An image of Michael Jordan has made a hefty penny in auction.
The PSA Type 1 photograph, featured in the 2023 Lelands Classic Summer Auction, was captured on Oct. 26, 1984, according to Chicago, IL’s WGN-TV 9. This day marked the first game for Jordan with the Chicago Bulls and the NBA.
The team played against the Washington Bullets at Chicago Stadium, and Jordan walked away with 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists, according to Sports Illustrated. The Chicago Bulls reigned victorious in a 109-93 win over the Washington Bullets.
Now, a snapshot of that special day is in the hands of a lucky buyer who purchased the photo from Jordan’s rookie days with additional memorabilia, including a junior yearbook ($637) and a senior yearbook ($4,555) from Jordan’s Laney High School in North Carolina, according to WGN-TV 9.
The items were purchased for an impressive $141,954.
Jordan’s imprint continues to break ground in auction. As AfroTech mentioned, a 1992 Dream Team Jacket worn by Jordan that was later gifted to Brian McIntyre, an employee of the NBA’s communications department, made its way to Sotheby’s in 2023.
The jacket went on to sell for $1.5 million, NBC Sports reports.
“To be able to sell this relic from such a historic world event — one that is often credited for multiplying the popularity and global reach of basketball — is both rare and unparalleled,” said Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectibles, according to NBC Sports. “And beyond its legendary place in Olympic history, the jacket represents Michael Jordan’s fierce and devoted loyalty to Nike, a transformative and revolutionary partnership between two powerhouses that has stood the test of time.”
