Tap to Dunk: a tiny homage to a legendary leap

A little flair for a Fleer classic—tap the button, then watch MJ rise.

Unfold the Dunk

No holo. No serial numbering. Just timeless composition: blue sky, red keyline, a hang-time snapshot that became the hobby’s north star. That’s why tiny flaws loom large—because the design is otherwise flawless.

Subtle differences that move a grade (and thousands of dollars)

1986 Fleer is unforgiving. The bold red border exposes corner wear. The blue backdrop spotlights print dots and surface lines. And centering—left/right and top/bottom—dominates eye appeal. Below, we justify four different AI grades with the tiny tells that separate a mid-grade from a near-gem.

1) The near-gem that roars: 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan Base (AI 9.06)

• Centering: Slightly off-center, but within what many graders tolerate for a 9-level card.
• Corners/Edges: Front corners and edges are exemplary; back shows only minuscule specks.
• Surface: Exceptionally clean—no scratches or discoloration noted.
• Value logic: Our estimate pegs a graded value around $22,000. That lines up with a BGS 9.5 sale at $27,500 (Aug 10, 2025), and typical PSA 9 ranges. Jumping from an 8 to a 9 is a steep market step on this card.

2) Two 7s, not the same story: 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan Base (AI 7.79) vs. 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan Base (AI 7.31)

AI 7.79: Slightly off-center, a few tiny white specks, and a light surface scratch. This is the kind of card that lives on the PSA 7/8 border. Our EV (~$7,500) reflects that collectors still pay for overall eye appeal even with micro-wear.

AI 7.31: Clean corners and edges, but severely off-center with a moderate scratch and discoloration. That single axis (centering) pushes this example down even when other facets shine. Our EV (~$5,300) mirrors buyer sensitivity to diamond-cuts and lopsided frames.

3) The honest mid-grade warrior: 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan Base (AI 5.00)

• Centering: Slightly off; acceptable for the mid-grade range.
• Corners/Edges: Notable back-corner nicks and a handful of edge specks keep this around EX quality.
• Surface: Described as excellent, which is often what props a 5 above lesser examples.
• Value logic: Our graded EV (~$4,050) sits right between recent PSA 4 at $3,550 (Jun 26, 2025) and multiple PSA 6 sales around $5,000–$5,500 (Jun 24–Aug 10). That’s exactly how the mid-grade staircase tends to price.

Value reality check, using exact-match comps only

Raw eBay search results mix everything: reprints (RP), 1996 “Decade of Excellence” tributes, customs, stickers, altered copies, and the true base #57 rookie. We filtered to exact-match base #57 sales and labeled outliers so the numbers below reflect actual market risk/reward.

Base #57 (true 1986-87 Fleer Jordan rookie)

• PSA 8: $7,900 and $9,200 on Jun 26, 2025 (two separate sales). A realistic high-7 to 8 step is very strong.
• PSA 7: $6,000 (Jun 26) and $5,300 (Jun 26). A tight band—centering and surface decide the premium.
• PSA 6: $5,499.99 (Aug 10) and $4,999.95 (Jun 24). That’s the modern “solid mid-grade” lane.
• PSA 4: $3,550 (Jun 26). There’s a higher outlier at $5,999.99 (Aug 10) with promotional language; we discount that as an anomaly.
• PSA 2: $2,750 (Aug 10), which anchors the low-grade floor.
• High-end comp: BGS 9.5 at $27,500 (Aug 10). This frames the premium for near-gem qualities like the AI 9.06 example above.
• Raw, authentic base #57: After excluding reprints/tributes/stickers, we see a wide but logical band: roughly $3,100–$6,800 (Jun 25–26) with condition and eye appeal steering results; another raw sale at $4,395 (Aug 10).

Sticker #8 (not the base rookie, but a key companion)

We also filtered out miscut/trim suspects and obvious reprints for the stickers:

• PSA 9: Range from $2,600 (Jan 21) to $5,300 (Jun 26). Condition and centering drive the spread.
• PSA 8: ~$1,000 to ~$1,475 (Jun 26), depending on registration and edge integrity.
• PSA 6: ~$710–$715 (Aug 10), with a GAI 9 at ~$2,039 (Jun 27) illustrating cross-brand variance.

Takeaway: The base #57 is the flagship and commands multiples over the sticker in equivalent grades, but the sticker remains a powerful, more accessible entry point—especially in PSA 7–9.

Why tiny flaws earn big outcomes

• Centering: 1986 Fleer tolerances are tight. Moving from “slightly off” to “severely off” is often the difference between a 7 and an 8, even with clean corners.
• Corners/Edges: The red border magnifies white specks; a few visible flecks on the front can cap a grade.
• Surface: One moderate scratch or a patch of discoloration can drag a high-7 into mid-7 territory, or an 8 into a 7.
• Eye Appeal Premium: Cards sitting on the cusp (7.5–8 or 8.5–9) see outsized price jumps because the hobby prizes the centered, clean, “display ready” look on this design.

Spotting reprints and problem copies—fast

• Filter the search first: Exclude terms like “1996”, “Decade of Excellence”, “RP”, “reprint”, “facsimile”, and “8-bit”. Focus on “1986-87 Fleer #57”.
• Beware BCCG or odd grading labels on ultra-modern “gold” or “polychrome” versions—those are tributes, not the true 1986 rookie.
• Trim/miscut tells: Razor corners with uneven border thickness, or dimensions that seem off. Our scans often catch these instantly.

What this means for your card

Whether your copy looks like the near-gem 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan Base (AI 9.06) or leans more mid-grade like the 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan Base (AI 5.00), the market staircase is clear: centering and surface are the rungs. The AI 7s we examined—7.79 vs. 7.31—prove how one scratch or off-center axis can shift value by thousands.

Action plan

• Scan first: Upload your 1986 Fleer Jordan and get an instant AI read on centering, corners, edges, and surface.
• Compare comps, not clickbait: Filter to exact “1986-87 Fleer #57” or “Sticker #8” sales. Ignore 1996 tributes and customs.
• Decide on grading: If your centering is strong and surfaces are clean, the 8 threshold is where ROI gets interesting in 2025.