This post follows on from my previous post - Top 10 Michael Jordan cards from the late 90’s - to round out what I believe are the best Michael Jordan cards produced throughout what was certainly Jordan’s prime. During the 90’s Jordan, Pippen, Jackson and the Bulls sealed two three-peats and Jordan skyrocketed to fame worldwide.
So it’s no surprise that Jordan cards from this era are highly sought after and well respected collector’s items. These are all cards I believe should be in every Jordan cards collection - after all shouldn’t you be documenting history in your collection?
The list also works well as a recommended list for those starting a new collection - they are all relatively easily found for sale and are not out of reach of most collectors.
TL;DR - just show me the Jordans!
My top ten Michael Jordan cards from the early 90's along with buyback auto and retro releases for extra flavour.
The cards featured in my top 10 late 90’s inserts post were mostly extremely rare and accordingly extremely expensive items (some cards reaching $20k+). Conversely, the early 90’s saw very high production rates and minimal extreme rarity of the inserts throughout the period. While this might sound disappointing - there are minimal super rarities - it means the top inserts of the early 90’s era are all cards within reach of all Jordan cards collectors.
I couldn’t limit my list to just 10 cards so let’s kick off with six notable mentions in honour of the Bull’s two three-peat championships.
Notable Mention Michael Jordan Cards - Early 90’s Inserts
Notable mention: 94-95 Michael Jordan N-Tense
Manufactured by Skybox Emotion, card #N3
This standout card gave us a glimpse of the look and feel to come from some of the stunning late 90’s Michael Jordan high-end inserts. It features a highly reflecting, embossed coating with a soap-style treatment applied to the front copy.
And finally it is one of only a handful of cards which feature Jordan sporting the #45 jersey he wore upon his return to the NBA.
Notable mention: 93-94 Michael Jordan First Day Issue
Manufactured by Stadium Club, card #169
Topps released the Topps Stadium Club brand in 1992 as a premium product to accompany their standard Topps brand. The TSC cards were of considerably higher quality than Topps standard product and featured some of the first true Michael Jordan inserts.
In the 1993-94 season TSC released the First Day Issue parallel insert set. What is a parallel card?
This set is said to be limited to 1000 copies of each card and are supposed to be those produced in the first day of printing. The cards feature a gold stamp with a very nice reflective effect.
The #169 TSC Michael Jordan First Day issue has a true 90’s feel and is a somewhat rare and very nice card.
Notable mention: 93-94 Michael Jordan Triple Double
Manufactured by Upper Deck, card #TD2
The Michael Jordan Triple Double is not a rare card but isn’t it a memorable piece for those who were ripping packs of 93-94 Upper Deck back in the day?
Featuring the restrained, strong design typical of Upper Deck sets in the 90’s along with Upper Deck ’s trademark hologram usage, this card shows Jordan shooting with his standard aggression.
This was one of the first Michael Jordan Hologram cards (along with the 91-92 Award Winners). It is readily available for sale online at reasonable prices so I highly recommend this card for any Jordan collection.
Notable mention: 93-94 Michael Jordan All Defensive
Manufactured by Fleer Ultra, card #2
I’m a big fan of the simple design of the 93-94 Michael Jordan All Defensive. It relies on a simple design and strong photo as opposed to bright colours and reflective foil common in other inserts of the 90’s. The design perfectly matching Jordan’s defensive skills as he flies high to take a rebound entirely unchallenged.
It was a card somewhat difficult to come by - in fact I never saw one before the days of the internet - however nowadays you can track them down occasionally available for sale online. It is also a card that seems quite resistant to edge and corner damage.
Notable mention: 93-94 Michael Jordan Refractor
Manufactured by Topps Finest, card #1
The next notable mention top 10 early 90’s Michael Jordan cards is THE original Michael Jordan Refractor. Topps released the first season of their ultimate premium product Topps Finest in 93-94 with the ground breaking parallel insert the refractors. For those who haven’t seen one in real life - check out my Michael Jordan Refractors post or better yet add the Jordan Refractor to your collection.
The refractor parallels would prove to be some of the most sought after basketball cards in history and this highly colourful original Jordan stands out beautifully in any collection.
Notable mention: 93-94 Michael Jordan Behind the Glass
Manufactured by Upper Deck, card #G11
Upper Deck were masters of elegant, restrained designs in their 90’s sets and the Michael Jordan Behind the Glass is no exception.
This set was intended to give the viewer a backboard-eye’s view of each player flying for a dunk - a very cool idea.
The card features a deep-etched photo over a simple textured foil background. It is so easy to come by online and doesn’t cost much at all that this card is a great addition to your collection.
Top 10 Michael Jordan Cards - Early 90’s Inserts
Now that we’ve looked at the early 90’s Jordan inserts I couldn’t leave off my top 10 list, let’s kick off the top 10 proper!
Many of these cards are not only awesome inserts in their own right, with all the history accompanying cards from Jordan’s heyday, but many of them have also been released as Michael Jordan buy back autographs and 12-13 Fleer Retro and 13-14 Fleer Retro inserts. Of course I’ve got plenty of scans with this post along with connections if you’d like to add these Jordans to your collection.
10: 92-93 Michael Jordan Beam Team
Manufactured by Stadium Club, card #1
First up at number 10 we have the 92-93 TSC Michael Jordan Beam Team.
This card is one of the first true Michael Jordan inserts and features as part of Topps premium product: Topps Stadium Club. Topps actually also released a Beam Team card as part of their standard product within the base set.
