Topps Chrome Basketball Michael Jordan Cards Through the Years

Tracing MJ’s Hobby Legacy on Chrome

Michael Jordan might have a lot of basketball cards, but, he doesn’t have as many Topps Chrome® Basketball cards as you might think. The first Chrome set didn’t come out until well into the back half of his career. MJ stepping away for three years for a second retirement didn’t help, either.

The sets that do feature him were quite simple. At the time, simply being Topps Chrome was enough to drive the line. Additional chase elements were minimal, and expansive parallel rainbows simply didn’t exist. 

Over the course of five total Topps Chrome Basketball releases, Jordan has just 30 cards, including inserts and Refractor parallels. That number rises slightly to 34 cards if you include special Chicago Bulls cards on which he is prominently featured.

Let’s takle a look at the entire collection of Topps Chrome Basketball Michael Jordan cards.

1996-97 Topps Chrome Basketball #139 Michael Jordan

1996-97 Topps Chrome Basketball is one of the sport’s landmark releases. Looking back today, it seems strange that it was a retail-only product, but the exclusive nature helped launch it, creating a sense of perceived rarity and chase. 

Jordan’s base card might not be a rookie, but it still carries a lot of clout. Like most every Topps Chrome base card in existence, it’s a metallic makeover of his mainline card released earlier in the season. The shot is an impressive one, with MJ employing some acrobatics to overtake Hall of Famer Alonzo Mourning at the hoop.

1996-97 Topps Chrome Basketball #72 Chicago Bulls 72 Wins

Although not strictly a Michael Jordan card, he still looms large here. It commemorates the team becoming the first to crack the 70-win mark in a season, finishing with a 72-10 regular season record.

Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman are each displayed on banners on the front, nodding to the banners that hang in arenas. The result is a dated mark in mid ‘90s designs. 

1996-97 Topps Chrome Basketball #139 Michael Jordan Refractor

Rainbows were a lot different in 1996-97 Topps Chrome Basketball than they are today. Base cards had just one parallel, Refractors. While standard base cards in the product have a metallic look, the shine is somewhat flat. 

Refractors, which already existed in basketball, primarily in Topps Finest, add a rainbow finish. This is especially noticeable when shone under bright light.

Extremely coveted today, early Refractors fell approximately 1:12 packs. With 20 packs per box, that’s less than two per. Factoring in the 220-card checklist, landing a Jordan (or any other specific player, for that matter) was no easy task.

1996-97 Topps Chrome Basketball #72 Chicago Bulls 72 Wins Refractor

It’s not just the base version of this commemorative card that’s popular. The Refractor is as well, offering a more limited version of a card that captures the Bulls dynasty.

One thing to note about this Refractor is that it’s the only one in the set not to have an “R” after the card number. For every other card, it’s a simple tell as to whether it’s a base version or parallel. Collectors have to rely on their eye for this one.

1996-97 Topps Chrome Basketball Season’s Best #1 Michael Jordan

The base set isn’t the only place that 1996-97 Topps Chrome Basketball borrows from the basic Topps basketball set. Season’s Best, a 25-card insert, does as well.

Five different themes make up Season’s Best, each with its own design. Basically, it’s five smaller insert sets wrapped into one. 

Jordan leads off the checklist with an En Fuego card, which should not be confused with the popular Dufex inserts found in 1996 Select Baseball. Season’s Best landed 1:6 packs and have no Refractor parallels.

1996-97 Topps Chrome Basketball Season’s Best #18 Michael Jordan

En Fuego wasn’t the only time Jordan appeared in Season’s Best. He appears a second time on the checklist, this time on one of five Sticky Fingers cards. The reference here is a nod to his abilities as a top defender and ball-stealer. 

1997-98 Topps Chrome Basketball #123 Michael Jordan

The poor Milwaukee Bucks are left looking helpless on Michael Jordan’s sophomore Topps Chrome card. The set itself might not be as iconic as the first, but it’s still a popular one, with MJ outpacing most rookies on the checklist, save for Tim Duncan.

1997-98 Topps Chrome Basketball #51 Chicago Bulls NBA Champions

Another year, another championship, another commemorative Chicago Bulls card. Jordan is front and center at the celebratory parade on this one, which doubles as a checklist on the back for the product’s inserts.

