Just Collect Acquires Two Upper Deck Authenticated Michael Jordan Autographs

The details that make a signed collectible compelling are often specific: who signed it, how it was authenticated, and what the object looks like in person. Just Collect recently purchased two Michael Jordan autographs from Roger, a former Nabisco salesman: a basketball and a photograph, both authenticated by Upper Deck.

From a Nabisco job to a collection

Roger worked in sales for Nabisco from the 1980s through the early 2000s. The company gave him signed items to distribute to clients, and he kept some duplicate autographs for himself. Over time, those pieces became part of a collection he displayed in a man cave. When he retired, he decided to sell some of the memorabilia and contacted Just Collect about several items, including the Jordan pieces.

The Jordan memorabilia had a clear place in Roger’s collection. Jordan won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and earned five league MVP awards, a Defensive Player of the Year award, two Olympic gold medals and two Slam Dunk Contest titles. The source describes his signature as highly sought after, making authentication and the item’s presentation useful details for collectors considering comparable pieces.

Two signed pieces, two distinct displays

Upper Deck authenticated both of Roger’s Jordan autographs. The basketball was supplied in a branded box with a protective bag. Jordan signed a panel just above the Wilson logo, where the autograph is easy to locate against the ball’s surface.

The second piece is a photograph of Jordan dunking in his Chicago Bulls No. 23 jersey. His signature appears in silver over the blue paint beneath the basket. The image and inscription give the photo a different visual character from the signed ball, while the Upper Deck authentication connects both items to the same source.

Jordan signed an exclusive deal with Upper Deck in 1991. Just Collect describes Upper Deck as its preferred source for collectors seeking authentic Jordan-signed memorabilia. The company’s account doesn’t give a sale price, a date for the transaction, or further authentication details, so those specifics can’t be compared from this report alone.

How the sale came together

Roger found Just Collect through a Google search and learned that the company’s store in Summit, New Jersey, was within reach. Acquisitions specialist Dan appraised the two autographs and made an offer. Roger accepted, and the company paid him by company check, which he collected at the store. He was pleased with the transaction and brought additional signed items from his collection for Just Collect to consider.

The account offers a useful snapshot of a face-to-face sale: the owner brought the pieces in, the company evaluated them, and payment followed an accepted offer. It doesn’t state how long the appraisal took or describe the criteria used to set the offer. For collectors weighing a sale, the concrete details here are the authentication, the objects’ visible features, the in-person appraisal and Roger’s chosen payment method.

Just Collect says it can also evaluate collections through other arrangements, including mailed submissions and meetings at card shows. It lists cash, company check and wire transfer as payment options. The company says mailed cards can be evaluated at no charge and returned with shipping costs covered if the owner decides not to sell; its account advises contacting the office to arrange that option.

Collectors can find the company’s contact information through its contact page. Its Buy List and travel schedule provide further details about cards the company seeks and shows it plans to attend. The source says it buys vintage sports and non-sports cards dated 1879 to 2009, along with select modern cards.

More collection stories

Just Collect has published accounts of other collections it has purchased, including a 1939 Play Ball Ted Williams rookie card and a 1996 Topps Chrome Basketball set break featuring a Kobe rookie card. Another story follows a father and son who brought in a Michael Jordan rookie card that had been stored in Tupperware since 1986; the account is linked here.

For collectors, Roger’s sale is a reminder to keep the identifying details with an autograph: the signing source, the object, its presentation and any authentication information. Here, the Upper Deck connection and the contrasting formats—a signed ball and an action photograph—give the two Jordan pieces a clear story within Roger’s larger collection.

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