1986-87 Fleer Basketball Set More Than Just Jordan |
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Thursday, 10 September 2009 |
 Michael Jordan's induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame puts the focus squarely on his rookie card again, but he's not the only card worth having.
It wasn't a splash.
More like a ripple.
When Fleer announced plans to produce a nationally distributed basketball card set for the 1986-87 season, it didn't create massive shockwaves in the hobby. Basketball was alive thanks to Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and, of course, Jordan. But its cards were still playing third fiddle to baseball and football.
When the entire hoops card market was determined to be vastly undervalued, the set began to shoot up the pricing ladder. Jordan's arrival as a mega star pushed his card to the forefront. Technically, he'd been in the league for a couple of years already, but collectors weren't buying the STAR company sets as his true rookie cards, even though they were produced in far less quantity.
The 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan is still holding strong as the most popular basketball card of all time. His Hall of Fame induction this weekend will push the long-retired MJ back into the spotlight. It won't hurt the card's long-term value to now, officially, have the "HOF" designation behind it, although a big spike in value is unlikely.
Jordan is the latest player from the 1986-87 Fleer set to enter the Hall. It's a set jammed with 7 Hall of Famer rookie cards because if a player entered the NBA in any year from 1981-86, the '86-87 Fleer set was the first time his card appeared in a wax pack. In all, there are 13 Hall of Famers in the 132 card set.
 A mint, graded Jordan rookie often sells for $1000 or more. No other player comes close, but Dominique Wilkins, Karl Malone and Charles Barkley do sell for premium prices too.
Perhaps the toughest card in the '86-87 Fleer set, though, is #78 Johnny Moore. A PSA 10 Moore sold last year for $2650. While thousands of mint, ungraded '86-87 Fleer basketball cards exist, they're not always easy to find in grading company holders. The red borders easily show even the slightest wear and centering can be an issue. # 1, 11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88, 99, 111, 121, and 132 were at the end of the printing sheet and were often cut in such a way that the borders were uneven.
It's possible, though, to put together a perfect "10" graded set. In fact, Memory Lane Inc just sold one in its summer auction. The final price was over $34,000.
The set is small enough to complete in ungraded form without much trouble. Piecing together one of the best sets on the market is a much tougher battle, but its status as basketball's modern era icon makes it worthwhile.
1986-87 Fleer basketball on eBay |
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