A piece of basketball history is about to hit the market, and it could fetch nearly half a million dollars. A rare Michael Jordan rookie card from 1984, along with the complete Chicago Bulls team set, goes up for auction next month at Heritage Auctions.
Bidding starts January 3rd, and collectors are already buzzing about this one.
What makes this card so special? It’s MJ’s true rookie card, coming from his actual first season with the Bulls – even earlier than his famous 1986 Fleer card that most fans know about.
The card’s in pretty amazing shape, scoring an 8.5 grade from PSA (that’s like getting an A- in card collecting). Here’s the wild part: out of more than 400 cards graded, only 1% have reached this level, with just three cards graded higher.
“This is one of the earliest and most significant cards of the basketball legend,” Heritage Auctions notes. They’re expecting bids to reach around $400,000 for the complete 12-card set.
The design’s simple but striking – a red border matching the Bulls’ colors, with His Airness standing out against a clean white background.
Sure, it’s got a few tiny flaws. There’s some slight wear on the edges and it’s not perfectly centered. But for a card that’s pushing 40 years old? It’s in remarkable condition.
Let’s remember what Jordan was doing when this card came out. As a rookie in 1984-85, he was already showing signs of greatness:
– 28.2 points per game
– Made the All-Star team
– Won Rookie of the Year
– Helped turn the struggling Bulls from a 27-win team into a playoff contender
Jordan was just 21 when this card was printed, fresh out of North Carolina and already turning heads in the NBA. He finished sixth in MVP voting that year – pretty impressive for a rookie competing against legends like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.
The auction ends January 24th, and given how hot the sports card market is right now, don’t be surprised if this piece of basketball history breaks some records.
