Perfect Michael Jordan Rookie Card sells for $82,000
By Chris Olds
8/27/2009 8:05:55 PM
A BGS 10 Pristine copy of Michael Jordan’s 1986-87 Fleer Rookie Card sold on eBay for $82,000 on Thursday evening just weeks before His Airness is enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The 10-day auction closed at 5:58 p.m. Pacific after 87 bids. The sale was made by CJ’s Sports Cards & Memorabilia in San Diego, Calif., however the transaction has not yet been confirmed by Beckett Media.
While 4,567 copies of the card have been graded, this perfect specimen is one of only two cards to receive the mark from Beckett Grading Services.
This card, which was the first Jordan RC to receive the perfect Pristine grade, was reportedly sold for $150,000 in 2006. However, that sale never was confirmed.
The card’s subgrades included 10s for its centering, edges and corners and a 9.5 for its surface condition.
The only other BGS 10 has 10s across the board with the exception of a 9.5 subgrade for its edges.
The first BGS 9.5 copy of the Jordan RC — there have been 116 to reach that mark since — went for $77,600 in a June 2003 deal.
The Jordan RC is the second high-profile BGS 10 of a 1980s icon to sell for big bucks this year as a Joe Montana 1981 Topps RC sold for $65,880 in April.
That card carried the third-highest pricetag of any football card sale ever documented by Beckett Media.
AND WHILE YOU’RE HERE, CHECK OUT THESE STORIES …
Chris Olds has collected sports cards and memorabilia since1987. Before coming to Beckett Media, he wrote about the hobby for the Orlando Sentinel on his blog, SportsStuff, and for the San Antonio Express-News and The Tuscaloosa (Ala.) News. Do you have a comment, question or idea? Send e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com.
| Posted
8/27/2009 8:36:20 PM |
firefighterkb1221
Total Posts:
762
Member Since: 2/9/2009
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Man that is the holy grail of basketball collecting. Also a ton of dough to shell out on a piece of cardboard.... but if I had the money I'd do it too.
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If you can't take the heat,
become a cop.
MATT MILLEN GIVING ROMPER ROOM KIDS
HOPE THAT, THEY TOO, CAN RUN AN NFL FRANCHISE.
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| Posted
8/27/2009 10:58:08 PM |
sethgiants
Total Posts:
541
Member Since: 10/4/2005
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there is currently a cal ripken 82' topps traded PSA10 on the auction block. i'm winning it at $1,250 but i think it will sell for around $6,000-$7,500
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| Posted
8/28/2009 12:27:34 AM |
CptNemo66
Total Posts:
3,377
Member Since: 8/27/2008
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Thats half my house lol!
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80,000+ cards for trade
I need 2007 Topps Sterling singles #/250. I have 128/254
My Bucket
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| Posted
8/28/2009 7:46:41 AM |
RiceLynnEvans75
Total Posts:
3,195
Member Since: 12/22/2005
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I'm wondering if this is one of the four known PSA 9 Jordan RC's to cross over to BGS 9.5 and/or BGS 10.
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"You do not lead by hitting people over the head. That's assault, not leadership."
"The ego is not master in its own house.”
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| Posted
8/28/2009 9:44:21 AM |
JEREMYDB75
Total Posts:
27
Member Since: 5/10/2003
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ME AND A FELLOW CO-WORKER WERE WATCHING THIS ON EBAY. I SAID THAT IS CRAZY TO PAY THAT MUCH FOR IT. BUT THE MORE I THINK ABOUT IT IT WOULD DO IT TO IF I COULD AFFORD IT.
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| Posted
8/28/2009 1:27:01 PM |
djohn
Total Posts:
260
Member Since: 7/7/1997
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This is just a huge example of why I think high grade cards are WAY overvalued. The reason this card sold for so much is because only 2 cards have been graded a 10 by Beckett. According to the article the card previously sold for $150,000 in 2006. That is almost a 50% drop in price in 3 years. I am sure part of that price drop was due to the economy being worse, however I think that most of the price drop was simply because another card was graded 10 by BGS. I know there are a bunch of ungraded Jordan RCs out there that are in great condition, some possibly even in BGS-10 condition. So if another 1 or 2 come in and get graded as 10 by BGS the price will probably drop even further, as the card will now be one of 3 or 4 graded 10 by BGS. The more that get graded the lower the price will drop. Look at any card as an example, and you will see that the first few that have high grades sell for significantly higher than once a few more come out with the same high grade. There is a saturation point, where the card loses value simply because there are more available in that same condition. Seems like a waste of money for most cards, unless the card is already ultra-scarce (or at least ultra-rare to find in top condition, like pre-1950's cards).
Condition is very important, but I think it should only be to some extent. How many people can really tell the difference between a PSA-10, BGS-10, and BGS-9.5 without getting out a microscope (or at least a jeweler's loop)? Yet people will pay several times as much for a BGS-10, simply because an expert sees slightly better qualities under a microscope over a BGS-9.5.
While I think this Jordan rookie is a great card, I just don't see how so many people can consider it worth so much more than one graded BGS-9.5 or PSA-10.
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http://www.beckett.com/userpages/djohn.html
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| Posted
8/29/2009 1:53:54 PM |
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RiceLynnEvans75
Total Posts:
3,195
Member Since: 12/22/2005
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I agree with your point and what it comes down to is that people are paying more for the label rather than the card. Sad that the hobby has come to this IMO.
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"You do not lead by hitting people over the head. That's assault, not leadership."
"The ego is not master in its own house.”
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| Posted
8/30/2009 5:17:08 PM |
Card Opinionator
Total Posts:
114
Member Since: 8/30/2009
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PSA 10s are just too easy. You can find flaws in most of them. BGS had the fore-sight to know collectors want the best of the best. The cream of the crop. This is not new. Barry Halper was buying premium stuff like this long before grading ever started. He is just one public example of rich high-end collectors who make us regular schmoes jealous.
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| Posted
9/22/2009 1:25:58 PM |
jbmmadman
Total Posts:
2,770
Member Since: 12/25/2004
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why would anyone spend that kind of money on a card ?...way too much disposable income I guess, I'd put a down payment on a new house and buy a new car with some left over for fun stuff with the family
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http://s111.photobucket.com/albums/n152/jbmmadman/
My Avatar is a one of a kind piece of artistry created by Los Tha Don !!!
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| Posted
9/26/2009 2:43:27 AM |
cccupps420
Total Posts:
1,930
Member Since: 5/8/2004
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what a beautiful card im so glad the blazers drafted bowie first lol
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Link to bucket: http://s911.photobucket.com/home/ccupps420/index
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