The demand for key Michael Jordan cards has long been sky high in this hobby...
And the market for them doesn't seem to be slowing anytime soon.
After all, he's nearly unanimously regarded as the greatest basketball player of all-time so his popularity is still at astronomical levels.
But just how valuable are some of his cards?
Some of them have sold for well into the six-figure range...
In this guide, we will cover his 23 most valuable cards ever sold and will discuss what makes each of them so special.
Let's jump right in...
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Note: Some of Jordan's baseball cards have decent value, too, but none of them enough to make this list.
1997 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems GREEN
Sold in February 2019 for: $350,100
Considered to be the holy grail of all Jordan cards, you almost never see these come up for sale or auction.
Production of 1997-98 Precious Metal Gems parallels were limited to just 100 copies in total, with the first 10 being the green version and the final 90 being the red.
Because of their foil front design, they are extremely fragile and susceptible to showing wear on the surfaces, edges and corners.
But, as you can see, a green PMG Jordan in any condition can be extremely valuable as this particular card that sold was not even graded on PSA's traditional numerical scale but was rather judged only to be authentic.
1997 Upper Deck Game Jersey AUTO PATCH 18/23
Sold in November 2018 for: $94,630
This card represented a key shift in the hobby as it was one of the first to feature game-used memorabilia, an on-card autograph and a handwritten serial number.
In this case, the card featured a small piece of the jersey that Jordan wroe during the 1992 NBA All-Star game, his eighth appearance at that point.
Upper Deck issued just 23 of these cards.
That rarity and what this card means to the hobby makes it extremely valuable in any condition.
2004 Exquisite Collection Limited Logos
Sold in March 2019 for: $68,323
In their second year of producing their Exquisite Collection offering, Upper Deck released only 50 of these "Limited Logos" that featured a Jordan autograph and a piece of one of his jerseys.
The card is visually stunning as both the autograph and card itself earned Gem Mint 10 designations from PSA.
In addition, the three-colored patch from one of Jordan's red Bulls jerseys provide even more pop.
Exquisite Collection cards were so limited and such high quality that only five cards were included in the special wooden boxes in which they were packaged.
2009 Exquisite Collection Limited Logos
Sold in June 2019 for: $65,655
As you can see, even in ungraded condition, Exquisite Collection Jordan's can sell for big bucks.
This example, numbered 4 of 10 from their 2009 offering, sold for an incredible $65,655.
It's amazing to me that cards such as this, produced long after Jordan's playing days were over can still be worth so much.
1997 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems RED
Sold in March 2019 for: $63,100
Next on our list is one of Jordan's red Precious Metal Gems cards that PSA assessed to be in Ex-Mint + condition.
The foil front and deep red coloration give this card amazing eye appeal and perfectly complement the Chicago Bulls color scheme.
Personally, I like the red versions more than the green versions from an aesthetic standpoint but obviously I'd prefer a green in terms of value.
Really, though, could you ever be disappointed with either version?
2003 Exquisite Collection Limited Logos
Sold in March 2019 for: $55,100
From Upper Deck's inaugural EC release in 2003, this example out of 75 produced was graded by Beckett to be in mint condition and exhibits amazing visual qualities.
The three-color jersey patch dominated by the red is incredible by itself but Upper Deck added even more flare with the beautiful Jordan autograph in blue.
It's a fantastic, high quality card that will likely retain its value for quite some time.
1997 Skybox E-X2001 Essential Credentials Now
Sold in April 2016 for: $51,989
Numbered to 72 copies only, these are yet another example of how highly demanded rare Jordan inserts from the 1990's can be.
No autograph. No jersey patch.
Just an extremely limited print run from Skybox is all it takes to make this card very pricey.
I think it's also cool that Skybox used an image of Jordan in one of the Bulls' black jerseys to give it an extra special touch.
1986 Fleer #57 Michael Jordan Rookie Card
Sold in March 2018 for: $41,400
My personal favorite of all Jordan cards is his 1986-87 Fleer rookie card, regarded as his "mainstream" rookie around the hobby.
