Are Rare Early Covers of Stars Undervalued by Sports Magazine Collectors?
Plus: A sensational Shai slab, another early Ohtani, and hello? Heritage? Is anyone home?
In the wake of last month’s record-breaking sale of a PSA 9.6 copy of Michael Jordan’s first Sports Illustrated cover, cllct founder and former ESPN sports business reporter Darren Rovell posted an interesting video:
If you can’t watch it, here’s what Rovell said about Michael Jordan’s first Sports Mirror cover, of which he owns two graded copies (emphasis mine):
“It is before he plays for the Chicago Bulls, and it has this amazing headline, ‘Michael Jordan: Will he make it in Chicago?’ This is much more rare than a newsstand edition of that ’83 SI issue, but you can get it for $750. The market needs to make sense.”
This implication — that a rare* magazine cover published early in the career of an all-time great should be valued closer to (or maybe even more than!) an earlier, comparatively common cover from a more significant publication — has stuck with me since I heard it. Should we all be snapping up hyper-obscure magazines in hopes that one day they’ll be valued like superfractors?
I’m not so sure.
I believe sports magazine collectors are driven more by nostalgia, visual appeal, and historical significance rather than sheer rarity. It’s hard for me to envision a world where a Sports Mirror issue becomes more desirable than earlier Sports Illustrateds of the same athlete simply because fewer were printed.
Don’t get me wrong: I appreciate rare covers as much as the next magazine sicko.
While I’m not a Jordan guy, I do collect Tiger Woods and LeBron James <ducks>. As I build those collections, I want to be able to recreate the timeline of their careers through magazines — from no-doubt prodigies and overrated hype-jobs through titles and retirement. That means hunting down an oversized, 20-page newsprint magazine because it’s the only cover that documents 16-year-old LeBron’s emergence at the 2001 adidas ABCD Camp.
I love this Basketball America issue, and I know of only one other copy in existence. But I don’t expect it to appeal to any collectors outside of true LeBron nerds. It’s not his earliest cover, and he’s not even wearing a familiar high school uniform. It will always be a very rare piece with a very limited market.
The Sports Mirror, with its close-up photo of MJ in his all-mesh UNC uni and the headline wondering if he can succeed in Chicago, obviously meets the criteria for displayability and, to a certain extent, historical significance. But like the LBJ Basketball America, it’s not his first-ever cover (far from it, in fact), and the publication left no cultural footprint. They’re both fantastic issues in their own right, but I doubt either will ever approach the sale prices of high-grade first SIs. That would be a market that doesn’t “make sense” to me.
Of course, I could be wrong. Last week, a CGC 8.5 copy of the MJ Sports Mirror sold for $2,109 on Goldin. (Rovell was mentioned by name in the listing title, for what it’s worth.) That’s more than double the price of a CGC 8.0 that sold on Heritage in December 2023. It’s quite possible we’re in the early days of me eventually looking like a fool.
What do you think? Should rare early magazines be valued similarly to relatively common — but more widely recognizable — first Sports Illustrated covers?
(*The Sports Mirror issue is indeed rare, but maybe not as rare as Rovell thinks: Last month, he posted on X that there “can’t be more than 20 that exist”. There are 21 graded by CGC and PSA.)
Notable Sales
$21,960 PSA 9.8 Sports Illustrated Oct. 28, 1996 Tiger Woods 1st cover (Goldin)
This sale price (with buyer’s premium) is exactly four times as much as the $5,490 a CGC 9.8 copy sold for on Goldin in August 2024.
$2,109 CGC 8.5 Sports Mirror Oct. 1984 Michael Jordan 1st cover (Goldin)
$976 CGC 0.5 (Restored) Sports Illustrated June 10, 1963 Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) 1st cover with JSA Authenticated Autograph (Goldin)
$803 CGC 9.2 1986-87 Street & Smith’s Basketball Michael Jordan 1st cover (Goldin)
Talk about visual appeal! It never gets old seeing this issue in great condition.
