Michael JORDAN (born in 1963)
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
See also : Sport Basketball Sport uniform Garment Textiles Sport equipment Modern sport cards
Chronology : 1998
See also : Sport Basketball Sport uniform Garment Textiles Sport equipment Modern sport cards
Chronology : 1998
1982-1983 North Carolina Jersey
2021 SOLD for $ 1.38M by Heritage
Michael Jordan played college basketball in the NCAA championship for North Carolina Tar Heels for three seasons, from 1981 to 1984, with No. 23. He was named NCAA champion in 1982 and National College Player of the year in 1984. He returned to North Carolina in 1986 to complete his degrees.
A game used jersey from the 1982-1983 season has been photo matched with the cover page of The Sporting News on March 28, 1983 where he was highlighted as Player of the Year, aged 20.
This jersey was sold for $ 1.38M by Heritage on May 8, 2021, lot 82169.
A game used jersey from the 1982-1983 season has been photo matched with the cover page of The Sporting News on March 28, 1983 where he was highlighted as Player of the Year, aged 20.
This jersey was sold for $ 1.38M by Heritage on May 8, 2021, lot 82169.
1984 Air Ship Nike Sneakers
2021 SOLD for $ 1.47M by Sotheby's
Michael Jordan begins his NBA career in 1984 with the Chicago Bulls. From the first weeks, he is considered as one of the greatest basketball players of all time by his success in the basket and his aerial jumps.
Jordan was first equipped in the pre-season with the newly released Nike Air Ship sneakers.
Jordan's success leads to an offer from Nike to design custom sneakers for him. The champion is assisted by the sports agent David Falk, a specialist in trade promotions for NBA players.
From September, Jordan is also equipped with a pair of commercial Nike Air Ship sneakers in the colors of the Bulls, black and red. The NBA bans this non-compliant color scheme on October 18 just before the opening of the season.
An NBA compliant Air Ship pair in white and red was sold for $ 1.47M from a lower estimate of $ 1M by Sotheby's on October 24, 2021, lot 23. They are the earliest known NBA game used sneakers of Michael Jordan who presented them to a ball boy of the Denver Nuggets after a game on November 1. They are in size 13 while the matching Jordan measurement should be 13.5 for the right foot.
The custom design includes the lowering of the shoes for bringing the foot closer to the court. Falk coins the trademark Air Jordan for this new line of products, so highlighting that His Airness is jumping from the air in his soles. The Air Jordan 1 model is released on November 17. Nike announces : "The NBA threw them out of the game. Fortunately the NBA can't stop you from wearing them".
That release is made in the full colors of Michael Jordan's team, the Chicago Bulls, red, white and black. The NBA had indeed given way in the issue about the colors of his sneakers. The fashion for colorful sneakers was launched in basketball.
A game worn Air Jordan 1 pair marked 850102 TYPS was sold for $ 615K by Heritage on August 21, 2021, lot 80103. TY is the code for the factory in South Korea, PS stands for Player Sample and the six digits are a date code identifying the period January-February 1985. The difference between the PS and the retail version is a lower collar height, at Jordan's request for his comfort.
On May 17, 2020, Sotheby's sold for $ 560K a pair of Nike Air Jordan 1 Player Sample (PS) shoes in the colors of the Bulls manufactured from February to April 1985 (date code 0204 TYPS), lot 1.
MJ wore that pair in all games until October 1985 when his career was temporarily interrupted by a broken foot.
Michael Jordan severely broke his left foot in the third game of his second NBA season, on October 29, 1985. A pair of sneakers with date code 850102 announced by MEARS as likely the last original Air Jordan 1 game used by the champion was sold for $ 420K by Lelands on January 29, 2022, lot 8.
Jordan missed 64 games in that season. His foot was still painful when he made his NBA come back against the Bucks in Milwaukee on April 1, 1986, and he needed an extra protection.
He used a pair of Nike Air Jordan 1 Player Sample sneakers slightly taller than the original model, which were fitted with softer and wider Nike Dunk soles. The right shoe had a production defect : an eyelet was missing on both sides of the tongue, enabling the photo matching of the lacing anomaly along with a white abrasion on the same shoe.
