Today we’re looking at the 1994-95 Flair #326 Michael Jordan card, a card that wasn’t planned…a card that was a late addition to the set. We’re going to address that toward the end of this post. But first, a little about the set itself.
Flair premiered in ’94-95. Fleer’s was attempting to produce a set with cards of top-notch, superior physical quality. The term “super-premium” is often used but labels like this are a pointless slippery slope. Innovations occur all the time and soon…what…you’ll have super-super-super premium? They’re nice cards though. The stock was a thicker 30-point stock. There was a polyester laminate on these cards making them much more resistant to bending and providing a very smooth, glossy finish. The cards were sold in ten-card packs at $4 each which, at the time, was a bit pricey. Even the pack itself was a high-quality design to better protect the cards.
In addition to the physical cards being strong, the design was nice as well. The use of gold foil was subtle and tasteful. A little bit on the brand logo, team name, and player name, and a slightly larger burst of gold outlining the first letter of the last name. The combination of two action photos on the front was a unique feature. Some like it, others think it is a bit cluttered and awkward. There’s a little more gold on the back with the player and team logo as well. But ultimately, the back is nothing but photo. Just stats and very minimal design elements, all of which barely interfere with the photo. But don’t overlook the stat box. How often do you see a player’s stat box where it says “Retired” for the previous season? The card’s worth having for that historical quirk alone!
There were two series, but Series II is where the action is, with great rookies like Grant Hill and Jason Kidd, and this #326 Michael Jordan card ending the entire 1994-95 Flair set. The set was very organized with player’s grouped alphabetically in their respective teams. So why was this Jordan card isolated at the end of the set? This #326 was a late addition to the set as he came out of retirement. Remember, this was the premiere of the Flair brand. Would you want your premiere set to not have any Jordan cards when he technically played some of that season? Being added later in the production run adds a bit more value to this card! It wasn’t even included on the checklists for the set! When it comes to base cards featuring the #45 jersey, the quality doesn’t get much better than this. From someone who doesn’t follow prices closely, I’d imagine it’s the most valuable card in the set. There was a time when the Grant Hill rookie might have competed for the top, but I think this Jordan is the highlight at the moment.
It’s simply a high-quality, tasteful Michael Jordan card with just enough unique features to make it a great addition to a collection!
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