Aesthetically best cards: Michael Jordan edition

[GOATcards]

1995 Fleer Metal #13

[duron]

[GOATcards]

anyone here able to tell us what this looks like in person?

98 Skybox Molten Metal #141

[CubKings]

Originally Posted by GOATcards

anyone here able to tell us what this looks like in person?

98 Skybox Molten Metal #141

Pretty sure I only have the Marbury base and Vince RC, but the background is like shiny metallic look and the foil is holofoil.

[duron]

It's a very nice base set. Worth picking up.

Have the Penny but they're tough to photograph well.

[GOATcards]

I'll get all top 23 eventually but in order I think they're something like this for the top 10 (and many are already referenced upthread):

(3-way tie for 8th)
99-00 UD Final Floor #FF12 "Farewell Shot"
97-98 UD MJ Tribute #MJ25
99-00 UD #154







2-way tie for 6th:
97-98 UD MJ Tribute #MJ65 (best appreciated in person for background color shifting)
98-99 Topps Roundball Royalty #1 and refractor parallel





5. 92-93 Stadium Club #210
(I think of this card more as having a "MVP/Finals MVP aesthetic" than an "Ultimate RC" aesthetic (like in MJ's case using the Court Kings photo for the 101 Star card), like I might with those in the top 4 aesthetics/production-values-wise. This isn't lacking in the aesthetics dept., it just doesn't translate into an aesthetic that would work on an RC. Maybe. But for a "GOAT candidate/reigning-2-time-league-and-finals-MVP" presentation, this one's good.



4. 95-96 (Fleer) Metal #13
One might think "aesthetic state of the art for MJ cards" for a 1995 Jordan card, but wait...



3. 98-99 UD #230v



2. 95-96 Skybox EX-L - Natural Born Thrillers #1
this one's kinda pricey ($500/up)



1. 98-99 Skybox Molten Metal #141
also should be seen in person for gloss/holofoil effects/background shimmer/overall production values (also including raised surface & texture for MJ's place on the card, and thick high-quality stock), basically an Ultimate MJ card in the looks dept. All in all, I like the efforts from the big kard kompanies namely UD, Fleer, Skybox and Topps (Hoops has a card that's maybe top-15? The 96H #20).

[GOATcards]

Appendix: Aesthetically best '84-86 Star cards (of MJ)

the top two that come to mind right off are the 84-85 Court Kings #26 (5x7, try to imagine a card of that size) and the 85-86 #117





and it's a long long way to go before we ever get around to the 84-85 #101, for example:

Olympic MJ (84-85 #195)



85 Slam Dunk (5x7)


Lite All-Stars #4


85 All Rookie Team #2


86 Best of the New/Best


and last but not least the 2 "dunk" cards from the 10-card special MJ set: #4 'Pro Stats' and #10 'The Future'





Imagine the #101 with any of these pics; it would be an iconic to-the-moon RC yes? (Well, I guess except for the #195 Oly card)

[kkkz]

Great camera angle shot....

[duron]

If this is more based on photography than card design, the candidates are endless.

2nd most photogenic player of all time.

[kkkz]

[90skid]

Originally Posted by duron

If this is more based on photography than card design, the candidates are endless.

2nd most photogenic player of all time.

This thread has just turned into a bunch of "HEY LETS POST CARDBOARD OF JORDAN"....

[GOATcards]

Originally Posted by duron

If this is more based on photography than card design, the candidates are endless.

2nd most photogenic player of all time.

It's a combination of photo quality and design/production values. I've been pretty meticulous about it I think. Currently I have his 92 Beam Team at #11.

Sent from my V350C using Tapatalk

[GOATcards]

Ok you reeled me in, who is #1 most photogenic

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[gomiamigo]

[duron]

Originally Posted by GOATcards

Ok you reeled me in, who is #1 most photogenic

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Kobe imo. And I’m not a Kobe guy.

[illiggle]

Just got this one recently...looks great in the SGC slab

[kkkz]

[Penny and KG]

Originally Posted by ZionCards

always been in love with this card

Always been my favorite!

[Ichi]

Beam Team was always one of my favorite inserts growing up.




And the 1992-93 Upper Deck is one of the best base cards ever. I thought that card was worth a million bucks as a kid, haha.

[kkkz]

Ultra Jam City looks appealing too..

[Dame]

No love for MJ’s 1st Bulls pack inserted auto?

[mc1]

Not pack-inserted, that was a redemption. Its ok, I guess.

[threefromthetee]

Originally Posted by mc1

Not pack-inserted, that was a redemption. Its ok, I guess.

Thank you! Someone who knows what’s going on with this one. I’ve seen the redemption card. This one is definitely not pack pulled.

[GOATcards]

Originally Posted by GOATcards

I'll get all top 23 eventually but in order I think they're something like this for the top 10 (and many are already referenced upthread):

(3-way tie for 8th)
99-00 UD Final Floor #FF12 "Farewell Shot"
97-98 UD MJ Tribute #MJ25
99-00 UD #154







2-way tie for 6th:
97-98 UD MJ Tribute #MJ65 (best appreciated in person for background color shifting)
98-99 Topps Roundball Royalty #1 and refractor parallel





5. 92-93 Stadium Club #210
(I think of this card more as having a "MVP/Finals MVP aesthetic" than an "Ultimate RC" aesthetic (like in MJ's case using the Court Kings photo for the 101 Star card), like I might with those in the top 4 aesthetics/production-values-wise. This isn't lacking in the aesthetics dept., it just doesn't translate into an aesthetic that would work on an RC. Maybe. But for a "GOAT candidate/reigning-2-time-league-and-finals-MVP" presentation, this one's good.



4. 95-96 (Fleer) Metal #13
One might think "aesthetic state of the art for MJ cards" for a 1995 Jordan card, but wait...



3. 98-99 UD #230v



2. 95-96 Skybox EX-L - Natural Born Thrillers #1
this one's kinda pricey ($500/up)



1. 98-99 Skybox Molten Metal #141
also should be seen in person for gloss/holofoil effects/background shimmer/overall production values (also including raised surface & texture for MJ's place on the card, and thick high-quality stock), basically an Ultimate MJ card in the looks dept. All in all, I like the efforts from the big kard kompanies namely UD, Fleer, Skybox and Topps (Hoops has a card that's maybe top-15? The 96H #20).

Now I think it might be more like this in order:

1-Tie: Molten Metal and 97 Tribute #MJ65 (tied for 6th above)
3. Natural Born Thrillers
4. 98UD #230v
5. 95F Metal
6. 97 Tribute #MJ25 ('Dunk Face')
7-Tie: 92 Stadium Club 210 and 99 UD #154
9. Roundball Royalty

after that I'm not quite sure, I know I like as candidates the Final Floor piece, the 92 Beam Team, the 87F Sticker, the 95 Flair, the UD one with the "leanback" on Dan Majerle, and then I guess the close-up one, 95UD 'Images of 95: Return to Excellence.' Close to a top 15, right? That leaves 8 to go, it's gotta include 91 and 96 Hoops right? So 6 to go. SPx Finite or some UD card with that image on it? 95 Topps (w/Horace)? edit: also gotta include his 98UD #230e and the 95UD SP #23 which also deserves to be seen in person.

I guess I'm partial to MJ cards where he's got the ball above his own head level

[Onepocketj]

Personally my favorites are the Flair Showcase and then maybe Molten Metal