Whale harpooned

[gatorboymike]

1993-94 Finest Refractors #1 Michael Jordan

This was one of my most-sought after cards and had been for 15 years. The first time I ever saw it was the week after original Finest was released, around September 1993. I was 10 years old at the time. It was at an outdoor card show at Church Street Station in Orlando. Here's what that place looks like:



So that was the first time we were ever able to buy the product. People were charging $8 a pack for it, and we thought that was ludicrously expensive. Finest was the Exquisite of its day. So one dealer at the show had this card, in a one-inch screw-down holder, all by itself in a two-foot by three-foot case, with a $500 price tag on it. What I thought when I saw it was, "Will I ever be able to own it?"

Even today, it's impossible to find deals on it, as it has a BV of about $150 and always sells for $90-120 ungraded. But I was fortunate enough to find one that was poorly described on the Bay. It was labeled "1994 Topps Michael Jordan card"...which tells potential buyers nearly nothing. And I was able to get it for $45 dlvd. Now all I need are the 94-95 and 95-96 Jordan refractors...

[demonpower55]

Congrats on the awesome deal! That is a sick looking card, and I didn't know it had a BV of $150. Good luck on getting the other Jordan refractors!

[s13driver]

94-95 and 95-96 were my most favorite Topps Finest line. I've always wanted to get them when I was a kid and was never able to afford the pricetag. But they are awesome looking cards.

Congrats!

[CHillyDoggy]

Ha, love those poorly worded auctions! Always get a bid in quick so they can't change it. :0

[beex215]

even if it was labeled 94 finest refractor its still worth a good penny.anyway nice card.original release date of finest!!

[molly1984]

very nice!!! how were you able to tell it was a refractor if the seller did not list that? i mean is it obvious from the picture? congrats on that. was this for one of your sets?

[gatorboymike]

He did say it was a refractor, but I could tell anyway by the scan. If you compare scans of a non-refracting chrome finish card with a refracting one, the difference is pretty obvious. Although I did have a guy once put up a picture of the refractor when he was actually selling the base card. And this makes my 174th of 220 in this set. Have Chris Webber, but still need Shaq and Penny Hardaway.

[RenegadeLonghorn]

I love to take advantage of those poorly worded auctions. Thats exactly how I got a Tim Duncan 1/1 for $10. Ha. Anyways, nice win! I stll like picking up older refractors/inserts/holograms...but they are harder to come by these days.

[the_future]

Congrats on the nice deal and the even nicer card! I'm glad you were able to locate the card on eBay and win it! Do you have any other Jordan Finest refractors from other years?

[garnett_21]

Sweet card! I love the look of that set! Congrats on the nice find!