$763 CGC 6.5 Sports Illustrated June 8, 1956 Mickey Mantle 1st cover (Subscription) (Heritage)
$738 PSA 9.0 Newsweek Jul. 6, 1992 Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson “Dream Team” (Goldin)
$592 CGC 8.0 SPORT Aug. 1948 Stan Musial 1st cover (Goldin)
$519 PSA 9.4 Sports Illustrated May 7, 1990 Ken Griffey Jr. 1st cover (Goldin)
Recent sales of CGC 9.4 copies: $850 (Feb. ’26), $603 (Dec. ’25), $423 (July ’25), and $976 (May ’25)
$372 CGC 9.2 Street & Smith’s Pro Basketball 1988 First Issue Jordan-Bird-Magic (Goldin)
$336 CGC 9.6 NBA Inside Stuff 1993 Michael Jordan cover (Goldin)
Maybe I’m missing something here. This cover image wasn’t cleverly designed to accommodate a promotional flap, and its presence only detracts from the magazine’s visual appeal. A CGC 9.2 without the flap could probably be had for about half this price on eBay.
$283 PSA 6.5 Sports Illustrated July 7, 1986 Diego Maradona 1st cover (Goldin)
$256 CGC 7.5 Sports Illustrated First Issue Eddie Mathews 1st cover (Heritage)
$224 PSA 9.6 TIME June 22, 1998 Michael Jordan 1st cover (Goldin)
$212 Sports Illustrated Mar. 27, 1961 Jerry Lucas “Basketball’s National Championship” (eBay)
$145 Sports Illustrated Nov. 27, 1978 Magic Johnson 1st cover (eBay)
$128 Sports Illustrated Mar. 4, 1957 Mickey Mantle “Spring Training” (eBay)
$89 PSA 9.8 SLAM Gold Metal June/July 2026 Jalen Brunson /94 (Goldin)
Gold Metal SLAMs cost $94 plus shipping! This is a steal for the buyer, potentially made possible by the existence of a PSA 10 copy.
$75 Sports Illustrated May 12, 1986 Roger Clemens 1st cover (eBay)
This one didn’t last long as a Fixed Price listing. Just 20 copies have been graded 9.0 or higher by PSA and CGC.
$61 PSA 8.5 Sports Illustrated April 16, 2001 Tiger Woods “Masterpiece” (eBay)
$59 Signed Sports Illustrated May 1, 2000 Vladimir Guerrero Sr. 1st cover (eBay)
$35 Golf Digest Nov. 1994 Tiger Woods 1st cover (eBay)
One of Tiger’s earliest covers, the tips-and-tricks nature of Golf Digest dampens its collectability compared to Golf World, Golf Journal, and others.
Bizarre personal life trivia: In the top-right corner is Jesper Parnevik, who would later introduce Tiger to his future wife, Elin Nordegren. Needless to say, Jesper was not pleased with Tiger in 2009.
$24 Sports Illustrated Aug. 24, 1970 Rick Barry (eBay)
Auctions Ending This Week
eBay
Ends Sat. 3/28 at 10:36pm ET: Sports Illustrated Oct. 28, 1996 Tiger Woods 1st cover
The fire hose of newsstand goodness from eBay seller heatherr543 has slowed to a trickle. Recent raw copies of this issue have sold in the range of $125 to $250.
Ends Sun. 3/29 at 12:00am ET: Sports Illustrated Dec. 10, 1973 Bill Walton and Len Elmore
Bill Walton covers don’t seem to get much love, even after his death. Perhaps there are simply too many — he was on eight SIs in a span of about two years while at UCLA — or maybe it’s a classic case of bigs not having fan bases commensurate with their size. Whatever the case, this copy is in wonderful condition, with very little scuffing despite all that dark ink.
Ends Sun. 3/29 at 11:34pm ET: Sports Illustrated June 18, 1956 Mickey Mantle 1st cover
This is the second gorgeous Mantle newsstand to hit eBay auction in the last month! With a few noticeable spine ticks — and potentially the remnants of a Mars bar in the top right corner — it’s unlikely this copy will reach that $11,457 threshold. Even so, it’s a thrill seeing these pieces uncovered in real time.
Ends Sun. 3/29 at 11:42pm ET: Sports Illustrated Oct 12, 1981 Wayne Gretzky 1st cover
Ends Mon. 3/30 at 9:05pm ET: PSA 8.0 Sports Illustrated Oct. 28, 1996 Tiger Woods 1st cover
Ending Mon. 3/30 at 10:00pm ET: Dozens of authenticated HOF autographed Sports Illustrateds, most with accomplishment-associated inscriptions, including Jim Brown, Wayne Gretzky, Sandy Koufax, Julius Erving, Bill Russell, Hank Aaron,Pete Rose, Bobby Orr, Joe Montana, and more.
