From time to time I like to chat to dealers of Michael Jordan memorabilia to get an insight into their own collections and how they are finding the Michael Jordan cards marketplace at the moment. Here I chatted to Keith from KB’s Sports Cards & Collectibles who goes by the eBay id of sprinkfit.
As always I only post discussions with dealers I have bought from with a positive experience so can add that I highly recommend Keith for his high quality cards and service - check out Keith’s current eBay listings.
Discussion from Keith of KB’s Sports Cards & Collectibles (sprinkfit)
By Keith of KB’s Sports Cards and Collectibles.
I first became a fan of Michael Jordan all the way back in his rookie year. If you watched basketball, or even ESPN’s Sportscenter, how could you not become a fan?! Every time he touched the ball you just had to hold your breath, anticipating his next high-flying dunk!
Then of course was the Chicago Bulls, a team that just wasn’t in the same class as the elite teams such as Boston and Los Angeles. I watched as the Bulls continued getting better, but it seemed they always struggled with their division foes the Detroit Pistons. Their first meeting in the playoffs didn’t lead them to a title as Detroit bullied the Bulls, eventually beating them and moving on to the NBA Finals.
In 1991 they finally leaped over that hurdle easily disposing of Detroit on their way to their first of three consecutive NBA Titles! It was the start of a Dynasty otherwise known as the Chicago Bulls, and Michael Jordan was the catalyst! I became a huge fan, never missing a single game the Bulls played. The fact that I was born and raised in the Chicago area made it even sweeter!
I eventually started collecting Michael Jordan and Chicago Bulls memorabilia, and when Jordan called it quits for a second and final time, I just couldn’t get enough of Jordan’s collectibles! Over the years I have added to my collection piece by piece with items such as an autographed basketball, autographed photos, posters, paintings, collector plates, magazines, and finally his basketball cards!
Once I started buying his cards, I was amazed at how many were actually out there and their worth! I would come across various individual cards, and one by one add them to my growing collection! Eventually this turned into buying Jordan “lots”, which is basically several different Jordan items sold together.
I often ended up with duplicates of Jordan cards that I already had. The more lots that I bought, the more I found myself having several copies of various cards! Finally it dawned on me, “Why not sell the extras?”
I have now been selling Jordan cards and collectibles for over a year! What started out as a hobby has turned into monthly sales of nearly $1,000! I have expanded my inventory and now sell card sets, figures, magazines, collector plates and cereal boxes, as well as Jordan’s individual basketball cards! I sell here in the United States as well as internationally.
It is amazing how far Michael Jordan’s popularity reaches! I have sold to Taiwan, China, Indonesia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Australia, Switzerland, and many others! Some of my best customers are international buyers as I have several repeat buyers internationally! My best buyer, from Switzerland, has now bought items from me for 15 straight weeks and we have developed a personal friendship as a result.
I have found that the Jordan cards that are the most popular are his inserts, foil cards, jersey cards and refractors. The value of these cards seems to continue to climb, and many buyers are paying more than the actual book value for these cards! The fact that he was inducted into the Hall of Fame has only made his items and their worth sky-rocket even more!
If I was to recommend a particular card for Jordan fans just starting out collecting his items, then I would probably suggest starting out buying his card sets. I usually always buy two of the same sets at a time for my personal collection, that way you can see the cards in the set and you also have a sealed set which has more value. Once you start getting into collecting his cards, you will be amazed at the beauty and detail put into these cards! Also there are thousands of his cards out there!
The 18th Edition of Beckett states the total value of all Michael Jordan cards to be $670,500! Wow! That’s just his basketball cards!
If you’re just starting out, or have been collecting for years, the one thing everyone has in common is the love of Michael Jordan, the greatest player in NBA history!
Thank you very much for your time and insight Keith.
I recommend you check out Keith’s current eBay listings as well as some related blog posts below: