Unfortunately this is the year he broke his foot and missed
most of the season. Fan’s questioned whether he would be
durable for the long run. Collectors were not sure if they should
invest in his cards. Everyone could see he is a Special / Gifted
Player to watch, however Collectors were not sure if he would
last that long playing this style of hard driving to the hoop
game night in and night out.
Star company put out what most Collectors today would consider
the last year of cards that basketball fans were interested in.
They decided a Michael Jordan was worthy of a “10 Card
Set” all his own. There were other sets. There was Best
of the Best, Best of the New, and a Court Kings sets.
Still in the same plastic bags that Collectors had seen before
and had pretty much passed on collecting.
The good news was Fleer Company, best known as a candy maker,
was going to produce a “Premier” edition of Basketball
cards.
We’ll the “Premier” edition of the cards came
out. Basketball fans had cards in wax packs. The surprise of not
knowing what prize was inside the pack was back, decent photo
quality, and well cut centered cards.
While basketball cards did not fly off the selves as baseball
cards did that year, Basketball Collectors had what they felt
was a real card company producing cards.
No one knew at the time that Fleer just produced what is now
known as the most famous basketball rookie card. Card # 57. The
photo on the card shows “His Airness” in mid air flying
to the rim, fully extended, tongue out, and a fraction of a second
before fans exploding from their seats from witnessing a FANTASTIC
HIGH FLYING MONSTER DUNK!
This card is arguable the “Mona Lisa” of Basketball
cards.
Fleer produced one other card this year, a sticker. Sticker #
8.