1986-87 Fleer Basketball Sealed Wax Box
The Box That Sat on Store Shelves
In 1986, you could walk into almost any card shop or convenience store and buy a pack of Fleer basketball cards for less than 50 cents. Most stores couldn't give them away. Baseball was king. Football had its fans. But basketball cards? They collected dust.
Fast forward to today. A single sealed wax box of 1986-87 Fleer Basketball, authenticated by BBCE (Baseball Card Exchange), regularly sells for over $100,000 at auction. A sealed case (containing 12 boxes) sold for $1,789,717 through Collect Auctions in August 2020.
The reason is simple. This set contains the Michael Jordan rookie card (#57). And when the box is still sealed, every pack holds the possibility of pulling one.
Quick Value Summary
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Year | 1986-87 |
| Manufacturer | Fleer |
| Packs Per Box | 36 |
| Cards Per Pack | 12 cards + 1 sticker |
| Set Size | 132 base cards + 11 stickers |
| Key Card | #57 Michael Jordan Rookie |
| Sealed Box Value (BBCE) | $90,000 - $150,000+ |
| Sealed Case Value | $1,000,000 - $1,800,000 |
| Single Sealed Pack | $3,000 - $8,000+ |
| Original Retail Price | ~$0.50 per pack |
The Story
Fleer's Return to Basketball
Fleer had produced basketball cards in the 1960s and early 1970s, but the company stepped away from the sport for over a decade. When they returned for the 1986-87 season, they had the basketball card market almost entirely to themselves. Topps had stopped making basketball cards after 1981-82, and wouldn't return until 1992.
This meant 1986-87 Fleer was the only major basketball card set available that year. Every NBA rookie from the 1986-87 season got their first card in this set and this set alone.
The Rookie Class
The 1986-87 NBA season featured one of the deepest rookie classes in basketball history. The set includes first cards for:
Michael Jordan (#57) - Third-year player, but his first mainstream trading card
Patrick Ewing (#32) - Second-year center, New York Knicks
Charles Barkley (#7) - Second-year forward, Philadelphia 76ers
Karl Malone (#68) - Rookie, Utah Jazz
Hakeem Olajuwon (#82) - Listed as "Akeem" on the card, Houston Rockets
Clyde Drexler (#26) - Third-year guard, Portland Trail Blazers
Chris Mullin (#77) - Rookie, Golden State Warriors
Dominique Wilkins (#121) - Fourth-year player, Atlanta Hawks
Isiah Thomas (#109) - Fifth-year player, Detroit Pistons
James Worthy (#131) - Fourth-year player, Los Angeles Lakers
The set also includes veteran stars like Larry Bird (#9), Magic Johnson (#53), and Julius Erving (#31), plus the sticker subset with its own Jordan (#8).
Why Sealed Matters So Much
A loose, complete 1986-87 Fleer set in near-mint condition is worth roughly $5,000 to $10,000. The Jordan rookie card alone, in raw near-mint condition, sells for around $3,000 to $5,000.
But a sealed wax box? That's a different universe. Here's why:
- Grading potential. Cards pulled from sealed packs have a chance of grading PSA 10 or BGS 9.5. A PSA 10 Jordan rookie has sold for as much as $738,000 (2021 peak) and currently trades around $180,000.
- The gamble factor. Each box contains 36 packs. Based on collation, a typical box should contain 2-3 Jordan base cards and 3-4 Jordan stickers.
- Scarcity increases every year. Every time someone opens a sealed box, the supply of sealed boxes permanently decreases.
The BBCE Factor
BBCE (Baseball Card Exchange) authentication is critical for sealed wax boxes. BBCE inspects the box, verifies that all packs are original and untampered, evaluates pack condition, and wraps the box with their authentication seal and hologram.
A BBCE-authenticated box commands a significant premium over a non-authenticated box. Without BBCE verification, buyers worry about searched packs (packs that have been opened, valuable cards removed, then resealed).
BBCE also provides collation information, listing which sticker cards are visible on top of each pack. A box showing a Jordan card on top of a pack may command a slight premium.
