Michael Jordan's legendary basketball career continues to command exorbitant prices on the open market, with memorabilia from the iconic player consistently fetching significant sums. Fans worldwide eagerly seek to own a piece of MJ's legacy, whether it be game-worn apparel, autographed items, or highly coveted trading cards. This demand was recently highlighted by a record-breaking sale: a Michael Jordan rookie card from the University of North Carolina (UNC) basketball legend sold for an astounding $2.5 million.

The card in question is an autographed 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card. It was successfully auctioned at Joopiter, the auction house founded by Grammy-winning artist and producer Pharrell Williams. The final sale price of $2.5 million included a 25% buyer's premium, establishing a new benchmark for a Jordan rookie card in any grade. This sale significantly surpassed the previous record for a Jordan rookie card, which stood at $205,000 in March 2024. Furthermore, this monumental transaction now ranks as the third-highest public sale ever recorded for any Michael Jordan card, just shy of the $2.928 million paid last June for a 2003-04 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection autographed 1-of-1 card.

What makes this specific 1986-87 Fleer rookie card particularly unique and valuable is the rarity of Jordan's autograph on it. As a long-time partner with Upper Deck, Jordan typically signed items primarily associated with that partnership. However, approximately a year ago, he autographed a select batch of nine of these particular Fleer cards. Of these nine, six have since received a perfect 10 grade from PSA, a renowned card grading service. These perfectly graded cards have not yet been offered for auction. Industry observers are keenly anticipating their eventual sale, as it is highly possible that one or more of these unreleased cards could surpass the $2.5 million record recently set, making them items to watch closely in the coming months.