When most people think of Michael Jordan, they think of his incredible career in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls, winning six championships and establishing himself as the greatest basketball player of all time. Not many people realize that in between his first retirement from basketball in 1993 and his return to the NBA in 1995, Jordan decided to try his hand at professional baseball in the Chicago White Sox organization.
This surprising career move led to Michael Jordan baseball cards being produced during the 1994 season while he was playing minor league baseball in the White Sox farm system. At the time, these baseball cards sparked great curiosity since they featured arguably the most famous athlete in the world playing a sport other than basketball. Since Jordan’s baseball career was ultimately a failure and a brief experiment, his baseball cards never reached the high values that his iconic basketball cards command today.
That said, Jordan’s baseball cards from 1994 do still hold value for collectors as unique pieces of sports memorabilia from this unusual period in the career of an all-time sports icon. Here’s a closer look at Michael Jordan’s baseball cards and what they are worth today:
1994 Leaf Limited Michael Jordan Baseball #25 Card:
One of the flagship Michael Jordan baseball cards is the Leaf Limited issue from 1994, which featured an image of Jordan in his White Sox batting practice uniform on the front. This card has a print run estimated between 1,000-3,000 copies and features elegant foil stamping and embossing. In Near Mint to Mint condition, Leaf Limited Jordan baseball cards in a PSA/BGS 10 Gem Mint grade have sold at auction for between $700-1,200 in recent years. Well-preserved copies in Mint condition demand the highest prices.
1994 Stadium Club Michael Jordan #70 Baseball Card:
Another popular Jordan baseball issue was from the premium 1994 Stadium Club set. This card portrays Jordan mid-swing at the plate. PSA/BGS 10 Gem Mint examples of this card have brought $300-550 at auction. Even well-centered raw near mint copies in sleeves can still fetch $75-150 depending on the buyer due to the much larger print run estimated around 10,000 copies compared to the scarcer Leaf Limited issue.
1994 Score Michael Jordan #839 Baseball Card:
The Score brand offered an affordable Jordan baseball card choice in their 1994 set. This card shows Jordan smiling in his batting helmet. Top graded PSA/BGS 10 examples can sell for $100-250. Raw near mint+ copies commonly list for auction between $20-60. The Score print run places it as one of the most available Jordan baseball releases.
1994 Ultra Michael Jordan #123 Baseball Card:
Ultra inserted a Jordan baseball card in their penny sleeved packs that year. It pictures Jordan in a head-on batting stance. High-grade PSA/BGS 10 copies have sold for $150-300. Near mint raw copies often realize $25-80 depending on the auction. Along with Score, Ultra provided collectors an inexpensive way to obtain a Jordan baseball card at the time.
While Michael Jordan’s short baseball career was ultimately unsuccessful, his baseball cards from 1994 remain a unique collectible for serious sports memorabilia investors and Michael Jordan enthusiasts. Especially cards in top PSA/BGS Gem Mint grades, which both preserve the condition and provide authenticity verification. As rare artifacts from when the GOAT tried his hand at another professional sport, Jordan’s baseball cards will always hold value and fascination even if they never reach the heights of his NBA rookie cards or playoff heroics in a Chicago Bulls uniform. For collectors, they represent a special time capsule looking back at Jordan’s brief time in the minors with the White Sox organization in 1994.
