How To Spot a Fake 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan Sticker

Michael Jordan’s Fleer Rookie card has been on a mind-bending, stratospheric price increase over the past few years. 

A PSA 10 Jordan rookie card just sold for over $200K back in December of last year. 

Like anything else with dollars behind it, the scammers have come out in full force trying to peddle fakes for thousands of dollars to unwitting buyers. 

We’ve tried our best to educate collectors (here, here and here), but I keep hearing about swindles all the time.  

While Jordan’s #57 Fleer rookie card has seen a monstrous rise in price, his sticker from the same set (#8 of 11) has also garnered a ton of collector demand, driving up its price significantly.  

While scammers have focused on Jordan’s base card from the Fleer set, there are definitely fake Jordan sticker cards in circulation.  

This guide will helpfully help you avoid buying a fake Jordan Fleer rookie sticker card.

PS – If this guide or any of other articles have helped you in getting scammed, please let us know in the comments below. 

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Examining A Real 1986 Fleer Jordan Sticker

As we always like to do in the guides, let’s first take a look at a real 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan sticker.  You’ll notice that even on a real card the image is a bit blurry and not crystal clear. 

A real Jordan sticker is smooth and shiny on the back.  Here’s a look at an authentic back.

Back of an authentic Jordan Fleer rookie sticker

The cards often have stains due to gum residue from gum included in the packs.  (Side note, nylon or dryer sheets can help remove any wax stains on the backs of the cards).  Cards with a stain that can’t be removed will earn an ‘ST’ (stained) qualifier from PSA. 

The commonality in staining on the stickers however is important in helping to identify a fake Jordan Fleer sticker.  If you have one you’re unsure about, if it has any gum residue/staining, it is very likely an authentic card. 

A Jordan Fleer sticker with a gum stain. To the untrained eye this can often be hard to identify. Note that the stains can be removed with pantyhose or dryer sheets, but be sure to do it without too much force so that you do not damage the card.

1986 Fleer Sticker #8 Michael Jordan RC PSA 6 Ex-Mt Bulls

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MICHAEL JORDAN ROOKIE!!! bgs 7 Fleer sticker 1986-87

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1986 Fleer Basketball Pack Random Rookie RC Front Random Sticker,JORDAN Rookie?

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MICHAEL JORDAN 1986 1986-87 Fleer #8 Rookie Sticker Card this card is nice

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The 1986 Fleer stickers are also notorious for poor centering and cut issues. Stickers will vary in size, some came from the factory a bit shorter than others, so if you match up a sticker to another and it seems smaller in size, it’s not always a guarantee that it has been trimmed.  Jabbar’s sticker card is  known to be a bit short on the sides, due to it being the first one on the sheet.  

Here’s a real Jordan Sticker with some cut/centering issues. This one received an 8 (OC) – off-center qualifier from PSA

Many Fake Jordan Stickers Have Darker Colors On Back

The good thing about authenticating a Jordan Fleer sticker is that most of the fakes are fairly easy to identify and not as good as the #57 Jordan card from the Fleer set. One of the most noticeable differences being the colors on the front of the card.

Based on some fakes I’ve observed, the yellow name plate on the left side of the card is commonly a darker yellow in color. 

This is probably the best fake Jordan I’ve come across.  The front is really hard to distinguish from the real card unless you use a loupe to examine the borders and text, which would show a fuzziness not evident in authentic Jordan Fleer stickers.

A fake Jordan Fleer sticker 

However the back helps piece together the puzzle.  The one clear difference being the darker-more maroon like red on the fake card versus the authentic sticker. Of note as well, take a loupe and examine the edges of the card to confirm that it is a sticker.  This fake is actually just printed on heavy paper and is not actually a sticker.

Back of a fake Jordan Fleer sticker

Back of an authentic Jordan Fleer rookie sticker

Different Yellow in Jordan’s Nameplate

Not all fakes, but some of the really bad counterfeits have a different color yellow nameplate on the front of the card.  This can be a 100% confirmation that the card is a fake.  See below:

Fake Sticker–Notice the difference in yellow on the Jordan nameplate and the lack of clarity in the image.

A real Fleer Jordan sticker rookie card.  Etch this image into your brain!

1996 Michael Jordan PSA 10 RC Rookie

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ICONIC 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan RC #57 BGS 6 & GAME-USED THREE COLOR PATCH

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1986-87 Fleer #57 Michael Jordan RC Rookie HOF SGC 7 NM FANTASTIC CENTERING

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1986 Fleer Michael Jordan #57 Rookie RC BGS 4.5

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1986 Fleer Michael Jordan RC/Rookie PSA 9 Freshly Graded w/ New Label

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Texture Of The Back Of The Card

Note that as previously stated the stickers from the 1986 Fleer set have a smooth, sort of glossy feel on the back, thus this is another important way to distinguish an authentic Jordan sticker from a fake.  It’s hard to show in pictures, but you can sort of see the difference between the back of sticker card and a card from the base set below.  If you ran your finger over the sticker back it would feel smooth sort of like many modern Topps/Chrome issues.  The regular #57 Jordan has a rougher feel, and it’s because the sticker card is what it is –a sticker!   Thus, if the card in question doesn’t have that smooth sort of texture, it’s a fake.

Back of an authentic Jordan Fleer rookie sticker

The back of a PSA 5 Jordan rookie card #57

Different Color Fonts On Back Of Card

Some fakes I’ve found on eBay were actually graded by some very questionable, defunct grading companies–however with the notation that the card was indeed a reprint.  Here’s one I discovered recently.  The front might fool many collectors, although I would point to the clarity of the image as the first thing I noticed. 

However the back of the card is a bit more telling

You’ll notice that the text on the fake card has a darker, sort of navy blue, whereas the real card’s text is a regular sort of blue.  The lack of boldness on many other areas of print on the fake card is another sign of a counterfeit.  Many of these discoveries could easily be identified with a loupe.  

A fake Jordan Fleer sticker rookie card

An authentic Fleer Jordan Fleer sticker rookie 

So, suggestion…buy yourself a few fake Jordan stickers on eBay (shouldn’t spend more than $5 a piece.  Buy yourself a loupe (note I really like the ones that clip on to your phone).  And then buy yourself a really beat up cheap authentic sticker from the set.  

Examine the colors of each, examine the borders and see how they compare.  

Before long, you’ll be writing for All Vintage Cards!

Have a question on a Jordan sticker?  Want to share your authentication findings? 

Shoot me an email at chris@allvintagecards.com.  

I’m learning everyday still, there are always new fakes coming to market, and I want to see them all!