1997-98 Topps Chrome Basketball #123 Michael Jordan Refractor

Like 1996-97 Topps Chrome Basketball, all 220 base cards in the 1997-98 set have Refractor parallels. These have the iconic rainbow backgrounds and are exceptionally more sparse. One Refractor fell every dozen packs. That’s 1:2,640 pack odds for any particular card.

1997-98 Topps Chrome Basketball #51 Chicago Bulls NBA Champions Refractor

The Bulls dynasty shines even brighter with this Refractor. Parallel backs are labelled with “Refractor” written above the card number on the back.

1997-98 Topps Chrome Basketball Season’s Best #6 Michael Jordan

Season’s Best returned for another year in 1997. Like the previous year, there are several themes, each with their own design. These are some of the most colorful Topps Chrome cards of the era. 

Jordan is part of the Shooting Stars portion of the 29-card set, which focuses on some of the best offensive players of the era. Season’s Best inserts fell at a modest 1:8 packs.

1997-98 Topps Chrome Basketball Season’s Best #6 Michael Jordan Refractor

Inserts got Refractors in 1997-98 Topps Chrome Basketball. The results for Jordan’s Season’s Best card is striking. The color stands out on the standard version, but the Refractor is simply stunning.

Refractors are three times as rare as regular Season’s Best cards, carrying 1:24 pack odds.

1997-98 Topps Chrome Basketball Topps 40 #T5 Michael Jordan

Topps 40 ranks the top 39 players in the league as voted on by players, coaches, and writers. It’s an elegant full-bleed design befitting a player tribute. And that photo? Vintage Air Jordan.

Even with the relatively low 1:6 pack odds, the large checklist makes this 1997-98 Topps Chrome Basketball Michael Jordan insert a moderately tough find.

1997-98 Topps Chrome Basketball Topps 40 #T5 Michael Jordan Refractor

Topps 40 Refractors came 1:18 packs, making them three times more scarce than they’re base counterpart. While attractive, the dark photo doesn’t bring quite the same level of pop as most of Jordan’s other Topps Chrome Refractors.

1998-99 Topps Chrome Basketball Preview #77 Michael Jordan

Jordan’s 1998-99 Topps Chrome base card, his last as a member of the Bulls, is actually one of 10 “Preview” cards included in 1998-99 Topps Basketball packs. Unsurprisingly, it’s a popular issue, in part because of its rarity. 

It’s another stellar Topps Chrome photo for His Airness, fitting to mark the end of his time in Chicago. Instead of a Hollywood cowboy disappearing into a desert sunset, we get Jordan, back turned and his iconic 23 splashed across, rising to the hoops heavens to throw down one more dunk.

1998-99 Topps Chrome Basketball Preview #77 Michael Jordan Refractor

Like with the base card, collectors looking for Jordan’s 1998 Refractor in a pack will have to rip some 1998-99 Topps Basketball packs. Of course, this one is even rarer, and the rainbow background is more stunning.

Backs are noted with “Refractor” under the card number.

1998-99 Topps Chrome Basketball Back 2 Back #B1 Michael Jordan

Jordan is one of seven players to have a 1998-99 Topps Chrome Back 2 Back insert card. Landing 1:12 packs, these focus on players who won major awards or accomplishments at least two years in a row. Jordan’s card back reads like a final boss at the end of a video game.

1998-99 Topps Chrome Basketball Champion Spirit #CS1 Michael Jordan

Another seven-card insert set with 1:12 pack odds, Champion Spirit gets its name for showcasing stars who won team championships. For Jordan, there’s no shortage of those with his six NBA titles, an NCAA Championship, and a pair of Olympic gold medals.

Neither this card nor Jordan’s Back 2 Back insert have any parallels.

2001-02 Topps Chrome Basketball #95 Michael Jordan

He’s back — again! Three years of retirement was enough for Jordan, who made a second comeback in 2001-02, this time as a member of the Washington Wizards. With that came a new batch of Topps Chrome MJ cards, all in a new uniform. Yes, it’s still strange to see, but any MJ cards are a welcome sight.

As with his other Topps Chrome base cards, the photography here is stellar, with a rim-level shot of Jordan ready to dunk. New uniform, same intensity.

2001-02 Topps Chrome Basketball #95 Michael Jordan refractor

Odds on Refractors came down to 1:4 packs for 2001-02 Topps Chrome Basketball. Although not an exact color match when you get to shades, the blue borders do make an already gorgeous card that much more attractive.

