25 Most Valuable 1991 SkyBox Basketball Cards

1991 SkyBox USA Team Card

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $500

With so much hype building around the "Dream Team" leading up to the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, SkyBox quickly capitalized on the excitement by issuing several Olympic-themed cards in this set.

And, this one tops them all as the most expensive in the entire checklist.

With so much Hall of Fame talent packed onto it and how historic the USA Men's Basketball Team's run to the gold medal was, it's easy to understand why.

But, I've always wondered why this particular group of players was chosen for the shot.

I can't imagine how expensive this card would be had Magic Johnson been on it.

Or, imagine a card that featured just Jordan, Bird and Magic or one that featured the entire team on a horizontal layout.

Still, it's hard to complain about any card that features as many incredible Hall of Famers at once.

This card is simply a fantastic tribute to a historic team and well-deserving of the high price tag.

1991 SkyBox #544 Team USA 1

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $300

SkyBox also issued three cards that, when combined side by side, showed the entire USA Men's Basketball Team lineup in front of large, red text that reads "BARCELONA '92".

You'd think the one that features Michael Jordan would be the most expensive, but this one indeed commands a higher price premium in PSA 10 condition.

It's most likely related to the fact that relatively far fewer of them have received the PSA 10 grade.

As of this writing, 283 examples can be found in PSA 10 holders compared to 571 of card #545 (the one with Jordan on it) and 426 of card #546.

Though it's unlikely, maybe the card also gets a slight boost from Michael Jordan's right arm that appears on the right side next to David Robinson.

I doubt it, but you never know since people pay more for anything with Jordan on it.

1991 SkyBox #39 Michael Jordan

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $150

This is one of the few sets of the era in which Michael Jordan's base card isn't far and away the most valuable.

Again though, given how historic the Dream Team's run to gold was, it's understandable that some of the Olympic-themed cards can fetch higher prices.

Fresh off defeating Magic Johnson and the Lakers in the 1991 NBA Finals to secure his first NBA Championship, Jordan's status as the top player in the league continued to soar to new heights.

It's hard not to notice the symbolism of his career's upward ascension grounded in the image on this card.

Though he had his first ring, Jordan had no intentions of letting his foot off the gas and continued to dominate during the 1991-92 season with a league-leading 30.1 points per game.

He remained tough as nails on defense, too, and under his leadership, the Bulls would repeat as champions in the 1992 NBA Finals by defeating Clyde Drexler and the Portland Trail Blazers.

Jordan would also repeat as league MVP and Finals MVP.

1991 SkyBox #534 Michael Jordan Olympics

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $150

Each of the players on the Dream Team also appeared on individual cards and it's no surprise that Jordan's is the most desirable.

Over the eight games the team played on their way to gold, Jordan's 14.9 points per game were second only to Charles Barkley's 18.

Jordan tied John Stockton and Christian Laettner for the worst two-point field goal percentage at 50%.

That's another sign of how dominant this team was if 50% was as bad as it got for these guys.

Jordan wasn't great from beyond the arc, though, as noted by his .211 three-point shooting percentage.

As the most iconic player in the world, though, there's no question that teams were forced to guard him tougher than any other player on Team USA.

1991 SkyBox #545 Team USA 2

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $125

The second Team USA card in the three-card features Jordan, John Stockton, Karl Malone and Magic Johnson.

I think one of the saddest things in NBA history is that Stockton and Malone never got a championship ring despite being in the playoffs every year.

They were an incredible one-two punch.

But, the guys standing on either side of them in this photo had a lot to do with their lack of rings.

1991 SkyBox #546 Team USA 3

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $125

The third card in that bookended the three-piece Team USA series features Patrick Ewing, Larry Bird, and Scottie Pippen.

Imagine facing a team with Ewing at center, Bird and power forward and Pippen at small forward.

And then throw two other Hall of Famers in the mix at shooting guard and point.

That team was unbelievable and I will never forget watching them play during that Olympics every chance I got.

1991 SkyBox #307 Michael Jordan Points Leader

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $100

The ten-card "League Leader" subset highlighted the leaders in various stat categories through the end of the 1990-91 NBA season.

Some of them are obvious categories to highlight, such as Michael Jordan leading the league in scoring, John Stockton dishing out the most assists and Jerome Lane grabbing the most rebounds per 48 minutes played.

Other cards were kind of strange.

For example, card #300 mentioned that Denver's Michael Adams had the largest one-year scoring improvement and #304 noted that Washington's Darrell Walker was the top rebounding guard. 

