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We’re going to be taking a deep dive into the Top 50 most graded cards for some of the most iconic athletes across football, baseball, basketball and hockey.
The numbers are pulled from GemRate.com and come from the grading services PSA (1st time PSA users get up to $25 off your 1st submission. Use Code: Ludex25), Beckett, CGC, and SGC.
In this post we’ll be taking a look at the Top-50 most graded cards of who many consider to be the greatest basketball player of all-time, Michael Jordan.
During his 15 years in the NBA, Jordan put together an impressive resume. He won six titles and six Finals MVPs, five regular season MVPs and one Defensive Player of the Year, was a 14-time All-Star and received 10 All-NBA First-Team selections and nine All-Defensive First-Team selections.
Without further ado, let’s get into it: the Top 50 most graded Michael Jordan cards ever.
1. 1990 Fleer #26 Michael Jordan – 80,579 Total Grades
Coming in at the No. 1 on our list is one of the most iconic cards of the ‘90s, the 1990 Fleer #26 Michael Jordan card.
This card is by far the most-graded card on our list, with its 80,579 total grades beating the No. 2 card by over 30,000 grades.
Serving as a symbol for nostalgia and the boom of basketball cards during the Junk Wax Era, this card was the dream chase card for kids and collectors ripping cheap packs at their local corner stores in the 1990s.
It’s a perfect example of how overproduced these cards were, as there’s been tons of grades. Whether someone’s looking to get a slab to add to their personal collection or looking to increase their card’s value, Jordan cards are always going to get tons of grades.
While a raw version of the card sells for only $1, if you get it graded as a PSA 10, the value jumps all the way up to the $200 – $300 range.
Today, this card serves as a poster child of sorts for mass-graded cards, both for its recognizability and its significance to the hobby and its culture.
2. 1986 Fleer #57 Michael Jordan – 47,497 Total Grades
The holy grail of not just Michael Jordan cards, but for the entire basketball trading card hobby, is this 1986 Fleer #57 Michael Jordan card.
Despite not really coming from Jordan’s rookie year, this card is widely regarded as the all-time great’s “rookie card,” because this set was one of the first to be distributed nationwide after a multi-year drought of basketball cards. It was the first Jordan card to be officially licensed and pack-issued, which gives the ‘86 Fleer #57 the title of “rookie” card instead of the 1984 Star #101 Michael Jordan card, which wasn’t licensed in that same way.
This card is graded so often because of its high-demand and how valuable it is. Even low scores like PSA 1s consistently sell for over $3,000, and a PSA 10 sells for anywhere from $150,000 – $200,000 right now. When even the lowest grades fetch that much, it makes sense why everyone wants one of these cards.
After “The Last Dance” aired in 2020, the value of this card skyrocketed, with the highest sale ever coming in at over $700,000.
The Jordan ‘86 Fleer shows that these “most-graded cards” aren’t always a result of the Junk Wax Era, but can also be a reflection of timeless demand and investment value. For diehard collectors and basketball fans alike, this card is one of the most impactful ever.
3. 1989 Hoops #200 Michael Jordan – 44,802
4. 1991 Upper Deck SP1 Michael Jordan – 41,339
The 1991 Upper Deck SP1 Michael Jordan card is the first of its kind on this list, a baseball card. It ended up becoming one of the most popularly graded Jordan cards ever, coming in at 41,339 total grades.
While most fans know that Jordan actually did have a stint with one of the White Sox’s minor-league affiliates, this card was released four years earlier when the concept of Jordan leaving the NBA to play baseball seemed like a big joke.
As the only mass-produced and pack-inserted Jordan baseball card before his minor league debut, it was released as part of the 1991 Upper Deck set as a short-print. This made people chase after the card, and naturally, want to get it graded. The term short-print can be kind of misleading in this case, as there were still tons being printed.
Raw copies of the card are relatively cheap, sitting at a value between $12 – $22 according to the Ludex app. Cards that get graded as gem mint, which is rare for this card, can get up to around $500 in value.
Despite it being a random crossover baseball card, the 1991 Upper Deck SP1 Michael Jordan card still drew an extremely high interest in terms of grading, which goes to show the influence that Jordan has on the collectibles and sports worlds.
