Michael Jordan hasn’t played an NBA game in over 22 years, but his brand is still dominating every lane—sneakers, sports, entertainment, and collectibles. In 2023 alone, his Jordan Brand raked in over $6.6 billion for Nike, and that same year, he made history as the first athlete to crack Forbes’ list of the 400 wealthiest Americans. And when it comes to sports memorabilia? The demand for MJ hasn’t slowed—it’s skyrocketed. Just recently, a collector unveiled a never-before-seen piece of “penmanship greatness” from Jordan’s rookie year, and it’s already turning heads across the hobby world.

We’re living in the golden era of sports cards—where pieces of cardboard are turning into million-dollar treasures. According to HoopsHype, at least 26 NBA cards have now crossed the seven-figure threshold, and the names behind them are no surprise: Steph Curry, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant… and of course, Michael Jordan. Steph sits at the top with a $5.9 million sale, followed closely by LeBron’s $5.2 million rookie patch autograph. As for MJ? He’s right in the mix—and may have just taken another step up.

Sports Illustrated recently spotlighted a newly revealed, potentially one-of-a-kind collectible tied to Jordan’s rookie year, and it’s already making waves. Imagine holding onto a piece of history—tucked away in storage for 40 years—and suddenly realizing it might just be one of the rarest Michael Jordan autographs out there. That’s exactly what happened with collector Eric Flohr, who recently went public on Instagram with a jaw-dropping reveal: a hand-signed MJ autograph from just four games into his rookie season. Thanks to a connection with then-Denver Nuggets assistant coach Bill Ficke, Flohr met a young Jordan in 1984 and walked away with an autograph scribbled on a plain piece of paper—one that included the words “Chicago Bulls” under MJ’s name.

“I’m sending these to PSA next week after 40 years in storage,” Flohr wrote in his post. “Curious if anyone’s seen an MJ auto like this… I know MJ rarely signs in public now, but I’ve not seen the ‘Chicago Bulls’ on any other signature. This just happened to be 4 games into his rookie season, and even MJ didn’t know how big MJ was going to be.”

At the time, Jordan was still just beginning his climb, with the world yet to realize what kind of icon he’d become. The Bulls weren’t lighting up the league either—finishing that 1984–85 season with a 38–44 record. Now, after decades of keeping the autograph private, Flohr is getting it graded by PSA—alongside a 1985 Nike Promo and 1985 Star Court Kings Michael Jordan card. And while signed Jordan items aren’t exactly uncommon, one like this—capturing not just his name, but his team affiliation from the very start—is basically unheard of in the hobby world. Whether Flohr sells it or keeps it, he’s got something truly special: an early snapshot of greatness, written in ink before the legend even fully knew what was coming.

Michael Jordan’s collectibles keep making history!

Michael Jordan and breaking records go hand in hand—and this time, he’s doing it in the world of memorabilia. Just last week, his autographed 1986-87 Fleer rookie card, graded PSA 9 with a perfect 10 signature, sold for a jaw-dropping $2.5 million. That makes it the most ever paid for a Jordan rookie card. The sale went down at Pharrell Williams’ Joopiter auction house—yes, Pharrell—the same one he launched back in 2022. And this wasn’t just any signature. Jordan signed nine of these iconic rookie cards in secret last year at his private golf course in Florida, using a blue Sharpie picked specifically for the occasion. “Eight of these cards rank among the finest examples ever graded,” Joopiter explained. “This extraordinary event, the culmination of nearly five years of coordination between a devoted collector, Michael Jordan, and PSA, marks a monumental moment in the world of collectibles.”

This particular card was the first of those Fleer rookies graded PSA 9 with a PSA 10 autograph to be sold publicly. According to ESPN’s Dan Hajducky, it was also the first sports card ever auctioned by Joopiter. Caitlin Donovan, Joopiter’s global head of sales, told ESPN, “We are excited to debut in the world of sports collectibles, largely in response to enthusiasm from our global community of collectors… we look forward to bringing this community unique and significant pieces of sports history.” Only two Jordan cards have ever sold for more: his 1997-98 Upper Deck Game Jerseys Autograph, numbered 23 and graded BGS 8, which went for $2.7 million, and his 2003-04 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Game-Used Logoman Patch, which sold for $2.928 million.

And it doesn’t stop there. In March, an autographed Chicago Bulls jersey worn by Jordan during a preseason game in his rookie year fetched an incredible $4.215 million at Sotheby’s. They billed it as the only game-worn, photo-matched Jordan rookie jersey to ever hit public auction. MeiGray, who worked with forensic firm Proven Data, said this could be the very first jersey Jordan wore in an NBA game—dating it to October 13, 1984, his fourth game, and possibly even October 7, his second. There were even old name and number stains beneath “Jordan” and “23,” suggesting others wore it before him. Jordan switched jerseys for the regular season, making this one-of-a-kind. ESPN reported it as the fifth most expensive NBA jersey ever sold—two of the top four also belonged to, of course, MJ.