A 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan autographed rookie card sold for $2.5 million on Thursday through Pharrell Williams’ auction house Joopiter, according to The Athletic’s Larry Holder.
Michael Jordan Rookie Card Becomes Third Most Expensive Card
The price tag made it the third most expensive Jordan card sale ever sold and the most expensive Jordan rookie card sale. The minimum bid for the card was set at $2 million and it only received one bid at that price.
The card was originally set to be sold by Sotheby’s before it was removed from auction in March. A Joopiter spokesperson told Holder the consigner “made a decision that he felt better suited the card.”
Per Holder, Joopiter charges a 25% buyer’s premium on its auctions, bringing the final sale price to $2.5 million. The auction house initially placed an estimated value on the card between $2 million and $3 million.
The largest sale of a Jordan card to date came in June 2024, when a 2003-04 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection game-used Logoman patch autograph card sold for $2.928 million, according to Card Ladder.
Jordan Fleer Rookie Card Has Highest Combined Grade Ever Sold
However, no autographed Jordan Fleer rookie card with this high of a combined grade for both the card itself and autograph quality had ever been sold publicly. The card sold Thursday has a mint 9 card grade and gem mint 10 autograph grade from PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator).
The PSA 9/10 graded card that sold at Joopiter could set a potential price floor if PSA 10/10 cards are ever sold. Since this one had a card grade of 9, the PSA 10/10 version would likely become the highest-selling Jordan card ever known publicly.
The previous most expensive 1986-87 Fleer Jordan autographed card (PSA graded 8 card/9 auto) sold for $205,000 in March 2024. The card that sold Thursday is one of nine 1986 Fleer Jordan cards inked with a blue Sharpie in a secret signing for a private collector last year, per Holder.
Private Signing With Jordan Took Place At Grove XXIII
According to Joopiter, it took the collector nearly five years of coordination with Jordan to set up the private signing. The auction house also said the signing occurred at Grove XXIII, Jordan’s private golf club in Hobe Sound, Florida.
Jordan played all 82 regular-season games in his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls, averaging 28.2 points on 51.5% shooting from the field to go along with 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.4 steals.
His Airness won the NBA Rookie of the Year award, made the All-Star team, was All-NBA Second Team, and finished sixth in MVP voting. He also scored a season-high 49 points in an overtime win against the Detroit Pistons.