5. 1988 Fleer #17 Michael Jordan – 39,874 Total Grades
6. 1989 Fleer #21 Michael Jordan – 32,885 Total Grades
7. 1986 Fleer Sticker #8 Michael Jordan – 32,318 Total Grades
While the 1986 Fleer #57 Jordan card gets most of the spotlight, this 1986 Fleer Sticker #8 Michael Jordan card is special because it comes from that exact same set and year. It was Jordan’s first NBA sticker card and serves as one of the essential collectibles for MJ’s career.
Because it went side-by-side with Jordan’s flagship rookie card, the ‘86 Fleer Sticker #8 was heavily chased. It was different from the #57 card because out of the 12 cards in a pack, these sticker inserts were only found once, so they were more rare from the get-go.
The condition of these stickers was a bit of a nightmare, as they were oftentimes very terribly factory-cut or even stained with wax residue and gum.
Due to these conditions, PSA 10 and other gem mint grades are extremely hard to come by. This is something that fuels grading demand, as lots of collectors have been trying to luck out and get their hands on a rare highly-graded card.
With 32,318 total grades, the ‘86 Fleer Sticker #8 card shows that even inserts and stickers can be household names in the collector world. For this card in particular, it has evolved into being one of the most important pieces in Michael Jordan collectibles.
8. 1987 Fleer #59 Michael Jordan – 31,481 Total Grades
9. 1989 Hoops #21 Michael Jordan – 31,410 Total Grades
10. 1990 Hoops #65 Michael Jordan – 27,218 Total Grades
11. 1990 SkyBox #41 Michael Jordan – 26,435 Total Grades
12. 1988 Fleer #120 Michael Jordan – 24,896 Total Grades
13. 1989 Fleer Sticker #3 Michael Jordan – 22,240 Total Grades
14. 1990 Fleer All-Stars #5 Michael Jordan – 19,374 Total Grades
15. 1991 Fleer #29 Michael Jordan – 19,160 Total Grades
16. 1988 Fleer Sticker #7 Michael Jordan – 17,545 Total Grades
17. 1991 Upper Deck #44 Michael Jordan – 17,185 Total Grades
18. 1987 Fleer Sticker #2 Michael Jordan – 16,275 Total Grades
19. 1992 Upper Deck #23 Michael Jordan – 13,944 Total Grades
20. 1990 Hoops #5 Michael Jordan – 12,683 Total Grades
21. 1989 Collegiate Collection North Carolina #17 Michael Jordan – 11,702 Total Grades
22. 1992 Topps Archives #52 Michael Jordan – 11,517 Total Grades
23. 1994 Upper Deck #19 Michael Jordan – 10,761 Total Grades
24. 1989 Collegiate Collection North Carolina #65 Michael Jordan – 10,701 Total Grades
25. 1993 Finest #1 Michael Jordan – 10,291 Total Grades
The 1993 Finest #1 Michael Jordan card is the first-ever Michael Jordan card from the Topps Finest product line, a release that completely changed the hobby as a whole.
Revolutionizing the hobby, the 1993-94 Topps Finest was the first widely available set with refractor parallels, introducing chrome-style card technology to basketball. Collectors had never really seen anything like these shiny, layered foil cards, which were drastically different from the typical flat cardboard from previous years.
As the #1 card, this Michael Jordan card stands out as the headline base card for the set, which adds to its importance and value.
Collectors from the ‘90s, early 2000s and really any era have gotten even more interested in getting this card graded as it marks an impactful moment for the hobby. It represents a shift from the “junk wax” era of cards to what we know today, with premium and limited edition cards at the forefront.
Due to the nostalgic and impactful meaning behind this card, the 1993 Finest #1 Michael Jordan card has been graded over 10,000 times and has become a classic Jordan collectible.
26. 1996 Fleer Decade of Excellence #4 Michael Jordan – 9,691 Total Grades
Released to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the legendary 1986 Fleer set, the 1996 Fleer Decade of Excellence set included iconic cards like this #4 Michael Jordan card.
What makes this card unique is that it has a very similar look to the Jordan #57 rookie card from the ‘86 Fleer set, complete with the signature red, white and blue border. Unlike its earlier counterpart, this card was made with more modern printing quality, so gem mint grades are more prevalent.
Many collectors see this card as a cheaper, easier-to-find version of the classic ‘86 Fleer #57 card. Both old-school and newer collectors see it as a way to get their foot in the door when looking at Jordan rookie collectibles, especially because of its tie to one of the most iconic cards ever.
This card has attracted a lot of grading submissions, which in part, like many other “commemorative” cards, is due to the fact that it serves as a symbol or milestone in the history of the hobby.