This Beam Team is available in both the standard - pack pulled - card and the Members only version which was available as part of a special set available to members of the Topps Club.
It is an awesome 90’s insert which will take any collector straight back to the days when Jordan was flying high!
9: 94-95 Michael Jordan Gold Signature
Manufactured by Collectors Choice, card #23
Next up is a parallel card - the 94-95 Collectors Choice Gold Signature.
As I’ve discussed much throughout this site - a basketball card collection should document history. This card fits that bill perfectly!
In the 94-95 season Michael Jordan was actually playing baseball however Collectors Choice still featured a Jordan card in their basketball set! I actually remember pulling the standard version of this card back in 1994 and the confusion over pulling a baseball card out of a pack of basketball cards!
The card can’t be represented adequately by scans - it has to be seen in person to truly get awesome feel of the beautiful gold foil on the card.
8: 93-94 Michael Jordan Power in the Key
Manufactured by Fleer Ultra, card #2
The 93-94 Fleer Ultra Power in the Key was a card I remember only ever staring at through plate glass back in the early 90’s!
The card is one of the hallmarks of 90’s basketball cards. It features a high colour, textured foil with a key shaped design.
If you owned this card back in the 90’s you were very popular! Now you can pick up a nice copy on eBay for $10 - $20 for a copy without any major problems.
There is also a 1/1 buy back autograph copy and Fleer Retro have release a new version as part of their 13-14 season set.
7: 93-94 Michael Jordan Living Legends
Manufactured by Fleer, card #4
The Michael Jordan Living Legends is in the same category as the Michael Jordan Power in the Key - a spectacular card which earned its owner high respect back in the day!
Fleer released the Living Legends as part of their 93-94 set - it was the flagship insert and only pulled at one per box.
The Living Legends is a high gloss gold foil card with two deep-etched photos. Its a standout card in any collection and very easy to find for sale online.
6: 92-93 Michael Jordan Total D
Manufactured by Fleer, card #5
At number 5 in my top 10 early 90’s inserts is the Michael Jordan Total D. This card captures the transition from 80’s - 90’s perfectly in its design both front and back. Its also refreshing to see a card highlighting Jordan’s defensive capabilities.
The card was the flagship insert of the 92-93 Fleer offering and is readily available for $15 - $25.
5: 93-94 Michael Jordan Famous Nicknames
Manufactured by Upper Deck, card #7
A smashed backboard, Jordan flying for a dunk and one word “AIR”. This card celebrates Air Jordan’s nickname in the midst of his leading the Bulls to two three-peat championships.
The Michael Jordan Famous Nicknames card is a simple and elegant card which is so easy to find for sale that its an absolute must for your collection.
Oh and whoever has the 1/1 buy back auto has a stunner of a card!
4: 92-93 Michael Jordan Team Leaders
Manufactured by Fleer, card #4
The 92-93 Michael Jordan Team Leaders does not lie - Jordan was THE team leader on court leading his team to six championships.
The card is designed in a similar fashion to the 92-93 Total D - after all it is from the same set - with simple early 90’s design and heavy use of photography.
The Team Leaders was only available in rack packs and was thus slightly harder to come by.
There is also the buy back auto Michael Jordan Team Leaders and a very nice 13-14 Fleer Retro Team Leaders.
3: 94-95 Michael Jordan Refractor
Manufactured by Topps Finest, card #331
If your collection is documenting history then you must feature Jordan in his number 45 jersey.
What better way to do this than the stunning 94-95 Michael Jordan Refractor!
This card comes in at number three in my 10 ten early 90’s Michael Jordan cards pipping the 93-94 original refractor due to the history of the jersey Jordan is wearing. Interestingly there is a version of the base card 94-95 Topps Finest where Jordan is wearing #23.
As with all refractors, this card features the stunning highly reflective, refracting surface which has to been seen in person to be believed. I’ve featured a sample on an angle below to give you an idea of the effect.
Jordan only spent half a season in the number 45 jersey so cards in this jersey are limited - this is the perfect insert to fit this bill!
2: 94-95 Michael Jordan SP Championship Playoff Heroes Die-Cut
Manufactured by Upper Deck, card #P2
I remember how rare this card was back in the 90’s! As part of the 94-95 set SP released the Playoff Heroes insert - it wasn’t a rare insert however and many collectors had them… it was the ultra hard to find parallel die-cut version that everyone looked for!
I appreciate the restraint in such a rare card. It is identical in every way to the standard Playoff Heroes with simply the small half key shaped die-cut applied.
The card features a nice textured stock and rich bronze coloured stamps set off the photo of Jordan flying to a dunk nicely.
Its not a cheap one to find - often selling over $100.
1: 93-94 Michael Jordan Scoring Kings
Manufactured by Upper Deck, card #5
Regular readers will know of my appreciation for the Michael Jordan Scoring Kings!
Jordan was the ultimate king of scoring through the 90’s so it is no surprise that a card featuring him in his element will top the list. The aggressive post up photo of Jordan couples amazingly well with the high gloss, reflective foil lightning strike - this is exactly what it must have felt like for those apposing Jordan in his prime: an explosion of lightning.
The Michael Jordan Scoring Kings is readily available, but a well sought after card, so it does command a decent sales price. Expect to pay at least $75 for a nice copy and I’ve seen some recently sell for over $120.
There is a 1/1 buy back auto around and Fleer released a new version as part of their 13-14 set.
So there you have my personal top 10 Michael Jordan inserts from the early 90’s. Top 10 lists will always be subjective to the author so I’m keen to hear everyone’s thoughts in the comments below.
Happy collecting.