(LOT 439)
1986 Fleer #57 Michael Jordan Rookie Card PSA 10 GEM MINT
One of the hobby's most iconic rookie cards continues to be the exalted 1986 Fleer #57 Michael Jordan subject, presented here with the "perfect" PSA 10 GEM MINT assessment. PSA's illustrious "Pop" chart currently lists over 23,600 encapsulated examples, with a meager 1.3% of them fortunate enough to have been awarded the hallowed "10" grade. That staggering number of total graded specimens more than substantiates the unparalleled prestige of the 1986 Jordan rookie, with virtually every hobbyist seeking this Hall of Fame worthy card. Its PSA 10 pricing points currently range between $225K - $300K, with several examples having fetched over $700K! Simply stated, the Michael Jordan 1986 Fleer rookie has firmly established itself as a hobby cardboard icon, standing right alongside other momentous inaugural cards for Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle ('51 Bowman & '52 Topps), Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron, just to mention a few of the most significant mainstream rookie cards on the planet.

Not even Hollywood could write a more storybook script for the final game of the 1998 NBA finals when Michael Jordan's final jump shot with 5.6 seconds left bested the Utah Jazz by an 87-86 score! Incredibly, that would be the final shot Jordan would ever take for the Chicago Bulls, as "MJ" would temporarily retire after winning his sixth and final NBA Championship, all of which he was named finals MVP. Of course, a few years later, "His Airness" would eventually come out of retirement and play a few seasons with the Washington Wizards, but it's his unparalleled career with Chicago that has earned him the undisputed title as basketball's "greatest all-time player". In 15 seasons, this iconic shooting guard/small forward would amass over 32,000 points (4th all-time), achieve the highest "points per game" average ever (30.12), win an unfathomable 10 NBA scoring titles and claim five NBA MVP awards! Yet for all of these extraordinary accomplishments, it was his fierce competitiveness and uncanny ability to thrive in pressure situations that arguably places him as the finest basketball player ever. His legacy in sports is comparable to that of the immortal Babe Ruth, and we cannot imagine a more significant keepsake than his exalted 1986 Fleer rookie card in a PSA 10 holder. All of the technical qualities associated with this cardboard gem are consistent with sheer perfection including the flawless surfaces, rich hues, crystal clear clarity, razor-sharp corners/edging, near-perfect centering and complete absence of any surface flaws.

It is so fitting that the image used for his iconic rookie card portrays Jordan in "mid-air" on his way to another majestic dunk, for it was his uncanny athleticism that placed him a step above his inferior peers. The hobby has established a secure place for its most iconic cards with the T206 Wagner being the ultimate "Holy Grail", and the '52 Topps Mantle the king of all the post-war issues. However, most enthusiasts would agree that the multi-six figure pricing points realized for 1986 Fleer Jordan PSA 10s equally earn it a rightful place alongside those aforementioned cardboard icons. The '86 Fleer "Jordan 10" is one of those subjects that at its mere mention could literally "stop traffic", for no world-class high-grade rookie card collection could ever be considered complete without one of these PSA 10 keepsakes. Unquestionably speaking, this revered Michael Jordan memento is now forever etched in hobby folklore, and synonymous with Jordan's pinnacle player stature, stands tall among a myriad of its substandard sports card peers!

MIN BID $60,000