This size thirteen Air Jordan 1 pair of size, date and manufacturing codes 13860304STPS was sold for $ 675K by Heritage on February 26, 2022, lot 80099. The right shoe is autographed by Jordan. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Nike's Air Jordan is a great success story. With a renewal of its models each year, Nike currently has in its catalog the Air Jordan XXXIV. The Nike Jordan cumulative sales have reached 100 million pairs. Michael Jordan is more generally one of the best marketed players in the history of sports, behind Tiger Woods.
Jordan was first equipped in the pre-season with the newly released Nike Air Ship sneakers.
Jordan's success leads to an offer from Nike to design custom sneakers for him. The champion is assisted by the sports agent David Falk, a specialist in trade promotions for NBA players.
From September, Jordan is also equipped with a pair of commercial Nike Air Ship sneakers in the colors of the Bulls, black and red. The NBA bans this non-compliant color scheme on October 18 just before the opening of the season.
An NBA compliant Air Ship pair in white and red was sold for $ 1.47M from a lower estimate of $ 1M by Sotheby's on October 24, 2021, lot 23. They are the earliest known NBA game used sneakers of Michael Jordan who presented them to a ball boy of the Denver Nuggets after a game on November 1. They are in size 13 while the matching Jordan measurement should be 13.5 for the right foot.
The custom design includes the lowering of the shoes for bringing the foot closer to the court. Falk coins the trademark Air Jordan for this new line of products, so highlighting that His Airness is jumping from the air in his soles. The Air Jordan 1 model is released on November 17. Nike announces : "The NBA threw them out of the game. Fortunately the NBA can't stop you from wearing them".
That release is made in the full colors of Michael Jordan's team, the Chicago Bulls, red, white and black. The NBA had indeed given way in the issue about the colors of his sneakers. The fashion for colorful sneakers was launched in basketball.
A game worn Air Jordan 1 pair marked 850102 TYPS was sold for $ 615K by Heritage on August 21, 2021, lot 80103. TY is the code for the factory in South Korea, PS stands for Player Sample and the six digits are a date code identifying the period January-February 1985. The difference between the PS and the retail version is a lower collar height, at Jordan's request for his comfort.
On May 17, 2020, Sotheby's sold for $ 560K a pair of Nike Air Jordan 1 Player Sample (PS) shoes in the colors of the Bulls manufactured from February to April 1985 (date code 0204 TYPS), lot 1.
MJ wore that pair in all games until October 1985 when his career was temporarily interrupted by a broken foot.
Michael Jordan severely broke his left foot in the third game of his second NBA season, on October 29, 1985. A pair of sneakers with date code 850102 announced by MEARS as likely the last original Air Jordan 1 game used by the champion was sold for $ 420K by Lelands on January 29, 2022, lot 8.
Jordan missed 64 games in that season. His foot was still painful when he made his NBA come back against the Bucks in Milwaukee on April 1, 1986, and he needed an extra protection.
He used a pair of Nike Air Jordan 1 Player Sample sneakers slightly taller than the original model, which were fitted with softer and wider Nike Dunk soles. The right shoe had a production defect : an eyelet was missing on both sides of the tongue, enabling the photo matching of the lacing anomaly along with a white abrasion on the same shoe.
This size thirteen Air Jordan 1 pair of size, date and manufacturing codes 13860304STPS was sold for $ 675K by Heritage on February 26, 2022, lot 80099. The right shoe is autographed by Jordan. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Nike's Air Jordan is a great success story. With a renewal of its models each year, Nike currently has in its catalog the Air Jordan XXXIV. The Nike Jordan cumulative sales have reached 100 million pairs. Michael Jordan is more generally one of the best marketed players in the history of sports, behind Tiger Woods.
1986 Fleer
1
Sealed Case
2020 SOLD for $ 1.8M by Collect Auctions
Despite NBA support, the basketball cards had fallen into disuse. Topps had abandoned this sport after the 1981-82 season. The series released in 1986 for the 1986-87 season by Fleer, the maker of bubble gum, is a resurrection. It consists of 132 cards and 11 stickers. For retail, Fleer offered packs of 12 random-inserted cards and one sticker, not to forget the bubble gum. For wholesale, Fleer assembled boxes of 36 packs and cases of 12 boxes.
