Michael Jordan Rookie Cards: The Ultimate Collectors Guide – Alte Sportkarten (2023)

1984 Star #101

BGS 9 Estimated value: $100,000

While the 1986 Fleer gets the nod for being Jordan's "conventional" rookie card, the 1984 Star #101 is considered his "true" rookie card.

The distinction between the two mainly lies in how both cards were made available to the collector community.

While Fleer's distribution was on a large national scale in many locations, Star cards were mostly limited to hobby channels and team promotions.

From 1983 to 1985, Star was the NBA's official licensee to produce cards, but did not distribute these cards on a large scale.

For this reason, they lack "mainstream" status and are considered more as oddballs or new extended rookie cards (XRC).

Furthermore, these cards remain controversial because in the 1990s it was discovered that the original owner of Star was working with a printer to print new Star cards, but they dated back to the 1980s.

Many of these new cards were sold and advertised in the hobby and it became difficult to judge the authenticity of Star cards.

In fact, Beckett is now the only third-party sorting company still authenticating and grading these cards.

Front design:The front of the card contains a color image of Jordan going down on a rebound surrounded by vivid red borders.

The Bulls logo, name and position are displayed at the bottom.

reverse design:The back of the card contains your personal information and statistics from your college days in North Carolina.

As noted in the top right corner, Star was the official licensee of the NBA that year and the various copyrights at the bottom add additional validity.

1985 Interlake Bulls #1

Estimated worth of PSA 10: $75,000

Measuring 5" x 7", these large cards were not an officially licensed NBA product and were distributed by the Boy Scouts of America and the Interlake Youth Incentive Program in the Chicago area.

The lack of an NBA license and extreme regional distribution prevent this card from gaining mainstream rookie card status.

Front design:I've always loved the look of this card as it captures Jordan's habit of sticking his tongue out as he prepares to get past a quarterback and score.

And I also love those old Nikes he's wearing.

Note the Boy Scouts of America and Interlake Youth Incentive Program logos at the bottom.

1985 Merchant League Basketball Champion

Estimated worth of PSA 9: $20,000

Possibly the rarest of all Jordanian newbies, these stickers were distributed in Spain in the mid-1980s.

You can imagine how many of them were torn off and pasted onto albums or other surfaces.

This makes it a bit difficult to find them to a high degree.

Front design:Jordan is featured in his USA uniform during the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, the last time a U.S. men's amateur basketball team won gold.

The edges are covered in blue stars, giving it a bright, albeit retro look.

reverse design:There are actually two variations of these patches when it comes to your back.

Both feature yogurt ads but contain different words, images and of course colors.

The blue variation is considerably rarer than the red one.

Condition issues:As mentioned above, since they are adhesives, many of them have peeled off and stuck to surfaces for a long time.

And being adhesive, they are more susceptible to wear and tear compared to the sturdier cardboard material.

According to the PSA population report, none of these patches ever achieved PSA 10 Gem Mint status.

1985 Nike nº 2

Estimated worth of PSA 10: $16,000

This image of Jordan diving in front of a backdrop of the Chicago skyline was everywhere during the 1980s when Nike was promoting its "Air Jordan" sneakers.

These oversized cards were produced as promotional material for their famous shoes.

Front design:The front of the card is borderless and has no information about Jordan.

The only elements that accompany this infamous image of him are the Nike logo in the bottom left corner and the Air Jordan logo in the top left corner.

reverse design:The back of the card is just as beautiful as the front as Nike summarizes Jordan's personal information at the top along with 9 highlights from his career below.

You can see the impressive resume he had up to that point and Nike was very smart to partner with him.

1985 Prisma Thursday

Estimated worth of PSA 10: $75,000

One of the more unusual cards on this list is Michael Jordan's 1985 Prism Jewel Sticker edition.

Their distribution was limited, and they reportedly sold out at vending machines located on storefronts.

Front design:Jordon's dual images, facsimile signature, and reflective background on this decal are sure to turn heads.

I love the reverse dunk that was chosen for the action scene.

Condition issues:Like all stickers, many of them were removed a long time ago, so those that survive intact are few and far between.

And often times the shiny surfaces on the front show scratches and other wear and tear.

1986 Set nº 57

Estimated worth of PSA 10: $250,000

The most desirable and widely regarded "Jordan rookie" is his1986 run awaysubject.

As mentioned above, they've been distributed massively by Fleer, so they're not even that scarce.

But although they are not hard to find, the demand for them is still strong enough to make this one of theMichael Jordan's Most Valuable Lettersin the hobby

It's amazing that the 1986 Fleer basketball game was considered a dud when it first came out, and today, the original unopened boxes sell for monstrous five-figure prices.

Front design:I don't think Fleer could have chosen a better image for this card, as it perfectly captures the essence of who Jordan was: an unstoppable scorer capable of high-level acrobatics.

The card's red, white and blue border makes it instantly recognizable and perfectly complements Jordan's images.

Reverse:The rear doesn't have nearly the same emotion as the front, but that's to be expected.

The Bulls logo sits above Jordan's personal information and statistics from his first two seasons in the NBA, giving the back of the card a very simple feel.

Condition issues:The multicolored edges on the front make it challenging to find the card without any signs of wear or chipping.

And, unfortunately, centralization can also be an issue.

1986 Fleer Stickers #8

Estimated worth of PSA 10: $75,000

Fleer also included decals of 11 of the game's biggest stars in their iconic 1986 set.

Jordan is the key sticker to own among a list of names that includes guys likemagic johnson,larry bird, Patrick Ewing eKareem Abdul Jabbar.

Interestingly, in perfect PSA 10 grade, Jabbar's decal can fetch a higher price than Jordan's, as few exist in that condition.

Front design:A young Jordan is shown driving hard to the basket, passing New Jersey's Otis Birdsong with that trademark tongue flash.

Placing the yellow nameplate on the left side was an interesting move, but I think it worked well in this case.

reverse design:The back of the sticker looks a lot like the back of your base card in this set.

There are no stats for Jordan, but Fleer has included a good article on Jordan's early professional accomplishments, as well as a nod to his time in the NCAA.

Condition issues:Not surprisingly, the stickers often peeled off and stuck to any number of surfaces, rendering them basically useless.

And the ones that survive intact are hard to find in high-quality condition because centralization is often an issue.