NFL and MLB collectors reign supreme in the card-hunting biz. But on the NBA side, one name draws the most sports enthusiasts. Michael Jordan dominates in the collectors’ world as much as he did on the court. For decades to date, sports lovers have scoured the depths of thrift stores, storage, and eBay for a Michael Jordan card. While he remains the biggest attraction in the card game, certain factors work against His Airness’ three-decade-old cards.

eBay and NY Times revealed how MJ is still the most hunted card on the website as of July 2025. ’90s kids offload their rare collector’s items on eBay to the highest bidder. And if it’s graded a 10 by the PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator), it makes a big difference – like, make a $2 card worth $500.

In the Jordan-lore, one of the most sought-after cards at the moment is the 1991-92 Upper Deck Award Winners #AW1. Its hologram feature made it the hottest thing since sliced bread in the early nineties. Today, this card could be $5-$10 ungraded. But in a PSA 10, the value goes up a hundred times.

It can start a bidding war anywhere from $800 to $1,000. One on eBay is worth $1,300. Now we know you’re thinking $1,300 is not all that impressive. Especially because the 1997 Michael Jordan Upper Deck Game Jersey (Autograph) #GJ13S‍ was sold at auction for $1.44 million in 2021. And Pharrell Williams just sold a 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card for $2.5 million through his auction house, Joopiter. These cards were personally autographed by the Black Cat himself, though.

This $1,300 card gets its value because of its rarity if it’s not got Jordan DNA on it. Only 147 of the more than 7,000 graded have achieved gem-mint status. It was easily damaged, and to find one in gem-mint status is like finding a diamond in a coalmine. There’s also the 1991 Upper Deck Baseball #SP1 from when MJ retired in 1993 to play minor league baseball. Over 30,000 of these were printed. But since it’s difficult to find them in mint condition, a PSA 9 or 10 will go for around $500.

However, some graded ones still go as low as $80 despite the Bulls legend’s popularity. He might have himself to blame for that.

Michael Jordan cards are not that rare

When Michael Jordan was leading the Chicago Bulls to their first-ever championship in 1991, basketball and sports in general became a hot commodity. The NBA becoming a prime-time live TV package was not the only big commercial movement. Sports merchandise designers and makers found a bigger market.

Between the mid-’80s through the ’90s (from when Jordan entered the NBA through the Bulls dynasty), the “junk wax era” emerged with massive overproduction of trading cards. Unlike the tragedies of MLB’s greatest memories like rare Babe Ruth cards lost to time, a ’90s kid probably clutched their Jordan card to bed.

The junk wax craze also meant that there were just too many MJ cards in the market. Even though Jordan remains the most searched athlete on eBay month after month, long after his retirement, the supply of his cards is just too large for all of them to be worth significant money.

Around 63,000 units of the 1990 Fleer #26 were produced, and today it’s the most graded Jordan card by PSA. A gem mint PSA 10 could fetch around $200 because not many have survived time in their binders. Surprisingly, Jordan in Bulls or All-Star jerseys is more valued than Team USA cards. Like the 1991-92 NBA Hoops #579 from MJ’s Dream Team era is only valued at $80 in a PSA 10.

On a typical day, between 1,000 and 1,500 Jordan trading cards sell worldwide on eBay. Only something that makes it unique, like a 2007-08 Upper Deck Legend Chronology Autograph, one of 3 of 5, and autographed by MJ, can go as high as the $95,000 it sold for.

Along with the sheer population of Michael Jordan cards in existence, fans caught on that these cards had long-term value. So they held on to it for future profits, though not always in the best conditions. Any Junk Wax Era kids who thought that their sports memory in a binder would fetch them 8 figures like Pharrell Williams, they get a reality check that there are too many Jordan trading cards to pick from, along with passing a PSA check.