Because of this hiatus, many young players had not yet had a regular trading card and their 1986 Fleer is considered by collectors as their rookie card. They include Michael Jordan who had begun his NBA career in 1984.
In 2020 Jordan's fame is at its peak, driven by the success of the television documentary series named The Last Dance. Collectors are flocking to his rookie card, although it is not uncommon including about 300 cards graded Gem Mint.
On August 6, 2020, Collect Auctions sold a factory sealed case for $ 1.8M, lot 31. The lot therefore contains 5,184 cards and 432 stickers which have not been handled after their packaging. Statistically, bidders can thus hope to find therein in as new condition 39 cards and 39 stickers of the Jordan rookie.
Because of this hiatus, many young players had not yet had a regular trading card and their 1986 Fleer is considered by collectors as their rookie card. They include Michael Jordan who had begun his NBA career in 1984.
In 2020 Jordan's fame is at its peak, driven by the success of the television documentary series named The Last Dance. Collectors are flocking to his rookie card, although it is not uncommon including about 300 cards graded Gem Mint.
On August 6, 2020, Collect Auctions sold a factory sealed case for $ 1.8M, lot 31. The lot therefore contains 5,184 cards and 432 stickers which have not been handled after their packaging. Statistically, bidders can thus hope to find therein in as new condition 39 cards and 39 stickers of the Jordan rookie.
2
Rookie Card
2021 SOLD for $ 720K by Goldin
The Fleer rookie card of Michael Jordan is not rare. They were pulled from 50 cent packs at the time of issue.
In May 2021, the grades higher than Mint 9 had been reached by more than 520 cards at Beckett (6 at Pristine 10 and 514 at 9.5), 300 graded 10 at PSA and 20 graded 10 at SGC.
A card graded GEM MT 10 by PSA was sold for $ 720K by Goldin on January 30, 2021, lot 12.
Such a high price was not reached again in the next few months on the PSA 10, with two results at $ 600K each at Goldin in February and March 2021.
In May 2021, the grades higher than Mint 9 had been reached by more than 520 cards at Beckett (6 at Pristine 10 and 514 at 9.5), 300 graded 10 at PSA and 20 graded 10 at SGC.
A card graded GEM MT 10 by PSA was sold for $ 720K by Goldin on January 30, 2021, lot 12.
Such a high price was not reached again in the next few months on the PSA 10, with two results at $ 600K each at Goldin in February and March 2021.
3
Rookie Card
2021 SOLD for $ 720K by Goldin
In the same sale as the example above by Goldin on January 30, 2021, another card, also graded GEM MT 10 by PSA, was sold at lot 27 for the same price, 720K.
1997 Precious Metal Gem
2020 SOLD for $ 920K by Heritage
Collectors of contemporary trading cards love baseball and basketball, rookie cards, Michael Jordan and the top rarities.
Regarding the illusion of luxury, the impetus was given in 1997 by the very ephemeral brand Metal Universe, publisher of the Basketball Precious Metal Gems series for the seasons 1997-98 and 1998-99 and Championship Basketball in 1997-98 . Ten years later Upper Deck attempted to re-establish the brand.
The first two Precious Metal Gems editions featured 123 players each, with a photo in action on the front and a portrait on the back. The front was printed on a sheet of metal. The edition was serialized from 1 to 10 with an image on an "emerald" green background and from 11 to 100 with a red background.
This construction generated a weakness, with wear on the edges of the metal affecting a large proportion of the cards. PSA does not grade these damaged cards, even when the image remains intact. However, this company checks the authenticity.
The population of ten Michael Jordan 1997 Precious Metal Gem Green cards attracts much desire. Two of them were graded EX-MT + 6.5 by PSA and one EX-MT 6.
Two cards rated Authentic by PSA were sold on eBay, # 1 in 2015 and # 6 in 2019. Their prices, exceptional in their time, can be forgotten following the craze of 2020 for all the artefacts relating to Jordan .
