Basketball collecting guide
Michael Jordan1987-88 Fleer #59
A second Fleer issue with a play-call photograph and a useful same-day comparison across two grades.
Jordan is bringing the ball upcourt in his red Bulls uniform, signaling a play with one hand. If you already own the airborne Jordan on Fleer’s 1986 card, #59 gives the next page of the album a very different image. It also works on its own as an early Jordan that you can choose for the photograph.
Place #59 in the Fleer run
Fleer’s regular Jordan sequence starts with #57 in 1986-87, continues with #59 in 1987-88 and moves to #17 a year later. The 1987-88 sticker is #2. Ask to see the number on the reverse, then compare the front to the gray-and-white frame around the Bulls photograph. A listing headed simply “second-year Jordan” leaves the format open. 2 3
The player behind the card
The photograph of Jordan calling a play fits the player Chicago relied on that year: he averaged 5.9 assists as well as 35.0 points. That gives #59 a story of its own next to the airborne Jordan on Fleer’s earlier card. 6 7
The card’s season
1987-88 · Chicago Bulls
NBA regular season
82 games · 35.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. 6
Choose a copy for display
Look at the gray bands above and below the photograph with the full card square to the camera. Decide how much uneven framing you can tolerate before looking at the grade. If one candidate has a sharper corner but the other centers the photograph more pleasantly, the second might suit a display collection better. Save the photographs beside the grade so you can revisit what you liked. 3 4
Read the matched pair
PSA lists two eBay auctions on August 17, 2026, at $1,228 for a PSA 7 and $1,680 for a PSA 8. The $452 difference describes those two examples on that date. For a purchase today, compare each candidate with others in its own grade and check for qualifiers on the label. A single pair cannot set a permanent upgrade price. 1
Documented prices
PSA-reported sale
$1,680 USD · PSA 8
Aug 17, 2026. PSA reports this transaction in its archive.
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Collector questions
Which card follows the 1986-87 Fleer #57?
The next regular Fleer Jordan is 1987-88 #59. Fleer also issued a separate Jordan sticker that season.
What would make a PSA 7 worth considering?
A straight-on photograph may show centering and image quality you prefer. Compare that specific copy with the extra cost of a PSA 8.