The Top 23 Michael Jordan Cards Ever Made

There are hobby superstars and then there's Michael Jordan. He transcends everything before him and Michael Jordan cards will be the measuring stick for everything that follows.

No matter the release, Michael Jordan cards sell. While there are hundreds that command anywhere from the price of lunch up to $100, there are some elite standouts.

The list of Michael Jordan cards that follows isn't all about value, although there are certainly tons of investment-worthy pieces here. Rather, we look at 23 Michael Jordan cards that could be considered cornerstones of almost any collection. They chart his early years, crazy inserts, limited parallels, autographs and memorabilia cards. Above all, they catch our attention.

This is by no means a definitive list of the best Michael Jordan cards. There are too many of them. Elite Michael Jordan cards are like pieces of art done by the masters. Every time these cards pop up, they seem to break records. Here are 23 Michael Jordan cards worth gawking at and dreaming of.

23 of the Best Michael Jordan Cards

1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan RC #57

The 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card is one of the most important cards in the history of the hobby. For modern card collecting, one could argue it's as iconic as the 1952 Topps Baseball Mickey Mantle is for vintage collectors.

1996 SPx Michael Jordan Autograph #NNO

The 1996 SPx Michael Jordan Autograph is his first signed basketball card. Available via redemption, they rarely show up.

1996-97 E-X2000 A Cut Above Michael Jordan #5

Is it a basketball card or a buzz saw? 1996-97 E-X2000 A Cut Above cards were inserted 1:288 packs, making any given card extremely tough to come by.

1996-97 Flair Showcase Legacy Collection Row 2 Michael Jordan #23 #/150

The road of high-end Michael Jordan cards is paved with a ton of low-numbered parallels. While the 1996-97 Flair Showcase Legacy Collection Row 2 Michael Jordan isn't the rarest, it is certainly one of the most beautiful. Mixing an action shot in the foreground with an emotional foil portrait in the background, the card beams with elegance.

1996-97 Metal Net-Rageous Michael Jordan #5

The 1996-97 Metal Net-Rageous Michael Jordan is another outrageous mid-90s insert that's ridiculously tough to find. Loud and proud, cards from the die-cut set can be found 1:288 packs.

1997-98 E-X2001 Jambalaya Michael Jordan #6

Another wild insert from the era, 1997-98 E-X2001 Jambalaya focused on basketball's best dunkers. And when you're talking about the game's best dunkers, Michael Jordan is king. Inserted 1:720 packs, 1997-98 E-X2001 Jambalaya remains one of the most desirable insert sets ever created.

1997-98 Fleer Thrill Seekers Michael Jordan #7

Mixing a holofoil shimmer, a matte front and some horrible fonts, there's no doubt what era the 1997-98 Fleer Thrill Seekers Michael Jordan came from. Cards in the ten-card set are a case hit, falling 1:288 packs.

1997-98 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Michael Jordan #23 #/100

The grand-daddy of parallels, if you've got a 1997-98 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Michael Jordan, you've got a few tuition payments for your children's college education. And text books. And a lifetime supply of Kraft Dinner. The blazing red background is perfectly appropriate for Jordan. Although numbered to 100, only 90 of the Precious Metal Gems cards are red. The remaining ten are green. And if you have one of those, you may be able to trade it for a house, white picket fence and all.

1997-98 Ultra Star Power Supreme Michael Jordan #SPS1

If you haven't figured it out by now, Fleer ruled the wild insert designs, parallels and tough pulls of the mid- to late-1990s. The 1997-98 Ultra Star Power Supreme Michael Jordan is a case hit parallel that mixes a die-cut design with holofoil. Individual singles in the 20-card set appear 1:288 packs of 1997-98 Ultra Series 2 Basketball.

1997-98 Ultra Stars Gold Michael Jordan #1

1997-98 Ultra Stars was the set's Series One case hit. Of those, ten percent were given the Ultra Stars Gold treatment. Basically, the 1997-98 Ultra Stars Gold Michael Jordan is an impossible parallel of a nearly impossible set. And it's got all the flash and jazz collectors expect and love.

1997-98 Upper Deck Game Jerseys Michael Jordan #GJ13

The first Michael Jordan game-used jersey card might not be the prettiest. But it's still the first. With 22 cards in the set, even odds of one per case would make it tough. Try 1:2,500 packs for any given card in the set. That's 1:55,000 packs for the 1997-98 Upper Deck Game Jerseys Michael Jordan. There's also an autographed version that is numbered to 23.

1998-99 Fleer Tradition Playmakers Theatre Michael Jordan #9 #/100

Numbered to 100 copies, the 1998-99 Fleer Tradition Playmakers Theatre Michael Jordan has a lot going for it. It's embossed and has some great gold holofoil shine. Collectors should beware of versions that have neither embossing or serial numbers. These were likely in the Fleer archives when the company went out of business and the assets were sold off.