2001-02 Topps Chrome Basketball #95 Michael Jordan Black Refractor

As far as Topps Chrome Michael Jordan cards go, this Black Refractor is a big deal. Not only is it his first base parallel outside of a standard Refractor, but it’s also his first serial-numbered Topps Chrome card. With just 50 copies, it’s exceptionally scarce today.

It marks a progression for Topps Chrome Basketball, as this is the first time the brand included multiple levels of base parallels. It’s still a long way from modern rainbows that have dozens of versions, but it gave a small taste of what was to come years later.

2001-02 Topps Chrome Basketball Fast and Furious #FF05 Michael Jordan

Although the insert set might draw its inspiration from the blockbuster movie that came out earlier in 2001, the design is neither fast nor furious. The grid background does the opposite. 

Part of a 14-card checklist, Fast and Furious cards landed 1:6 packs. The relatively easy odds make this one of Jordan’s most affordable Topps Chrome Basketball cards. The Wizards jersey probably contributes, too.

2001-02 Topps Chrome Basketball Fast and Furious #FF05 Michael Jordan Refractor

The brightened background helps things out appearance-wise. At 1:30 packs, Refractors are five times rarer than regular Fast and Furious cards.

2002-03 Topps Chrome Basketball #10 Michael Jordan

2002-03 was Michael Jordan’s final season in the NBA — like, final final. No more high-profile attempts at making it in another sport. He was done. So 2002-03 Topps Chrome Basketball delivered his final appearances with the popular brand. 

The year’s Jordan base card features yet another strong photo, this time of a fadeaway jumper against Morris Peterson of the Toronto Raptors. 

2002-03 Topps Chrome Basketball #10 Michael Jordan refractor

MJ’s last Topps Chrome base card also brought his final Refractor, which just so happens to be a strong color match with his Wizards jersey. Refractors were inserted at a rate of 1:4 packs.

2002-03 Topps Chrome Basketball #10 Michael Jordan White Refractor

What’s this? The rainbow grew for the second consecutive year, with White Refractors added to the parallel mix. They’re not exactly colorful, but they are serial numbered. With 249 copies, it’s more than Jordan’s Black Refractors, but it’s still a small number given his lasting appeal. 

2002-03 Topps Chrome Basketball #10 Michael Jordan Black Refractor

Black Refractors returned for 2002-03 Topps Chrome Basketball. This time, though, they were much more plentiful, with 99 serial numbered copies versus 50 in 2001-02. They’re still rare, but a little less rare.

2002-03 Topps Chrome Basketball Coast to Coast #CC8 Michael Jordan

Jordan is one of 20 players on the Coast to Coast checklist, which landed 1:8 packs. Street signs are the main design feature, making for a busy — and colorful — addition to MJ’s Topps Chrome lineup. 

2002-03 Topps Chrome Basketball Coast to Coast #CC8 Michael Jordan refractor

Unsurprisingly, Coast to Coast got the Refractor treatment as well, and the results are stunning. All that color combined with the hard lines of the signs make for one of the brightest Topps Chrome Michael Jordan cards.

Coast to Coast Refractors surfaced once every 40 packs.

2002-03 Topps Chrome Basketball The Move #TM6 Michael Jordan

At 1:28 packs, The Move inserts were fairly tough to pull even back when 2002-03 Topps Chrome Basketball first came out. The 20-card set highlights players’ signature moves, which for Jordan was his fadeaway jumper. 

2002-03 Topps Chrome Basketball The Move #TM6 Michael Jordan Refractor

The somewhat simple design allows the rainbow effect of the Refractor to jump out. Something else that makes it jump? The 1:140 pack odds for the insert parallel set. With a 20-card checklist, it could potentially take 2,800 packs to land the Jordan.

2002-03 Topps Chrome Basketball Zone Busters #ZB13 Michael Jordan

When there’s something strange running through the court, who you gonna call? 

Zone Busters!

Okay, not exactly a classic. That sums up this insert set as well. While not a horrible design, it doesn’t stand out. Neither does the theme, as it takes on players with the ability to break up Zone Defenses. At 1:12 packs, they’re a little tougher to pull than some of Topps Chrome’s other inserts, but they aren’t exactly rare.

2002-03 Topps Chrome Basketball Zone Busters #ZB13 Michael Jordan Refractor

Chrome cards typically look better as Refractors. That’s certainly true here. With 1:60 pack odds, scarcity comes into play now as well.

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