The set itself revived interest in basketball cards in general as even Topps stopped producing basketball cards after their 1981 release.
Packed with rookie cards of several other Hall of Famers like Karl Malone, Charles Barkley and Dominique Wilkins to name a few, this set is truly iconic in the hobby.
And Jordan's rookie tops them all by far...making it one of the most valuable basketball cards in the entire hobby.
1984-85 Star Michael Jordan Rookie Card
Sold in December 2016 for: $40,208
While the 1986 Fleer may be considered his mainstream rookie card, many in the hobby consider the 1984 Star issue to be his true rookie card as it dates back to his rookie year in the NBA.
These cards are extremely condition sensitive because of how they were produced and you almost never see them in mint condition.
Often times, they are off-center which immediately knocks them out of mint condition status.
2005 Exquisite Collection Limited Logos /50
Sold in September 2018 for: $33,433
You're probably starting to see a trend here at this point: Exquisite Collection Jordan cards are incredibly valuable.
From the 2005 release, this card was one of only 50 produced and PSA judged it to be in Gem Mint 10 condition.
The design of the card makes this one of the better looking Exquisite Collection Jordans, in my opinion.
2003 Exquisite Collection Auto Patches /100
Sold in January 2019 for: $30,099
I really like the design of this EC card as well because of the horizontal layout and huge image of Jordan.
The larger image meant that the size of the patch had to be sacrificed a bit but it's still a great three-color patch.
Additionally, the "E" outline fo the patch adds a nice creative touch.
And finally, what a gorgeous Jordan signature, well-deserving of the 10 grade that PSA assigned to it.
1998 SP Authentic Sign Of Times Gold Die-Cut
Sold in February 2019 for: $27,078
Another one of the earlier cards in the hobby to feature Jordan on-card autographs were the 1998 SP Authentic Sign of the Times die-cut cards.
Along with this gold variation, there were also silver and bronze variations that were not nearly as rare as the gold.
The quality of this particular gold variation is exceptional as shown by the overall BGS 9.5 Gem Mint designation as well as each of the sub grades to go along with it.
Overall, it's a truly great example of one of Jordan's earliest autograph cards.
2006-07 Exquisite Michael Jordan Kobe Bryant Dual Autograph Patch 1/5
Sold in September 2018 for: $26,100
One of the more interesting cards on this list is one of five 2006 Exquisite Dual Scripted Swatches signed by both Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
What an amazing card featuring autographs of two of the games greatest players.
Because the autographs were signed directly on the jersey pieces, you can see how they could tend to bleed a bit, especially in the case of Bryant's autographs.
The card received a Beckett "Raw Card Review" of 8.5, meaning it is in exceptional condition.
Sometimes at shows or other events, Beckett will do these raw card reviews as a convenience and then package the card with a tamper evident seal showing the grade so that collectors can later send them in to be slabbed.
1988 Fleer Sticker #7
Sold in July 2016 for: $25,600
Growing up as a kid, I used to love the Fleer basketball sticker cards almost as much as the regular cards in the set.
And it was such a challenge to resist peeling them off and placing them on a wall, door, or some other surface.
Fleer produced sticker cards in all of their sets from 1986-1990 but the 1988 is much more difficult to find in PSA 10 condition.
Centering was always such a challenge with this sticker and even in this example appears to be favoring the left side but still within PSA's tolerance to receive a Gem Mint grade.
1985 Jewel Prizm Jewel Stickers
Sold in September 2016 for: $25,600
One of the more bizarre cards on this list is Michael Jordan’s 1985 Prism Jewel Sticker issue.
The hologram of Jordan going up for a reverse dunk put this card ahead of its time in terms of design standards.
They weren’t widely distributed and were often sold out of vending machines that sat in store fronts.
If you’re lucky enough to find one that survived in top shape then you’re looking at quite a high price tag.
