When it comes to Michael Jordan trading cards, the 1986 Fleer rookie card is the undisputed heavyweight champion, often commanding jaw-dropping prices and the breathless attention of collectors everywhere. It’s a card that presides over the collector’s world like a royal on an ivory throne, aglow in its own legendary status. But lurking just outside the spotlight, in the wings of history’s stage, is a quietly formidable player — the 1989 Fleer #21 card. This under-the-radar gem is slowly gaining traction and proves that sometimes, the card not making the headlines might just be the real deal for those fans with an eye on both value and legacy.
While no one’s suggesting you waltz into a gathering of card enthusiasts and deride the ’86 Fleer, it’s worth noting that the ’89 Fleer has been quietly orchestrating its own little victory party in the background. Akin to the second lead in a blockbuster movie who eventually captures the audience’s heart, this card has been making consistent gains. Back in the heady days of 2021, a PSA 10 version of this card was trading hands for a modest $1,001. Leapfrogging into mid-2025, that very same pristine slip of cardboard is now commanding roughly $1,200. While these digits don’t propel it into the millionaire’s row, an admirable 20% growth hardly goes unnoticed in a collector’s portfolio.
The numbers only tell part of the tale. For those in the know, the PSA has confirmed that around 1,240 PSA 10s are part of this club, with over 11,000 PSA 9s also making the rounds. In a collecting universe where scarcity often correlates with value like bees to pollen, these figures suggest ample availability — seemingly a detraction — yet demand remains robust. It appears collectors have recognized that the joy of owning a piece of Michael Jordan’s history doesn’t necessarily require selling the car or mortgaging the house.
A fascinating subplot to this story is the startling uptick in price for raw, ungraded copies of this card. Back in the more modest times of 2022, a hopeful Jordan aficionado could snag one for around six bucks, about the cost of a decent cup of artisanal coffee. Fast forward to today, and that “in the raw” experience will set you back about twenty dollars — a threefold increase. And we’re not talking about a limited edition holofoil or a mystical insert, just your everyday solid base card. The type of card a young fan might have tossed absentmindedly into a shoebox beneath a bed, far from the carefully hermetically sealed vaults of today’s collectors.
Several factors have conspired in this card’s ascent. Firstly, the rising costs associated with card grading have nudged collectors to re-evaluate their portfolios, favoring cards that are already encased in tamper-evident slabs, thus banking on certainty. Moreover, the warm, fuzzy glow of late 1980s basketball nostalgia has begun to burn brighter again, transporting collectors back to a time when short shorts were in vogue and a young Michael Jordan was carving out his path to stardom. Add to that a heaping helping of practicality; who wouldn’t want a piece of the Jordan magic without feeling that identifiable pang of financial discomfort?
The 1989 Fleer card isn’t trying to be all things to all people; it’s not putting on airs or donning the finery of a glittering gold border to dazzle the masses. What it does offer is Jordan in his zenith, within an era that marked the crescendo of Bulls fever. It’s the thoughtful collector’s choice, one driven by reasoned insight rather than the clamor of the crowd.
For those collectors on the hunt for value and scope for long-term growth, especially those weary of the usual suspects clogging digital and physical marketplaces, the ’89 Fleer invites a second glance. Just as Michael Jordan didn’t need a ‘rookie’ designation to dominate a hardwood court, the 1989 Fleer doesn’t require the spotlight to curate handsome returns for its guardians. It’s a living testament that sometimes the best journeys are made in quiet strength, just a whisper beneath the din of expectation.