1998-99 Hoops Slam Bams Michael Jordan #1 #/100

The 1998-99 Hoops Slam Bams Michael Jordan is a strange beast. While it has some great photography, the overall design is among the busiest you'll ever find. Oh yeah, it's numbered to 100 copies so it commands attention whenever it pops up.

1998-99 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Michael Jordan #1 #/50

Instead of numbering to 100 like the previous year, the 1998-99 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Michael Jordan has just 50 numbered copies. The parallel's immense popularity and the low numbering make this one of the ultimate Michael Jordan prizes.

1998-99 SkyBox Molten Metal Fusion Michael Jordan #41 #/250

The 1998-99 SkyBox Molten Metal Fusion Michael Jordan is unique with its tiny die-cut dots that make the legend's portrait. While the basic Fusion parallel is numbered to 250, a Titanium version is much tougher with just 40 copies.

1998-99 SkyBox Premium Star Rubies Michael Jordan #23 #/50

Resembling some Pacific might have created with their Prism lines a few years earlier, the 1998-99 SkyBox Premium Star Rubies Michael Jordan is one of the most desired parallel cards of all-time. Numbered to 50, it pictures Jordan looking like he's ready to drive to the hoop.

1998-99 SkyBox Thunder Noyz Boyz Michael Jordan #9

Who names these cards? Although title might be horrible, it's memorable -- kind of like those late-night TV jingles that stick with you for months on end. The distinct die-cut design and rarity (1:300 packs) make the 1998-99 SkyBox Thunder Noyz Boyz Michael Jordan one of the greatest insert cards in the hobby.

1998-99 Upper Deck Game Jersey Autographs #/23

Upper Deck made six different Michael Jordan autographed jersey cards in 1998-99, all of which are numbered to 23. All rank among the best Michael Jordan cards ever.

1999 Upper Deck Employee Game Jersey Michael Jordan #NNO #/275

Upper Deck staff have gotten some amazing exclusive cards over the years. Perhaps none are more beautiful than the 1999 Upper Deck Employee Game Jersey Michael Jordan. Numbered to 275, the card pictures Jordan making his first last shot. The card was produced just for staff and wasn't inserted in packs.

1999-00 Upper Deck HoloGrFX Shoetime Autograph Michael Jordan #MJA #/23

When you think of Michael Jordan, a handful of iconic things come to mind: the number 23, his signature dunk and his shoes. The Air Jordan is bigger than the game. Yet, it has only appeared on a handful of Michael Jordan cards. The 1999-00 Upper Deck HoloGrFX Shoetime Autograph Michael Jordan is just one of two autographed shoe cards of the great.

2000-01 Ultimate Collection Signatures Gold Michael Jordan #MJG #/25

The greatest strength of the 2000-01 Ultimate Collection Signatures Gold Michael Jordan is its simplicity. And autograph. And limited numbering to 25.

2003-04 UD Glass 1-2 Combo Jersey Autographs LeBron James and Michael Jordan #LJMJ #/10

The 2003-04 UD Glass 1-2 Combo Jersey LeBron James/Michael Jordan is the only card from James' rookie year to combine the pair's signatures and jersey swatches. Numbered to 10, the design is somewhat understated given its significance.

2003-04 Exquisite Collection Michael Jordan #3 #/225

When was the last time you saw a modern base card that wasn't a rookie card go for $500? It's unheard of -- almost. Michael Jordan and 2003-04 Exquisite Collection are two very special hobby beasts. One is the greatest player, the other is the greatest set. A 2003-04 Exquisite Collection Michael Jordan base card, numbered to 225, sold on eBay for $566.56 on July 8, 2012.

Best Match Items Ending First Newly-Listed Items First Price + Shipping: Lowest First Price + Shipping: Highest First

1984 - 1985 Star Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls #117 Basketball Card $400.00

Michael Jordan 1995-96 Metal Slick Silver Insert #3 BGS 9.5 $150.00

Michael jordan 1995-96 fleer metal maximum metal insert die-cut hof $10.61

1996-97 Bowman's Best Shots Michael Jordan CHICAGO BULLS $30.99

Michael Jordan 1995-96 Flair New Heights Insert #4 BGS 9.5 $150.00

1998 Upper Deck Michael Jordan Collector Cans (Set of 6 - Opened) $10.00

Michael Jordan 2011-12 Fleer Retro Showcase $124.52

1990 Fleer MICHAEL JORDAN AS #5 Insert PSA 9 MINT $15.00

97-98 Fleer Skybox Metal Universe Titanium Michael Jordan Die-Cut Insert Card $199.99

MICHAEL JORDAN 1999 UD ATHLETE OF CENTURY EXTREME AIR PSA GM MT 10 RARE POP 2 $100.00

MICHAEL JORDAN 99 UD HISTORY CLASS #HC1 PSA NM MT 8 REFRACTOR LIKE TOUGH GRADE ? $15.00

MICHAEL JORDAN 1997 BOWMANS BEST JORDAN'S BEST PERFORMANCE GRADED GMA GM MT 10 $15.00