serial numbered without getting it graded. i'd be too afraid of people swapping cards out

    the diamond king - i won't get them graded unless i sell them on eBay. but that's not likely to happen. i like collecting mj. as for valuable cards... we all have different budgets. i'm totally jealous of your serial numbered brady and 66 mantle!

    the lost collector - nice. the trout rookie card is one i'll never own, so i'm jealous of anyone who has one in their collection. the 90's were awesome. i think a lot of it had to do with all of the companies competing for attention.

    johnnys trading spot - you're too lazy to look up prices... i'm too lazy to sort cards. it's all good

    sport card collectors - the crazy thing is i didn't spend big money on any of these. the 80's stuff are cards i pulled (with the exceptions of the 86/87 sticker)... and the 90's stuff i just accumulated over the years. a lot of this stuff came out of a binder i bought at the flea market a few years ago

    steve at 1975baseballcards - lol

    jeremya1um - you pulled some really sweet cards over the years. love that acuna! as for selling... that's not going to happen. i know it's the smart thing. it's just not my thing (anymore).

    night owl - there was a time in my life where basketball was my favorite sport to watch and play. those days are in the past, but part of my collection reflects them

    matt - i'm so jealous that you met mickey! that's very cool. i also miss the 30 day challenge. maybe we'll luck out and someone will start another one.

    gca - like i told night owl... basketball used to be a big part of my life. not so much anymore, but i've been having fun checking out my jordan collection. if you dig up that koufax, gibson, and maz post... please share the link. i'd love to read it... if i haven't already read it. my memory sucks ;D

    comatoad - right now even jordan base cards from the junk wax era are worth something

    gtt - thanks. since i probably won't sell them, the money thing doesn't really matter. but i like seeing what i could sell them for if i wanted to.

    gregory - what an amazing childhood memory. you're so lucky. i wish i had a baseball story like that to tell. very, very cool.

    gcrl - dude... every time you update your hof post... it becomes your most valuable post. that collection is crazy awesome. and that ted williams autograph is super sweet!

    sg488 - honesty the bulk of these cards came from two flea market purchases that took place in the past ten years. only a handful came from the 90's, because even back then... jordan cards were selling for crazy money and i was collecting on a budget. yeah... i even regret not buying his fleer rookie card. i have a super clean 86-87 fleer set without the jordan. now it will never be complete.

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  16. I'd be really interested to see The Junior Junkie's answer to this question (assuming it involves the 1993 Finest Refractor), but mine is my Mickey Mantle post.

    https://infieldflyrulecards.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-card-ive-always-wanted-and-now-i.html

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