Goldin
Nearly 50 graded magazines are available in Goldin’s Weekly Auction ending Thursday, March 26 at 10pm ET. Here are a few highlights:
CGC 9.9 SLAM Gold Metal Aug./Sept. 2025 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with JSA Authenticated Autograph
Old man rant: I understand why Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wouldn’t want to spell out all 21 letters every time he signs his name. But is it too much to ask to make the “SGA” (or “Shai”?) somewhat legible, and not like a child’s attempt at drawing mountains for the first time? Signatures used to mean something, Seth!
Anyway, I’m very interested to see where this one ends up. Gold Metal SLAMs look terrific with the CGC x JSA yellow label, and the 9.9 grade could push the price above five figures.
CGC 8.0 Boxing Beat June 1987 Mike Tyson cover with JSA Authenticated Autograph
CGC 8.5 Sports Illustrated Oct. 12, 1981 Wayne Gretzky 1st cover
CGC 9.6 Sports Illustrated May 28, 2001 Ichiro Suzuki 1st cover
Even 25 years ago, some cover designs were so beautiful they were immediately and obviously collectible. Ichiro’s first SI is a prime example, with 60 copies of this issue graded 9.0 or better by CGC.
PSA 8.0 Sports Illustrated Oct. 28, 1996 Tiger Woods 1st cover
CGC 6.0 Goal March 1980 Wayne Gretzky 1st cover
PSA 8.5 Edmonton Oilers Program Jan. 23, 1983 Wayne Gretzky
PSA 7.5 Weekly Baseball Nov. 12, 2012 Shohei Ohtani
Early Ohtani covers from Japan have been on fire lately, even when he shares them with someone else or is relegated to a frowning inset, as he is here. This issue was released shortly after the 2012 NPB Draft, when Shohei was still considering starting his professional career in the U.S. right out of high school. The Nippon-Ham Fighters showed him a video depicting a meager life in the minor leagues, including long bus rides and dingy hotels. That was enough to convince Ohtani to stay in Japan for the next five years.
PSA 6.5 Hoop NBA Yearbook ’89 Michael Jordan
Two weeks ago, a CGC 8.0 copy of this issue sold for just $163 on Goldin.
CGC 9.0 TIME Aug. 19, 1985 Pete Rose 1st cover
CGC 9.0 Sports Illustrated May 4, 1992 Barry Bonds 1st cover
PSA 9.6 Beckett Baseball Card Monthly June 1990 Bo Jackson
Would you believe me if I told you this was one of the most-graded magazines to date? More than 250 are in the CGC Population Report, plus 47 in PSA’s. People apparently did not throw away their Becketts!
PSA 9.0 The Ring Oct. 1995 Mike Tyson, Peter McNeeley
Hardly a top-end Tyson, but it gives us an excuse to revisit McNeeley’s legendary interview before walking out to meet his fate. Shout out Snubby, should out Medfield.
Heritage
Ends Sun. 3/29 at 11:00pm ET: CGC 5.5 UBC Magazine November 2005 Shaquille O’Neal
This is where we’re at with Heritage: A publication for a cable company in Thailand is the only graded sports magazine auction ending this week. How the mighty have fallen.
Release Radar: Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge on the cover of Sports Illustrated
Baseball returns this week, and our beloved Sports Illustrated decided the best way to celebrate would be to dress the sport’s two biggest stars as if they’re either in a wedding party or about to host Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, respectively.
Jokes aside, this is a pretty cool cover showcasing the two Ruthian figures of the modern game. It calls to mind the April 13, 1981 issue featuring star third basemen Mike Schmidt and George Brett, two future Hall of Famers in their own right. Unlike that ’81 cover, I don’t expect SI to re-use this same photo four months from now.
If the formal nature of that cover bores you, you may be interested in the 2026 Athlon Sports MLB Preview, which — like last year’s edition — has the look of a vintage Topps card with the wood grain background and waving banner name plate. In addition to Ohtani, variant covers of Judge, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Cal Raleigh are also available.
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