Autographed Michael Jordan game jersey patch card fetches $840k at auction

Michael Jordan's influence on the sports world truly is unique.

© Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Jordan's impact and significance in the world of sports remain almost unparalleled to this day. His accomplishments on the court with the Chicago Bulls have earned him a nearly unprecedented level of adoration from fans all over the world. 

Memorabilia that feature His Airness almost always fetch a pretty penny, and a game-worn autographed Michael Jordan jersey patch card recently sold for an astonishing amount.

Remarkable auction sale

An autographed 1997 Upper Deck Game Jersey Patch, a card featuring Michael Jordan’s 1992 NBA All-Star Game uniform, was auctioned off at a staggering price of $840,000. The sale is one of the largest ever in the industry.

"It's a piece of history in that it was the very first time you could pull a game-used and autographed Michael Jordan card out of a trading card pack," said PWCC executive Jesse Craig.

If you're still scratching your head as to why this piece is astronomically valuable, it's because there were only 23 of these cards ever produced. In addition, the card was graded an 8 by Beckett—which means it is near-mint in status—while the autograph itself is a perfect 10.

A Michael Jordan 1997 Upper Deck Game Jersey Autograph Patch Card sold for $840K at auction on Thursday -- one of the highest selling MJ cards ever! https://t.co/wHRPYTMJfO

— TMZ (@TMZ) January 20, 2023

Memorable All-Star game

The 1992 All-Star Game in Orlando was Jordan's eighth appearance in the annual event. Jordan wore the iconic jersey—which eventually became the card's subject—as he scored 18 points and five assists in 31 minutes of action. However, the Western Conference All-Stars were dominant and pulled off a lopsided 153-113 victory.

The game was memorable primarily because of Los Angeles Lakers' great Magic Johnson and his return to the court. After announcing his retirement before the 1991-1992 season due to the HIV virus, Johnson's heartwarming comeback was the moment of the night, as players from both sides gave him a standing ovation. Johnson led all scorers with 25 points and capped it off with a fadeaway three-pointer that drew raucous applause from the crowd.