2+2=7?? 86-87 Fleer basketball unopened box

[slidekellyslide]

I bought two boxes from the only card store in town which was a guy's basement. He didn't even know he ordered a case of them. He tried to get me to buy the whole case, but I told him I'd just take two boxes. I opened them and put three sets together. I had an extra Jordan so I had a guy I know make a plaque and I gave it to my brother in law. He still has it hanging in his office to this day.

I never saw these cards at retail anywhere in my area and it wasn't until a couple months back that a guy came into my store and had a stack of them. I asked him where he got them and he told me he bought them by the pack when they came out at a drug store in a small town about 30 minutes away from Lincoln.

[RedsFan1941]

I was at a San Antonio Missions class AA baseball game either in the summer of 1987 or 88. The team sponsored a baseball card show where the dealers were set up in the stadium concourse (not a bad idea, btw). I found a dealer who had a 100-count plastic case of 1986 Fleer basketball cards ranging in price from 15 cents to a dollar. No Jordans but a few Ewing, Barkleys, etc. I offered him $20 for all of them and he was thrilled. So even in the first couple years after they were issued, these cards didn't carry a premium with some collectors.

[pherbener]

I remember buying 2 packs at 75 cents each getting 2 Jordans and a Ewing. Sold the Jordans for $100 a piece and the Ewing for $50 years later and thought I did well!! I so wish I could trade all the 86 baseball boxes I bought for basketball!!

[Tyler]

Bought packs for $5 each in downtown Naples in 1989. Pulled a Jordan and still have it. He was also selling Jordans at $25 each.

[nat]

So how are these worth money when baseball cards from 1986 are worthless?

Apparently they aren't rare, if you guys all have some.

[packs]

Some is not millions. The baseball set was huge, the basketball set was ignored. Most of the posters in this thread are regretting not buying them.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by nat

So how are these worth money when baseball cards from 1986 are worthless?

Apparently they aren't rare, if you guys all have some.

They are not rare, but they are scarce. I traveled all over my town searching for 86 Fleer and Donruss baseball finding it all over the place, but never once did I see Fleer basketball on the shelf anywhere. I would venture to say that Lincoln, Nebraska saw one single case of Fleer basketball and that's it. I could have had the entire case, but Canseco fever did not allow me the extra funds to spend on basketball.

[steve B]

I bought mine in McCrorys in the mall in Waterbury Ct. They had an entire island of them, I forget if they were 50 cents or a dollar. Bought a few packs, thought the set was nice, and stopped by the next weekend - All gone!

I didn't get Jordan, but did get a few good players. I could read the back player through the wrapper and a couple were cards I'd already gotten so I kept a couple packs unopened.

Steve B