A SPORTS trading card signed by basketball legend Michael Jordan has sold for nearly £650,000.
It shows him doing a slam-dunk from his 1986 rookie season with the Chicago Bulls.
Jordan signed 23 of the cards — a nod to his shirt number — for manufacturer Fleer in 2006 to mark his anniversary.
His autograph is extremely rare, making the item — in high-grade condition — even more valuable.
It sold for £646,000 last weekend after a bidding war at Heritage Auctions, in Dallas, Texas.
A Heritage spokesperson said: “Michael Jordan autographs are enormously rare relative to virtually every other famous person still alive on the planet today.
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“The Jordan Fleer rookie has become one of the most famous collectibles on the planet.
“The card itself is a spectacular specimen and high-grade example.”
Chris Ivy, Heritage director of sports auctions, added: “This is one of the most sought-after signed Jordan cards in the market – as exhibited by this wonderful result at auction.”
Jordan, 62, made his NBA debut for the Bulls in 1984 and was the league’s top scorer in the 1985/86 season, averaging 37.1 points per game.
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Despite his individual brilliance, it was not until 1991 that Jordan claimed his first Bulls championship, sparking a dynasty which won six titles in seven years.
Their success was recounted in the acclaimed 2020 Netflix documentary The Last Dance.