As a perfect example with its 9,691 total grades, the ‘96 Fleer Decade of Excellence #4 Michael Jordan card goes to show that grading demand can have just as much to do with nostalgia as it does with rarity and value.
27. 1991 Upper Deck #69 Michael Jordan – 8,742 Total Grades
28. 1991 Hoops #579 Michael Jordan – 8,501 Total Grades
The 1991 Hoops #579 Michael Jordan card stands out because it features Jordan in his Team USA Olympics uniform, one of his earliest appearances to the 1992 “Dream Team,” one of the most famous Olympic basketball teams ever.
For collectors, this is one of the first licensed NBA cards where Jordan was wearing the red, white and blue so that makes it a cool card with big-time historical ties.
Raw cards are pretty common and easy to find, but a gem mint graded card can go from anywhere from $150 to $300. Hoops cards from the early ‘90s were notorious for poor centering and chipping, mainly due to their full-white borders.
Total grades for this card have seen major spikes when “Dream Team” documentaries and “The Last Dance” have been released, as this drives up both nostalgia and demand.
Thematic cards that represent events like the Olympics and All-Star Weekend get heavily graded, and this one is no exception with its 8,501 total grades. Whether it’s for a “Dream Team” themed set or a personal collection, the ‘91 Hoops #579 has grown into a popular card for many collectors.
29. 1991 Fleer #220 Michael Jordan – 8,115 Total Grades
30. 1997 Metal Universe #23 Michael Jordan – 8,022 Total Grades
This card comes from the legendary 1997-98 Metal Universe set, which became known as one of the most beloved basketball products from the ‘90s. The #23 Michael Jordan card was one of the centerpieces for the entire collection.
Metal Universe cards are known for their various sci-fi-inspired, textured and full-foil designs that captivated collectors and basketball fans everywhere in the ‘90s and early 2000s.
Cards that are very heavily foil-based are usually pretty fragile, and are known to take a lot of damage even right after they get ripped out of a pack. Because of this, the high grades for the #23 Michael Jordan card are hard to come by.
This card specifically is the base card for the 1997 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems parallel set, which is one of the most valuable parallel sets in the hobby. This set has become a big target for collectors, and the Jordan card is one of the headliners.
Both the base version and the various parallels for the 1997 Metal Universe #23 Michael Jordan card are heavily graded, and account for 8,022 total grades.
31. 1991 Upper Deck #75 Michael Jordan – 8,002 Total Grades
32. 1991 SkyBox #39 Michael Jordan – 7,995 Total Grades
33. 1995 Metal #212 Michael Jordan – 7,904 Total Grades
34. 1994 Classic #1 Michael Jordan – 7,739 Total Grades
35. 1989 Collegiate Collection North Carolina #13 Michael Jordan – 7,643 Total Grades
36. 1989 Collegiate Collection North Carolina #15 Michael Jordan – 7,582 Total Grades
37. 1991 Fleer #211 Michael Jordan – 7,451 Total Grades
38. 1991 Upper Deck Award Winner Hologram #AW4 Michael Jordan – 7,400 Total Grades
39. 1993 Upper Deck #23 Michael Jordan – 7,172 Total Grades
40. 1989 Collegiate Collection North Carolina #18 Michael Jordan – 7,141 Total Grades
41. 1992 Stadium Club #210 Michael Jordan – 7,071 Total Grades
42. 1992 Upper Deck #506 Michael Jordan – 7,068 Total Grades
43. 1991 Upper Deck Award Winner Hologram #AW1 – 7,065 Total Grades
44. 1996 Topps #139 – 7,053 Total Grades
45. 1989 Collegiate Collection North Carolina #16 Michael Jordan – 7,037 Total Grades
46. 1993 Fleer #28 Michael Jordan – 6,949 Total Grades
47. 1992 Ultra #216 Michael Jordan – 6,868 Total Grades
48. 1992 Upper Deck McDonald’s #P5 – 6,727 Total Grades
49. 1991 Upper Deck #48 – 6,449 Total Grades
50. 1989 Collegiate Collection North Carolina #14 Michael Jordan – 6,430 Total Grades
That concludes our Top 50 list of the most graded Michael Jordan cards of all time, a look at some of the most iconic cards for one of the greatest basketball players ever.
For more content on the best cards for some of the most impactful athletes ever, make sure you keep an eye out for more posts on the Ludex blog.
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