Less than a year after its initial discovery and auction for $303,842, a 1997-98 Michael Jordan Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Red /90 sold again for $378,200 at Heritage Auctions on Friday night.
As reported by cllct last April, the card’s journey began in 1997, when two kids visited a Denver card shop and each bought a pack of 1997-98 Metal Universe basketball cards for $2.49. Before opening the packs, one floated the idea of splitting the packs. His friend was not interested.
Then, after opening his pack, the kid who offered to split was suddenly face-to-face with one of the most iconic cards of the 1990s: The Jordan PMG.
The other kid tried to take the split, but it was too late.
At the time, Beckett's price guide listed the card as being worth $1,080.
The owner then placed it in a screw-down, its home for the next two decades, until deciding to sell last year. The highly-condition sensitive PMG remained in excellent condition, with its PSA 5 grade dinged by marks to the top of the card caused by the screw-down.
Its sale of more than $300,000 was quite the windfall for the original owner, for whom it was the only card in his collection.
Since that sale, one other Jordan Red PMG has sold publicly, a BGS 8 for around the same price. A cursory glance at both cards side-by-side reveals, despite their difference in grade, the PSA 5 is arguably superior in condition.
Another Jordan Red PMG, one of 69 graded in total by PSA, BGS and SGC, sold for $564,000 in a BGS 8.5 in 2022, a record for the card.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.