How to Identify
The Box
Box design. Red, white, and blue color scheme with the Fleer logo and NBA logo. "Basketball" is printed prominently
36 packs. Each box should contain exactly 36 wax packs
Wax wrappers. Packs have a distinctive red, white, and blue wax wrapper design with the Fleer logo
Sticker visible. The top card in each pack is a sticker insert, visible through the wax wrapper
The Cards
Card size. Standard 2.5" x 3.5"
Red borders. All base cards have distinctive red borders (this is why high-grade examples are hard to find; red borders show every chip and ding)
Card backs. Blue and red printing with statistics
132 cards in the base set. Numbered 1-132
11 sticker inserts. Numbered 1-11, one per pack
Jordan Rookie Card (#57) Specifics
Shows Jordan in a red Bulls jersey, mid-air with the ball
Red border (condition-sensitive)
Card number 57 on the back
Correct centering is rare, which is why PSA 10 copies are scarce (326 in the PSA 10 population)
Value by Condition
Sealed Product
| Format | Authentication | Estimated Value | Recent Sale Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sealed Case (12 boxes) | BBCE | $1,000,000 - $1,800,000 | $1,789,717, Collect Auctions, August 2020 |
| Sealed Wax Box (36 packs) | BBCE | $90,000 - $150,000 | Heritage Auctions, January 2024 |
| Sealed Wax Box (36 packs) | Non-BBCE | $60,000 - $100,000 | Varies by seller verification |
| Single Sealed Wax Pack | N/A | $3,000 - $8,000 | Depends on visible sticker card |
Key Individual Cards (PSA Graded)
| Card | PSA 10 | PSA 9 | PSA 8 | PSA 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #57 Michael Jordan RC | ~$180,000 | ~$15,000 | ~$7,000 | ~$5,000 |
| #8 Jordan Sticker | ~$55,000 | ~$4,000 | ~$1,500 | ~$800 |
| #7 Charles Barkley RC | ~$6,300 | ~$500 | ~$200 | ~$100 |
| #9 Larry Bird | ~$5,300 | ~$300 | ~$100 | ~$60 |
| #32 Patrick Ewing RC | ~$3,500 | ~$200 | ~$80 | ~$40 |
| #53 Magic Johnson | ~$2,800 | ~$200 | ~$80 | ~$40 |
| #82 Akeem Olajuwon RC | ~$4,300 | ~$250 | ~$100 | ~$50 |
| #68 Karl Malone RC | ~$2,700 | ~$200 | ~$60 | ~$30 |
Note: The Jordan rookie peaked at $738,000 in PSA 10 during 2021. Current prices represent a significant correction but remain well above pre-2020 levels.
Errors and Variations
The Johnny Moore Error
Card #76, Johnny Moore of the San Antonio Spurs, is the rarest card in the set. Moore was injured and missed the entire 1986-87 season. Fleer pulled his card from production partway through the print run, making it significantly scarcer than other cards in the set.
A PSA 10 Johnny Moore sells for around $15,000. Only 69 copies have graded PSA 10.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Sticker
Sticker #1, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, has a surprisingly low PSA 10 population of just 4 copies. A PSA 10 has sold for around $98,000, making it one of the most valuable non-Jordan cards in the entire set.
Centering Issues
The red borders on 1986-87 Fleer cards make centering problems highly visible. Most cards from this set show some degree of off-centering. This is normal for the issue and is the primary reason why PSA 10 copies of any card in the set are relatively scarce compared to the total number graded.
Authentication
For Sealed Boxes
BBCE (Baseball Card Exchange) is the standard for sealed wax authentication. They examine pack seams, wrapper integrity, box condition, and collation. A BBCE wrap with hologram is the gold standard.
Look for the BBCE sticker and hologram on the bottom of authenticated boxes
Verify the BBCE LOA number through their website or by contacting them directly
For Individual Cards
PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) is the most recognized grading service for this set. The Jordan rookie has a PSA 10 population of 326 copies
BGS (Beckett Grading Services) is also widely accepted. A BGS 9.5 Jordan rookie trades at a discount to PSA 10
SGC is a third option, typically at a lower price point than PSA for equivalent grades
Counterfeit Concerns
The 1986-87 Fleer Jordan rookie is the most counterfeited basketball card in the hobby. Common red flags include:
Incorrect card stock thickness or feel
Color saturation that doesn't match genuine examples
Blurry or soft printing, especially in the Fleer logo
Missing or incorrect dot patterns under magnification
Always buy graded copies from established grading companies. Raw (ungraded) high-value cards from this set carry significant counterfeit risk.
Where to Sell
Sealed Boxes
Heritage Auctions (ha.com): The largest auction house for sports cards. Regularly features 1986-87 Fleer sealed product. Buyer's premium around 20%
Lelands: Major sports memorabilia auction house
Goldin Auctions: Online auctions specializing in sports cards and collectibles
Sotheby's: Has entered the sports card market, particularly for high-value sealed product
PWCC Marketplace: Online marketplace with auction and fixed-price options
Individual Cards
eBay: The largest marketplace for individual cards. Use auction format for high-value PSA/BGS graded cards
COMC (Check Out My Cards): Consignment-based marketplace
Local card shops and shows: Good for mid-range graded cards
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