2006 Exquisite Collection Limited Logos /50
Sold in May 2019 for: $25,001
Next up is yet another Exquisite Collection Limited Logos card from 2006 numbered to just 50 copies.
This card features another great tri-colored patch and amazing Jordan autograph.
All of these Exquisite Collection cards are top-notch in terms of quality and design and this one is no exception.
2004-05 Extra Exquisite Autograph and Game Worn All-Star Jersey Patch
Sold in March 2018 for: $23,200
Numbered 3 of 5, this card features a jumbo oversized patch from one of Jordan's All-Star game jerseys.
This card was sold in raw, ungraded form for $23,200 back in 2018.
It just goes to show that even ungraded cards can fetch big bucks if they are as special as this Jordan autographed, game-used jersey patch card.
1997-98 SP Authentic Sign of the Times Stars and Rookies
Sold in March 2018 for: $21,640
Another die-cut card makes our list in the form of this 1997-98 SP Authentic Sign of the Times Stars and Rookies Jordan card.
This card packs amazing eye appeal due to its bold red coloring, fantastic image of Jordan shooting, and his autograph along the bottom.
Early Jordan autographed cards like this one have been and will continue to be highly coveted around the hobby.
1998 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems #1 Michael Jordan Basketball Card
Sold in May 2019 for: $21,499
Here is another rare '90s insert that has continued to soar in value in recent times.
Rarely seen on the open market, these cards were numbered to just 50 copies in total which really pumps up their value.
Because they were so sensitive to showing wear and tear, typically they exhibit chipping, scuffs and scratches.
You can see the damage along the edges of this card which kept it from achieving a higher grade.
1999 Upper Deck Ionix Authentics Auto /23
Sold in January 2019 for: $20,099
Visually-speaking, this card is among the top on this amazing list of Jordan cards and it has been graded to be in impeccable condition by Beckett.
The full image of Jordan packs quite a punch and the large autograph along the side tops it all off.
These Upper Deck Ionix Authentics Jordan autograph cards were numbered to just 23 copies, as noted along the bottom right corner in handwritten ink, which makes them almost impossible to find.
1997 UD3 Season Ticket Autographs
Sold in April 2018 for: $19,322
Likely one of the more distinctive designs on this list, these UD3 cards were meant to look like tickets to a basketball game.
The design may be unusual but any card that features such a beautiful Jordan autograph is bound to be worth some big money.
You can see that the card itself has some condition issues along the corners but there is no arguing the pristine quality of that signature.
1996 SPx #8 Michael Jordan Autograph
Sold in February 2019 for: $18,612
Here it is, the very first autographed Michael Jordan card that started the craze for any card displaying his signature.
Die-cut and featuring a hologram background, this card had it all: great imagery, great design, and a great autograph.
You rarely see these come up for auction but when they do, collectors go crazy for them.
1987 Fleer Sticker #2
Sold in July 2016 for: $17,850
And finally, we have this example of Jordan's 1987 Fleer Sticker that sold in July 2016 for a whopping $17,850.
These days they sell for less than $10,000 so let this be an example that Jordan's cards don't necessarily keep appreciating all the time.
Like any of the Jordan stickers that Fleer produced, these are also extremely condition sensitive.
Not to mention, many kids peeled the stickers off years ago.
With the bright, multi-colored design, this card boasts terrific eye appeal and a great image of Jordan with a big smile on his face.
Michael Jordan's Legacy
You simply cannot say enough to describe Michael Jordan's playing career.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009, Jordan goes down in history as the greatest to ever step on the court.
Known for his offensive acrobatics, Jordan was also a shut down defender making him a potent dual threat.
His list of career accomplishments is stacked but here are several key highlights:
- 1984-85 Rookie of the Year
- 6x NBA Champ
- 5x MVP
- 14x All-Star
- 10x Scoring Champ
- 11x All-NBA
Because of who he is and what he represents to the game of basketball, his cards will remain in high demand for quite some time.