Record Sale of Manute Bol’s 1987 Fleer Card
In a surprising turn of events, collectible card enthusiasts are abuzz over the astronomical sale of a 1987 Fleer card featuring the towering former NBA player Manute Bol, prominent for his height of 7 feet 6 inches. Earlier this week, the card, graded as a PSA 10—a top-tier rating from the Professional Sports Authenticator—was auctioned on eBay for a staggering $22,222, marking a remarkable 290% increase from its previous highest sale amount of $5,655 recorded in September 2022.
Positioning in the Market
This newfound market value positions Bol’s card as the priciest non-autographed 1987 Fleer basketball card graded PSA 10 since early 2023, surpassing a Michael Jordan card that fetched $20,059 in March 2025. Interestingly, according to Card Ladder, which meticulously tracks trading card transactions, only one other non-autographed 1987 Fleer PSA 10 card has crossed the $20,000 threshold in recent years. That card, belonging to Michael Jordan but graded by Beckett in pristine condition, commanded nearly $32,000 in December 2024.
Bol’s NBA Career
Despite his impressive height, Bol’s NBA career was characterized by a lack of offensive prowess, leading to modest averages of 2.6 points and 18.7 minutes per game in his ten-year tenure across several teams, including the Washington Bullets and Golden State Warriors. Selected in the 1985 draft by the Bullets as the 31st overall pick, his defensive skills did earn him recognition, such as making the all-NBA second team and leading the league in blocks per game during the 1985-86 and 1988-89 seasons.
The Value of Bol’s Card
So, what drives the value of Bol’s card, especially one that features a player not known for significant scoring? Though the buyer remains anonymous, the card’s rarity is a compelling factor. Among 632 Bol cards graded by PSA, a mere eight have achieved the coveted PSA 10 grade, contrasting sharply with the Jordan card from the same set, which has seen grades issued to over 18,900 cards, with 215 securing the PSA 10 distinction. Moreover, even a checklist card from this set has 146 grades of 10, creating an extensive market for more plentiful cards.
Comparative Rarity
For comparison, the PSA 10 graded card of Thurl Bailey is the next rarest in the 1987 Fleer series, with only nine out of 453 graded copies reaching a PSA 10. Bailey’s card sold for $17,675 in January, significantly up from a previous high of $4,800 just a year earlier. Other players from the set, such as Dale Ellis, also saw prices ranging from $7,500 to $8,300 in recent months, yet typically do not command such substantial sums in the broader card trading market.
Market Dynamics
Interestingly, the common market for ungraded Bol cards reveals a stark contrast in price; one can procure a standard copy for as low as $1.25, while a PSA 7 version sold for only $3.25 on the same day the gem mint card was sold.
Ultimately, the trading card market operates on the principles of supply and demand. A key driver of the Bol card sale is likely the limited supply, which has intrigued a specific niche of collectors aiming to complete sets in the highest possible grades. The uncommon nature of Bol’s card, amidst a broader constellation of 1987 Fleer cards, is likely what propelled its monumental price at auction, offering insight into why this particular piece of memorabilia can engage both fanatics and investors alike in the bustling sports card community.
