A perfect 10 grade on a rookie Michael Jordan is now easily a six-figure card. After hitting a high of more than $700,000 for a few seconds in early 2021, these perfect 10-graded cards have averaged close to $300,000 in recent sales over the summer of 2021. There is a new record though for Michael Jordan cards — and it is a decade after his rookie card, sort of. A 1997-98 Upper Deck Game Jersey Game-Worn Patch Card with the prized Autograph “On-Card” now (#6/23) holds the record Jordan card price of $2.7 million.

Goldin Auctions has now completed this record sale in its private sales division. That means this was not up for sale via public auction. Goldin Auctions previously sold an nearly identical card in May of 2021 for $2.1 million.

This new $2.7 million Michael Jordan does not even carry the perfect 10 grade — it is a Beckett 8, graded as Near Mint-Mint by Beckett Grading Services. The autograph’s grade of 8 may sound low for this price, but it is the “/23” and also effectively being the first card that set a trend that matter here. By comparison of populations, there are 319 examples of a perfect PSA 10 (and 26 SGC 10) graded 1986 Fleer that is counted as his most desirable card.

(Image provided courtesy of Goldin Auctions)

One driving force behind the value of this card is not that it is the only Michael Jordan signed card, but it was the first autograph card of Jordan assigned to a particular card set. And unlike the “player worn” jersey patches used in many cards’ provenance today this one was tied specifically to the 1992 NBA All-Star Game.

What else may be a huge draw to this card is that it pre-dates the waves of player-worn patch cards and jersey cut-out cards that have become so popular over the last 20 years. And has anyone tried to get newly signed Michael Jordan cards lately?

If anyone is looking for a catch-phrase that would sum up a record sale of this, look no further than Goldin Founder and Executive Chairman Ken Goldin. On top of praising Jordan as the one of the most pivotal athletes of all-time, and on top of praising this card as one of the most pivotal in the sports memorabilia hobby, Goldin said:

Owning this card is like owning a sliver of MJ’s legacy and we were very proud that we were trusted with this record-breaking transaction.

The press release from Goldin Auctions also noted that the buyer and seller will remain anonymous in this transaction.