Michael Jordan signed card valued to breach $3 million mark in auction struggling to reach figure because of bad pen
Sports memorabilia such as basketball cards can be very expensive, especially those that feature legends such as Michael Jordan. Since MJ is considered as one of the greatest if not the greatest player of all time, basketball cards, especially those that have his signature tend to sell for a very high price.
For example, a Michael Jordan 1986 Fleer Rookie Card with the legend's signature was estimated to sell for up to $3 million dollars, according to Forbes.
Aside from the card's rarity, the Chicago Bulls legend's signature was supposed to be one of the reasons why it was estimated to sell for seven digits. However, it appears that the signature on this specific card caused the price to go the other way.
According to a tweet by Darren Rovell, the card is currently being auctioned and it is worth just $31,625, which is way beneath the estimated value of $3 million.
According to the tweet, the card featuring Michael Jordan and his signature could have been more expensive "had pen done its job." While there isn't any more information on what exactly went wrong with the pen or how it affected the signature on the card, it is safe to assume that card collectors don't think that it adds plenty of value to the collectible.
The auction closes on Oct. 17 and the actual price of the card might still go up, although it might not reach the value of $3 million.
Also read: 6-time NBA champ Michael Jordan was called a 'bad role model' by Tupac Shakur, whose murder suspect Keefe D was arrested nearly 30 years later.
A signed Michael Jordan basketball card once sold for $1.44 million
While the final price of the 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan card is yet to be determined, we can take a look back at one of the most expensive basketball cards that was ever sold.
An MJ-signed 1997 Upper Deck Game Jersey Autographs was sold for a whopping $1.44 million during an auction held by Heritage Auctions. The card features an image of MJ from the 1992 NBA All-Star game, where he scored 18 points. The same event saw Magic Johnson come out of retirement.
The individual who bought the card was not named as per their wish to remain anonymous, but whoever that person is, they own one of the most iconic pieces of sports memorabilia.