A complete set of 1986-87 Fleer basketball cards and stickers, with each one graded PSA Gem Mint 10 sold for $216,000 as Heritage Auctions closed out its 2020 Summer Trading Card Auction.
The Michael Jordan rookie card and rookie sticker are the primary value drivers in the ’86-87 set and values have risen significantly over the last few months. A PSA 10 Jordan sold separately in the auction, netted $75,000 with stickers typically reaching over $20,000 in recent sales. However, the set also includes a number of other key rookie cards including Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon, Isiah Thomas, Dominique Wilkins, James Worthy and Chris Mullin.
A complete PSA 10 set sold for $63,859 in June of 2019, illustrating the marked rise in value for one of the hobby’s most popular modern era sports card sets.
The set is far from one-of-a-kind. There are 20 sets on PSA’s Current Finest Registry that show 100 percent completion and a weighted GPA of 10. Several other sets appear close to that plateau.
A 1986-87 Fleer box of 36 packs, authenticated by BBCE, sold for $90,000 in the auction, which closed over a two-night period July 30 and 31.
A group of 50 of the highest graded 1933 Goudey Sport Kings in the hobby drew significant interest, with three bringing six-figure prices including the 20 percent buyer’s premium. Topping the list was a PSA 9 Jim Thorpe. One of four mint examples rated by the company. it sold for $138,000. A PSA 9 Ty Cobb, one of three with one higher, realized $132,000, the same price attained by a Babe Ruth rated 8.5 which is one of the three best ever graded by PSA. One of the four Red Grange cards ever to garner a 9 from PSA sold for $91,000.
Other vintage cards sold included:
- The #1 Finest 1911 T201 Mecca Double Folders Set ($94,800)
- 1969-70 Topps Lew Alcindor rookie card PSA 8.5 $84,000
- 1934 Goudey Lou Gehrig #37 PSA 8 $78,000
- 1979-80 OPC Wayne Gretzky rookie card PSA 9 $54,000
- 1948-49 Leaf Jackie Robinson SGC 7.5 $46,800
The auction includes a large number of vintage and modern era unopened cases, boxes and packs.
In addition to the 1986-87 Fleer basketball box, top sales included:
- 1979-80 OPC Hockey unopened box of 48 packs (Gretzky rookie year) $108,000
- 1959 Topps 4th Series unopened cello box $58,820
- 1988-89 Fleer basketball 12-box case $50,400
- 1954 Bowman Football unopened wax pack box (5 cent packs) $46,800
- 2012-13 Panini Prizm hobby box lot of 5 $46,800
Complete results can be found here.
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Notes: 1986-87 Fleer Case Now Wrapped; $100K LeBron Chrome; Yogi vs Ernie; ’70s Kid on Collecting; Japanese Cards