1991 SkyBox #333 Michael vs. Magic

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $100

The "Great Moments From The NBA Finals" subset included five cards that showcased highlights from the 1991 NBA Finals in which the Chicago Bulls defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in five games.

Michael Jordan was off the charts during the series as he averaged 31.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 steals, 1.4 blocks and an eye-popping 11.4 assists per game.

The Lakers simply had no answer for him.

Hardly anyone expected the Bulls to dominate the Lakers the way they did.

But, by doing so, Michael Jordan ensured that he was the new face of the league for the 1990s after Magic Johnson had carried the torch during the 1980s.

It may not be the most expensive in the set, but it's one of the most iconic, in my opinion.

1991 SkyBox #334 Michael Jordan Great Moments

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $100

The image of Jordan hugging the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy became one of the most iconic images of its era.

After scoring 36, 33, 29, 28 and 30 points over five games, the Bulls sent the Lakers home with a 4-1 NBA Finals victory.

Jordan finally had his championship and he savored every moment of that incredible victory.

1991 SkyBox #462 Jordan and Pippen

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $100

The "Great Moments From The NBA Finals" subset included five cards that showcased highlights from the 1991 NBA Finals in which the Chicago Bulls defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in five games.

The "Teamwork" subset included 27 cards that showcased two of the top players from each team in the NBA.

But none of the duos on those cards was better than the one-two punch of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

After all, they're arguably the greatest duo of players on any team in NBA history.

In recent years, a lot of friction has developed between the two, with Scottie Pippen openly discussing his frustrations and bad feelings about his relationship with Jordan.

However, during their time together on the court, the two worked seamlessly together to bring home six titles to Chicago.

1991 SkyBox #583 Michael Jordan Sky Master

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $100

The imagery and design of this card screams "early 1990s" because of the way SkyBox superimposed Jordan sailing over the Chicago skyline.

The "SkyMaster" subset featured twelve players from across the league along with the skylines of the cities in which they played.

But, none is more desirable than that of Michael Jordan.

I always enjoyed how SkyBox referred to Jordan as the league's "premier aerialist" on the reverse of the card.

1991 SkyBox #572 Michael Jordan Salutes

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $80

The "SkyBox Salutes" subset was a five-card subset that paid tribute to Michael Jordan, Moses Malone, Robert Parish, Bernard King and Pat Riley as some of the biggest contributors to the NBA's success.

There are many subsets in this set, almost to the point that it seems excessive.

But, it's clear that SkyBox was trying to improve the collecting experience by offering a variety that other sets of the era hadn't.

Because of how big Michael Jordan was at the time, several companies soon began doing the same thing to try and squeeze him into as many subsets as possible.

1991 SkyBox #337 Chicago Bulls Team

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $75

Led by a starting five of John Paxon, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant and Bill Cartwright, the Chicago Bulls would not let anyone stand in their way of an NBA Championship during the 1990-91 season.

After a 61-21 record during the regular season, they put the pedal to the metal during the playoffs.

Starting with a 3-0 sweep of the New York Knicks, they then defeated the Philadelphia 76ers by a 4-1 margin before sweeping the arch-rival Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Even the Los Angeles Lakers couldn't slow them down as the Bulls took care of them in five in the NBA Finals.

1991 SkyBox #408 Michael Jordan Game Frame

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $75

The 27-card "Game Frame" subset highlighted the all-time leaders in scoring, assists, and rebounds in every franchise's history.

The front of the card shows Michael Jordan and Horace Grant trying to lock down Boston shooting guard Reggie Lewis on the parquet floor at Boston Garden.

Chicago played at Boston two times during the 1990-91 season, so it's tough to determine from which game this photo was taken.

In the first game on November 9, 1990, Jordan lit up Boston for 41 points as the Bulls blew them out by twenty.

The Bulls weren't so lucky when they returned to Boston Garden on March 31, 1991, though, as the Celtics defeated them by three points despite a 37-point showing from Jordan.

On the reverse of the card, Jordan is listed as the team's all-time leading scorer and number two in assists.

1991 SkyBox #530 Charles Barkley

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $75

During his last year with the Philadelphia 76ers, Charles Barkley averaged 23.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game while earning his sixth consecutive trip to the All-Star Game during the season.

However, he grew frustrated with the lack of winning in Philadelphia and demanded a trade.

On July 17, 1992, the 76ers traded him to the Phoenix Suns for Jeff Hornacek, Tim Perry and Andrew Lang.

Just over a week later, Barkley was in Barcelona to help the USA Men's Olympic Team make a run for a gold medal.

He must've been excited by his recent trade to the Phoenix Suns because Barkley played incredibly well during the Olympics and led the team in scoring with 18 points per game.

