Five Michael Jordan Basketball Insert Cards Valued Under $25
For collectors on a budget, it can sometimes be difficult to collect the most popular players. Fortunately, card companies have always kept all types of collectors in mind over the years, so even the most collected player of them all still has cards that fit any budget – and we’re not talking about mass-produced, junk wax-era base cards. What follows is a list of five Michael Jordan basketball inserts valued from $10 to $25, according to the Beckett Online Price Guide’s high value for raw examples.
1991-92 Fleer Pro Visions #2
Even before Fleer merged with Marvel and SkyBox in the mid-1990s, its card designers had a flair for out-of-this-world designs. In Series 1 packs of 1991-92 Fleer cards, collectors could pull artist-rendered Pro Visions inserts. And while collectors enjoy all six illustrations from the set, one card stands above the rest – Michael Jordan’s, which depicts him soaring out of Earth’s atmosphere on rocket legs to slam home a dunk into a basketball hoop on some other planet. With a value of $15, collectors can bring home this insert without breaking the bank.
- Shop for Jordan’s 1991-92 Fleer Pro Visions insert on eBay
1996 Topps Stars Imagine #I6 w/ Oscar Robertson
While artificial intelligence could likely conjure up an image of Michael Jordan defending Oscar Robertson pretty quickly today, it took a lot of computer work to mesh those two together in an elegant way in 1996. But that’s exactly what Topps did for the Imagine insert in 1996 Topps Stars, which includes 25 pairings of a current star going one-on-one against a legend in matchups die-hard fans would certainly love to see play out for real. At 1:18 packs, collectors would typically find at least one of these cards in every box, and the Jordan/Robertson combo leads the charge in value at only $20.
- Shop for Jordan’s 1996 Topps Stars Imagine insert on eBay
1997-98 Hoops Dish ’N Swish #DS5
With 10 scoring titles throughout his career, fans and collectors might sometimes forget how good of a distributor Michael Jordan was throughout his career. In 1988-89, he averaged a career-best 8.0 assists per game, while also leading the NBA with 32.5 points per game. During his 13 seasons with the Chicago Bulls, he handed out an average of 5.4 assists per game, while pouring in 31.5 ppg. Fleer/SkyBox paid tribute to his balanced game in 1997-98, including him among 10 players who could dish the rock and swish the nets in the Dish ’N Swish insert. Found exclusively in 24-pack Series 1 retail boxes, the cards had pack odds of 1:18, and Jordan’s issues reign supreme with a $25 valuation.
- Shop for Jordan’s 1997-98 Hoops Dish ’N Swish insert on eBay
1998-99 Hoops Pump Up The Jam #5
Considering his leading role in the 1996 film Space Jam, the idea of Michael Jordan appearing on a movie poster made sense. Fleer/SkyBox gave Jordan a new poster in the 1998-99 Hoops set, giving him top billing in the Pump Up The Jam insert, a relatively easy find at 1:4 packs. The cards feature two photos – one a close-up portrait and the other an action shot – and at the bottom of the card, a player’s “credits” are listed. In Jordan’s case, the card is starring “Five-time NBA MVP Michael Jordan” and is directed by “The National Basketball Association and SkyBox Productions.” With full-bleed black backgrounds, condition can be a challenge here, but with a $10 valuation, it’s an easy Jordan insert to acquire.
- Shop for Jordan’s 1998-99 Hoops Pump Up The Jam insert on eBay
1999-00 Upper Deck Encore Jamboree #J1
In the second year of Upper Deck Encore – a premium version of the flagship UD base set – the company also gave a group of notorious slam dunkers an upgraded look. The Jamboree insert had pack odds of 1:6, and on Jordan’s card, he breaks away from the Charlotte Hornets’ defense for a thundering slam dunk. What differentiates the Encore version from the regular Upper Deck insert is a rainbow-reflective foil finish and the bold red “ENCORE” printed above the nameplate. Valued at just $15, this card makes a great pick for a Jordan collector on a budget.
- Shop for Jordan’s 1999-00 Upper Deck Encore Jamboree insert on eBay
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