On December 10, 2020, Heritage sold at lot 58088 for $ 920K from a lower estimate of $ 500K the card # 9, guaranteed Authentic (but not identified as Altered) by PSA.
Regarding the illusion of luxury, the impetus was given in 1997 by the very ephemeral brand Metal Universe, publisher of the Basketball Precious Metal Gems series for the seasons 1997-98 and 1998-99 and Championship Basketball in 1997-98 . Ten years later Upper Deck attempted to re-establish the brand.
The first two Precious Metal Gems editions featured 123 players each, with a photo in action on the front and a portrait on the back. The front was printed on a sheet of metal. The edition was serialized from 1 to 10 with an image on an "emerald" green background and from 11 to 100 with a red background.
This construction generated a weakness, with wear on the edges of the metal affecting a large proportion of the cards. PSA does not grade these damaged cards, even when the image remains intact. However, this company checks the authenticity.
The population of ten Michael Jordan 1997 Precious Metal Gem Green cards attracts much desire. Two of them were graded EX-MT + 6.5 by PSA and one EX-MT 6.
Two cards rated Authentic by PSA were sold on eBay, # 1 in 2015 and # 6 in 2019. Their prices, exceptional in their time, can be forgotten following the craze of 2020 for all the artefacts relating to Jordan .
On December 10, 2020, Heritage sold at lot 58088 for $ 920K from a lower estimate of $ 500K the card # 9, guaranteed Authentic (but not identified as Altered) by PSA.
(1997)-1998 Upper Deck
1
21/23
2021 SOLD for $ 2.1M by Goldin
Established in 1988, Upper Deck modernized the sport cards. In 1990, the player's autograph signature is added to some prestige UD series, in necessarily limited quantities. The first trading card autographed by Michael Jordan is a 1996 Upper Deck in the SPx series.
In 1997 the new impulse for special effects appeals their competitors including Fleer and the ephemeral Metal Universe. Upper Deck creates another goodies : the jersey fragment inlaid on the card.
The first series that displays pieces from a Jordan jersey in the Game Jersey edition of Upper Deck for the 1997-98 season, with a 1998 double copyright to the publisher and to the NBA.
This card is serialized out of a high figure of 23 which corresponds to the player's number but does not mean that this quantity has been entirely produced. Jersey and photos relate to a prestigious event, the 1992 NBA All-Star Game in which Jordan scored 18 points in 31 minutes of play.
The card 21/23, certified by PSA, was sold for $ 2.1M by Goldin on May 22, 2021, lot 3. It is graded 9 for the autograph and NM-MT 8 for the condition. Its game-worn patch relic is a tri-color piece.
In 1997 the new impulse for special effects appeals their competitors including Fleer and the ephemeral Metal Universe. Upper Deck creates another goodies : the jersey fragment inlaid on the card.
The first series that displays pieces from a Jordan jersey in the Game Jersey edition of Upper Deck for the 1997-98 season, with a 1998 double copyright to the publisher and to the NBA.
This card is serialized out of a high figure of 23 which corresponds to the player's number but does not mean that this quantity has been entirely produced. Jersey and photos relate to a prestigious event, the 1992 NBA All-Star Game in which Jordan scored 18 points in 31 minutes of play.
The card 21/23, certified by PSA, was sold for $ 2.1M by Goldin on May 22, 2021, lot 3. It is graded 9 for the autograph and NM-MT 8 for the condition. Its game-worn patch relic is a tri-color piece.
2
8/23
2021 SOLD for $ 1.44M by Heritage
The card 8/23 was sold for $ 1.44M by Heritage on February 5, 2021 from an estimate of $ 400K, lot 50196. Its condition is rated NM7 by PSA. The signature, weak and narrow, is graded 8.
1998 Last Dance Road Jersey
2022 SOLD for $ 10M by Sotheby's
The 1998 Finals were a key event in NBA history, opposing the Utah Jazz and the Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan, who had hitherto made his whole NBA career with the Bulls, won the Most Valuable Player award of the Finals and his sixth NBA championship.
