Sports Trading Card Advice

[Gonzo]

My brother got me this Michael Jordan Fleer rookie card for Christmas when we were teens in the mid-80s, I was a huge MJ fan and he was huge into sports card collecting. This is the only card I've ever really had. I know the MJ Fleer rookie is one of the more valuable ones, but mine is obviously far from mint and has condition issues. I've never had it graded and am wondering if it would be worth it? Prices on PSA grading seem to be all over the place but likely would cost me at least a couple hundred bucks. If you're into sports cards, based on what you see here, advice on whether I should or shouldn't? TIA.

 

[Gunnerclone]

Wouldn’t bother with grading it if you’re looking for value. I would grade if it’s a PC thing or if you want to pass it down as an heirloom just so it’s slabbed and safe.

One of the most iconic cards ever. Congrats on it I would love to have that.

 

[MNCBadger]

Looks to be in pretty rough shape, I doubt it would grade higher than a 2. If you're just trying to cash out I would sell as is, but if you want to hang onto it I would grade to keep it safe in the slab.

 

[3TrueFans]

Toss it in a sleeve and keep it in a box of neat keepsakes.

 

[RagingCloner]

My brother got me this Michael Jordan Fleer rookie card for Christmas when we were teens in the mid-80s, I was a huge MJ fan and he was huge into sports card collecting. This is the only card I've ever really had. I know the MJ Fleer rookie is one of the more valuable ones, but mine is obviously far from mint and has condition issues. I've never had it graded and am wondering if it would be worth it? Prices on PSA grading seem to be all over the place but likely would cost me at least a couple hundred bucks. If you're into sports cards, based on what you see here, advice on whether I should or shouldn't? TIA.

View attachment 138951

Congratulations. This is the Holy Grail of sports cards. For point of reference, a PSA 2 just sold for $2500, and a 1 would go for $2k most likely. If it were me, Id grade that in a heartbeat. Either you get a 1 or a 2, or PSA comes back and says its not in good enough shape to grade, and then you arent charged at all. The other option you have is if they cant grade it and they send it back, you can sell it as a raw card and try to get whatever dollar figure out of it you can.

I by no means am trying to insult your intelligence here but the one thing i would double check is make sure its not the 1996 reprint. Ive been burned on those before

 

[Gonzo]

Wouldn’t bother with grading it if you’re looking for value. I would grade if it’s a PC thing or if you want to pass it down as an heirloom just so it’s slabbed and safe.

One of the most iconic cards ever. Congrats on it I would love to have that.

Yeah it's not something I'm looking to cash out on anytime soon, more of an heirloom to my girls thinking maybe it'll be worth something many years down the line.

 

[Gonzo]

Congratulations. This is the Holy Grail of sports cards. For point of reference, a PSA 2 just sold for $2500, and a 1 would go for $2k most likely. If it were me, Id grade that in a heartbeat. Either you get a 1 or a 2, or PSA comes back and says its not in good enough shape to grade, and then you arent charged at all. The other option you have is if they cant grade it and they send it back, you can sell it as a raw card and try to get whatever dollar figure out of it you can.

I by no means am trying to insult your intelligence here but the one thing i would double check is make sure its not the 1996 reprint. Ive been burned on those before

Thanks for the good info. I think the year was 1985 or 1986 and I was 13 or 14 when he gave it to me, so not worried about it being a reprint. I think he paid $5 for it, lol.

 

[RagingCloner]

Thanks for the good info. I think the year was 1985 or 1986 and I was 13 or 14 when he gave it to me, so not worried about it being a reprint. I think he paid $5 for it, lol.

Thats fantastic! if you are wanting it to be an heirloom, get that sucker graded. It will always be worth something, but having it slabbed in that hard plastic case ensures the quality never gets any worse than it is now

 

[HFCS]

Looks to be in pretty rough shape, I doubt it would grade higher than a 2. If you're just trying to cash out I would sell as is, but if you want to hang onto it I would grade to keep it safe in the slab.

Correct me if I'm wrong but that's still like $2000?

 

[cyclonedave25]

I would get it graded and put in a hard case asap.

 

[cyclones500]

Mail it to me, and I'll assess it at no cost.

 

[Gunnerclone]

Yeah it's not something I'm looking to cash out on anytime soon, more of an heirloom to my girls thinking maybe it'll be worth something many years down the line.

One of the few cards that actually looks really cool in a PSA slab imo

 

[2speedy1]

My brother got me this Michael Jordan Fleer rookie card for Christmas when we were teens in the mid-80s, I was a huge MJ fan and he was huge into sports card collecting. This is the only card I've ever really had. I know the MJ Fleer rookie is one of the more valuable ones, but mine is obviously far from mint and has condition issues. I've never had it graded and am wondering if it would be worth it? Prices on PSA grading seem to be all over the place but likely would cost me at least a couple hundred bucks. If you're into sports cards, based on what you see here, advice on whether I should or shouldn't? TIA.

View attachment 138951

Hey I have the same one. Also not in perfect shape. When I got it, it was a time where you didnt put everything in plastic and keep it perfect, and actually I didnt have many Basketball cards compared to football and baseball. After years I went through some of my old cards, I had in a box and found this.

Wish I had kept it mint, cuz from my understanding is, the condition means everything, and it drops off pretty drastically very fast. I have since put mine in a screw tight protector and just keep it tucked away.

 

[Gonzo]

Hey I have the same one. Also not in perfect shape. When I got it, it was a time where you didnt put everything in plastic and keep it perfect, and actually I didnt have many Basketball cards compared to football and baseball. After years I went through some of my old cards, I had in a box and found this.

Wish I had kept it mint, cuz from my understanding is, the condition means everything, and it drops off pretty drastically very fast. I have since put mine in a screw tight protector and just keep it tucked away.

Nice. Mine's been under a hard plastic case on a little plaque for as long as I can remember. I don't even want to think that it might've been mint when I got it and I destroyed hundreds of thousands of dollars in value by being stupid and not treating it as carefully as I should've. So I'm not going to think about that. Really, I'm not...

 

[CYISFLY]

GameStop is now sending in submissions to PSA. I think it’s $20 a card and a flat $5 shipping regardless of how many cards you send in. I would absolutely get it graded high grade or not. It would be in well protected hard case and look cool if you wanted to just display it on a shelf. Being a Vikings fan I sent 3 Justin Jefferson cards into SGC just to have them as display piece. I have spent way more on stupid stuff and you’ll have something cool to show for it