1991 SkyBox #531 Larry Bird

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $75

Larry Bird played remarkably well during the 1991-92 NBA season, considering he battled back issues all year long.

He still averaged 20.2 points, 9.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game while turning in one of his best performances at the free throw stripe with a 93% free throw percentage.

For his efforts, he earned his twelfth trip to the All-Star Game.

Unfortunately, there would be no fourth NBA Championship for him as the Cleveland Cavaliers shut Boston down 3-1 in the opening round of the playoffs.

The back issues continued to nag at Bird during the Olympics and he could frequently be seen laying on his stomach on the sidelines to alleviate the pain.

After winning the gold medal in Barcelona, Bird returned home to the States and announced his retirement from the NBA on August 18, 1992.

1991 SkyBox Clyde Drexler

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $75

For some reason, Clyde Drexler seems to be slightly overlooked and doesn't get enough respect when talking about the greats of his era.

Call it a coincidence, but SkyBox didn't even give him a card number on his Team USA card.

I just placed it in between the Bird and Ewing cards since SkyBox had put these cards in alphabetical order when designing the set.

During the 1991-92 season, Drexler averaged 25 points, 6.6 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game to lead the Trail Blazers to the NBA Finals.

Unfortunately, Michael Jordan and the Bulls got the best of them in six games.

Fortunately, he'd eventually get an NBA Championship with the Houston Rockets a few seasons later.

During the games in Barcelona, Drexler was one of only four guys on the team to average more than twenty minutes of playing time per game and he finished fifth on the team in scoring with 10.5 per game.

1991 SkyBox #532 Patrick Ewing

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $75

Patrick Ewing played exceptionally well during his sixth All-Star campaign during the 1991-92 season.

His 24 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3 blocks per game were about par for the course for what he was delivering each year at that point in his career.

But, the road to the 1992 NBA Finals could not have been any more difficult for Ewing and the Knicks.

After a grueling dogfight with the Detroit Pistons in the first round, the Knicks escaped with a seven-point victory in Game 5 to face off against Michael Jordan and the Bulls.

That series with the Bulls was even more challenging, as each of the first five games was determined by eight points or less.

New York earned a convincing win in Game 6, beating the Bulls by 14, but they weren't so fortunate in Game 7 in Chicago as the Bulls destroyed them by 29.

During the games in Barcelona, Ewing averaged 9.5 points per game and tied Karl Malone for the team lead in rebounds at 5.4 per game. 

1991 SkyBox #533 Magic Johnson

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $75

The world was shocked and saddened when Magic Johnson announced he would retire from the NBA on November 7, 1991 after learning he had tested positive for HIV.

Midway through the season, however, fans voted him in as a starter for the All-Star Game.

Despite some public pushback from some players, Johnson proceeded to suit up for the game and put on one of the best performances in NBA All-Star Game history.

After leading all players in scoring (25) and assists (9), Johnson earned MVP honors as the West routed the East 153-113.

Like Bird, Johnson was held back by injuries during the Olympic Games but still averaged 8 points per game and finished second on the team with an average of 5.5 assists.

Before to the beginning of the 1992-93 NBA season, Magic had considered making a comeback but decided to remain retired. 

1991 SkyBox #535 Karl Malone

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $75

Karl Malone continued to be one of the most dominant power forwards in NBA history during the 1991-92 season as he averaged 28 points and 11.2 points per game.

His performance was enough to earn him a fifth-straight All-Star selection and a fourth-place finish in the MVP vote.

He and the Utah Jazz took that momentum and turned it into one of the deepest runs in the playoffs that Malone had experienced at that point in his career.

After getting by the Clippers and SuperSonics, the Jazz squared off against the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Finals.

In the first two games, Portland blew them out, but Malone and the Jazz recovered in Salt Lake City to tie the series at 2-2.

Unfortunately, they couldn't get over the hump and into the NBA Finals as the Trail Blazers beat them in Game 6 by six points and in Game 7 by eight points.

Malone averaged 13 points in the Olympics and tied for the team lead in rebounds with 5.3 per game despite only playing 17.3 minutes per contest.

1991 SkyBox #536 Chris Mullin

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $75

In his seventh season with the Golden State Warriors, Chris Mullin was an absolute workhorse for the team as he led the league with 41.3 minutes played per game.

That made it back-to-back seasons in which he led the NBA in the category, so Golden State certainly got their money's worth.

With those minutes, Mullin turned in one of the best seasons of his career to earn All-Star honors for the fourth-straight season.

Unfortunately, the SuperSonics knocked the Warriors out of the first round of the 1992 NBA Playoffs in four games in a close series.

