Twelve Cheap And Smile-Worthy Michael Jordan Cards

Not all great Michael Jordan cards are expensive or even highly coveted (on the MJ scale, at least). With thousands of cards to choose from, there are lots that are both cheap and fun.

- Ryan Cracknell

From playful photographs to the downright strange, here’s a dozen Michael Jordan cards that will bring a little bit of joy to your word without costing much more than a cheap lunch (although most are closer to a cheap snack).

1988-89 FLEER #120 “FLEER ALL STAR TEAM”

With the 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan Rookie Card out of reach for a lot of collectors now, even in lesser condition, there’s been a trickle down to his other early cards. And it’s understandable. This one isn’t cheap when you compare it to other ’80s subsets from other players and sports, but MJ cards have their own rules. So, it’s still affordable to a large extent, just more than everyone else.

Before the championship rings, Jordan soar to fame for being one of the game’s most exciting players. One of those early crowning achievements came at the 1988 Slam Dunk Competition when he launched from the foul line and created one of the most iconic moments in 20th century sports.

1990-91 NBA HOOPS MICHAEL JORDAN #382 “INSIDE STUFF”

Before YouTube made watching sports videos on repeat easy, there was VHS, an archaic format that was bulky, not very good quality and required constant rewinding. But that was the best thing available in 1990 and we didn’t know any better. While the masses were watching tapes of Home Alone and The Little Mermaid on repeat, basketball fans had Michael Jordan’s Playground.

And while most of those VHS copies are probably in the early stages of breaking down in local landfills, this card from 1990-91 Hoops Series 2 lives on. It’s tough to know for certain, but if that elbow belongs to the video’s director, it’s none other than Zack Snyder — the same Zack Snyder who directed 300 and Justice League.