The first game was made in Salt Lake City on June 3, in a surrounding ambience hostile to the Bulls. Utah won it by a narrow margin, despite the 33 points scored by Jordan.
The road jersey worn by Michael Jordan in that Game 1 was sold for $ 10M from a lower estimate of $ 3M by Sotheby's on September 15, 2022, lot 1. It has been photo matched in game use by MeiGray.
After Game 5 the Bulls were leading 3-2 and Utah could expect a tie as the home team in Game 6. The game was tied 83-83 with one minute left. Utah scored with 43 seconds left and Jordan brought the victory of Game 6 and the Finals to the Bulls at 87-86 with 5 seconds and a timeout left. Jordan had scored 45 points in Game 6 where he wore a similar red and black road jersey as in Game 1.
That win was also the end of an era for the Bulls plagued by tension between manager and coach. Jordan announced his retirement but made a come back as NBA player with the Washington Wizards in 2001 after the September 11 attack.
In 2020 The Last Dance raised a worldwide attention to Michael Jordan as an all sport Greatest Of All Time. This 10-part TV documentary relied on 500 hour footage of candid film of the Bulls in that highly successful 1997-1998 season, made by an entertainment crew for use in a documentary. The project had been delayed until Jordan gave his permission;
The first game was made in Salt Lake City on June 3, in a surrounding ambience hostile to the Bulls. Utah won it by a narrow margin, despite the 33 points scored by Jordan.
The road jersey worn by Michael Jordan in that Game 1 was sold for $ 10M from a lower estimate of $ 3M by Sotheby's on September 15, 2022, lot 1. It has been photo matched in game use by MeiGray.
After Game 5 the Bulls were leading 3-2 and Utah could expect a tie as the home team in Game 6. The game was tied 83-83 with one minute left. Utah scored with 43 seconds left and Jordan brought the victory of Game 6 and the Finals to the Bulls at 87-86 with 5 seconds and a timeout left. Jordan had scored 45 points in Game 6 where he wore a similar red and black road jersey as in Game 1.
That win was also the end of an era for the Bulls plagued by tension between manager and coach. Jordan announced his retirement but made a come back as NBA player with the Washington Wizards in 2001 after the September 11 attack.
In 2020 The Last Dance raised a worldwide attention to Michael Jordan as an all sport Greatest Of All Time. This 10-part TV documentary relied on 500 hour footage of candid film of the Bulls in that highly successful 1997-1998 season, made by an entertainment crew for use in a documentary. The project had been delayed until Jordan gave his permission;
2006 Autographed Rookie Card
2022 SOLD for $ 1M by Christie's
2006 was the 20th year since Fleer issued the rookie card of Michael Jordan. That card was already a must to collectors.
UDA (Upper Deck Authenticated) is a trademark of UD (Upper Deck) based on a patented authentication process. They made a special operation with the 1986 Fleer Jordan rookie cards.
23 high grade cards were selected by UDA and fitted with a hologram on the back to prevent the counterfeiting. They made them signed by Jordan and put them at random in boxes. A congratulation card signed by Upper Deck with the same numerical code as the hologram guarantees that it is a new release of an original card with the addition of the signature apposed under control from UD.
14 from the 23 cards are known to have been pulled by lucky collectors. The 21/23 is the second highest graded by BGS, 8.5 NM-MT+ with an autograph graded 9 by Beckett. It was sold for $ 1M by Christie's on June 14, 2022, lot 6.
UDA (Upper Deck Authenticated) is a trademark of UD (Upper Deck) based on a patented authentication process. They made a special operation with the 1986 Fleer Jordan rookie cards.
23 high grade cards were selected by UDA and fitted with a hologram on the back to prevent the counterfeiting. They made them signed by Jordan and put them at random in boxes. A congratulation card signed by Upper Deck with the same numerical code as the hologram guarantees that it is a new release of an original card with the addition of the signature apposed under control from UD.
14 from the 23 cards are known to have been pulled by lucky collectors. The 21/23 is the second highest graded by BGS, 8.5 NM-MT+ with an autograph graded 9 by Beckett. It was sold for $ 1M by Christie's on June 14, 2022, lot 6.