Mullin continued racking up the minutes in Barcelona as his 21.6 minutes per game were second only to Michael Jordan's 23.1.

Mullin led the team in three-pointers made per game with 1.8 and finished fourth in scoring with 12.9 points per game.

1991 SkyBox #537 Scottie Pippen

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $75

With the Chicago Bulls trying to repeat as champions for the 1991-92 season, Scottie Pippen played the role of Michael Jordan's right-hand man to perfection.

Pippen set a career-high on the year with seven assists per game and established then career-highs with 7.7 rebounds and 21 points per game during his second All-Star season.

In Game 5 of the 1992 NBA Finals against the Portland Trail Blazers, Pippen came up big for the Bulls as he nearly averaged a triple-double with 24 points, 11 assists and 9 rebounds in the 119-106 win.

After helping the Bulls to a second-straight NBA title in Game 6 at Chicago, he set his eyes on a gold medal in Barcelona.

In the Olympics, Pippen averaged 9 points while leading the team in assists with 5.9 per game and finishing second in steals by averaging 3 per contest.

1991 SkyBox #538 David Robinson

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $75

In just his third year in the NBA during the 1991-92 season, David Robinson continued to dominate down low as one of the best centers in the league.

He continued to put up big scoring and rebounding numbers by averaging 23.2 points and 12.2 boards per game.

But, he really turned up the heat on defense as he set career highs in steals (2.8) and blocks (4.5) per game.

Not only did his 4.5 blocks per game lead the league that year, but they also ended up being the seventh most per game in NBA history.

The Spurs were still years away from NBA Championship contention as the Phoenix Suns swept them in the first round of the playoffs.

So, Robinson turned his eyes towards a gold medal in Barcelona instead.

As if trying to stop Patrick Ewing down low was enough of a nightmare for opposing teams in the Olympics, they had to try and deal with David Robinson, too.

He didn't log as many minutes as others with just 16.8 minutes per game but he still scored 9 points, blocked 1.5 shots and grabbed 4.1 rebounds per game.

1991 SkyBox #539 John Stockton

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $75

John Stockton was once again brilliant in 1991 as one of the top point guards in the league.

To go along with 15.8 points per game, Stockton also led the NBA in assists (13.7) and steals (3) per game.

That made it the fifth year in a row in which he led the league in assists, while the streak would ultimately end at nine seasons in a row years later.

Unfortunately, Stockton wasn't fully capable of showing his incredible talents on the world stage in Barcelona after cracking his right fibula after colliding with Michael Jordan during an exhibition game against Canada.

However, he wasn't going to let that stop him from participating and shooting for gold, as it had long been a dream of his since childhood to win a gold medal.

Stockton played in just four games and averaged 7.3 minutes per game, yet still averaged 2.8 points and 2 assists. 

1991 SkyBox #516 Dikembe Mutumbo Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $50

In desperate need of rebounding and defensive help down low, the Denver Nuggets turned to their first pick of the 1991 NBA Draft, Dikembe Mutombo.

After a standout career at Georgetown University, the Nuggets took him at fourth overall.

During his rookie campaign, that decision immediately paid dividends as Mutombo averaged 16.6 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3 blocks per game.

After making the All-Star Game as a rookie, Mutombo made the All-Rookie Team as one of the lone bright spots on a team that still struggled to put up wins.

Though they finished with a lousy 24-58 record, that was good enough to move them from a seventh-place finish in the Midwest Division the previous year to fourth place for the 1991-92 season.

There were plenty of bigger and brighter things to come for Mutombo as he'd go on to be an eight-time All-Star, six-time All-Defensive Team member, three-time blocks champ, two-time rebounding champ, and four-time Defensive Player of the Year.

Mutombo was the only player from his draft class to be named a Hall of Famer.

1991 SkyBox Basketball Cards In Review

Clocking in with a 659-card checklist, the 1991 SkyBox set offered plenty of superstar power, several subsets, and some of the most iconic cards of the era with its patriotic cards of "The Dream Team."

Dikembe Mutombo and Larry Johnson represent the two key rookie cards in the set with Kenny Anderson and Steve Smith making their cardboard debuts as well.

But, the seemingly endless amount of Michael Jordan and "Dream Team" cards are what most collectors are after these days.

And, for good reason.

Michael Jordan was the greatest player ever and the "Dream Team" was the greatest team ever.

With a design that couldn't look any more "early 1990s" these cards are some of the most easily recognizable of their era.

Although they may look a bit funny today, they were undoubtedly in style back then.

And being able to look back on a given era and what was popular in terms of design is part of what makes collecting cards so fun.