In the annals of American sports, Michael Jordan is an emblem of excellence. Universally hailed as the paramount basketball player of all time, his prowess on the court was brought back into the limelight with the 2020 Netflix documentary, The Last Dance. Yet, a peculiar chapter in Jordan’s illustrious career unfolded when he momentarily abandoned basketball ahead of the 1993–94 NBA season to venture into the realm of baseball.
This unexpected decision left basketball aficionados worldwide in a state of bewilderment. However, for baseball enthusiasts, particularly those with a penchant for collecting baseball cards, this was a cause for celebration. In this discourse, we delve into the top 10 most valuable Michael Jordan baseball cards, a testament to his brief sojourn in Minor League Baseball.
- 1994 Upper Deck – Next Generation Electric Diamond – Parallel – #8: This card, valued at $898, marks the commencement of our list of the most valuable Michael Jordan baseball cards. A PSA 10 of this card was sold for this price in May 2020, with a PSA 8 currently available on eBay for $250.
- 1994 Upper Deck – Next Generation Electric Diamond – Base – #8: The ninth position is occupied by the base version of the same card as number 10. A PSA 9 of this card has an average sale price of $81.57, but the record price for a PSA 10 was $898.88 in April 2021.
- 1994 Upper Deck – #19: The average sale price for a PSA 10 of this 1994 Upper Deck #19 is $668.94. However, in May 2021, a single card of this type was sold for an impressive $932.28.
- 1991 Ballstreet Hand Cut – #19: This rare Ballstreet card has had just one recorded sale of a PSA 10 online, which went for a staggering buy-it-now price of $999.99. An ungraded version is available on eBay for just $14.99.
- 1995 Collector’s Choice Special Edition – Gold Signature – #238: This special edition version of the 1995 Collector’s Choice set featured cards with blue, silver, and gold borders. The gold version, with Jordan’s facsimile signature, holds the record sale price for a PSA 10 of this card at $1,125 in April 2021.
- 1994 Collector’s Choice – Gold Signature – #661: This card, part of a “Rookie Class” that featured other big names like Manny Ramirez and Carlos Delgado, had parallel versions with Jordan’s facsimile autograph in either gold or silver. The gold version PSA 10 fetched a massive $1,878 at auction.
- 1994 Collector’s Choice – Gold Signature – #23: The third card on our list to feature the golden MJ signature, this 1994 Collector’s Choice with Jordan’s famous #23 sold for a record $2,005 at auction in 2021.
- 1994 Upper Deck SP – Holoview Red – #16: The 1994 SP Holoview Red is number three on our list and sees a significant jump in price from number four. A PSA 9 of this card recently sold for just $454.88, but the record paid for a PSA 10 is a substantial $6,400.
- 1990 SCD Baseball Pocket Price Guides – Hand Cut – #51: Number two on our list also sees a massive jump in price, with the highest recorded sale price for a PSA 10 of this card clocking in at nearly $17,000. Interestingly, this card is the first on our list to record Jordan as a basketball player, which he still was in 1990.
- 1991 Upper Deck – #SP1: The number one most valuable Michael Jordan baseball card ever is another that predates his pro baseball days. This 1991 card by Upper Deck featured a photo of “His Airness” taking some batting practice ahead of the “Windy City Classic” charity game between the Cubs and White Sox in 1990. On average, a PSA 10 of this card sells for $650.75. However, a rare black label pristine 10 version of this card was sold for nearly $19,000, making it one of the rarest Michael Jordan baseball cards in the world.
