This is the 1996-97 Fleer Metal base card #11 Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls), from the 1996-97 Fleer Metal basketball set (often labeled as 1996 Fleer Metal in shorthand). This set is known for its thick, heavy metallic-foil stock with a hammered/diamond-plate textured background in silver/gray tones, high-gloss finish, embossed foil player name on the right border, vibrant action photo (Jordan mid-jump shot in red Bulls jersey), and stats/bio on the back with color-coded bars.

The card celebrates Jordan’s dominance during the 1995-96 season (leading into ’96-97), with career totals and ’95-96 averages highlighted.Fleer Metal cards from this era are premium but notoriously tough to grade high due to the metallic construction: prone to surface dimples/scratches (foil texture amplifies light reflections of flaws), edge chipping/roughness from the thick stock, corner blunting/whitening, foil registration issues, and minor print/handling marks.

Crescent Vale Scores

Centering: I could not detect any errors and gave it a 10 subgrade.

Edges: Minor wear was there and it received a 9.5.

Corners: One corner was slightly less than perfect and it was given a 9.

Surface: Very little imperfections were visible and it was a 9.5.

Crescent Vale Overall Score: Mint+ 9.5

Grok AI Scores

Centering: Front looks solid (roughly 50/50 to 55/45 horizontal/vertical; no major tilt visible in full shots). Back stats bars and text are evenly placed. No obvious off-centering in close-ups. 9.0–9.5 (strong for the set).

Corners: Corners appear mostly sharp in main shots, but close-ups show subtle blunting, minor whitening, or fuzz on at least a couple (e.g., bottom corners in angled views). No heavy dings, but typical light wear for metallic stock handling over time. 7.5–8.5 (the primary limiter; these cards often lose points here).

Edges: Edges are generally clean with good metallic sheen, but some micro-roughness or faint chipping/whitening visible in edge-on/angled close-ups (common on thick foil layers). No major dents or separation. 8.0–8.5.

Surface: The metallic background has vibrant rainbow/foil pop under light, with good gloss retention. However, close-ups reveal light dimples, micro-scratches, or texture irregularities in the hammered pattern (specks/dots under angled lighting, especially on the green/purple areas and around Jordan’s image). Foil name border shows minor registration variance or light chipping on embossed letters. No creases, stains, or heavy print defects, but the foil highlights subtleties that graders penalize. 7.5–8.0 (typical drag for Fleer Metal—pristine surfaces are rare).

Grok AI Overall Grade Assessment: 8-8.5 – Near Mint-Mint+

This is a solid mid-to-high-grade raw example with excellent eye appeal (vibrant colors, sharp photo, intact foil) but clear metallic-specific wear that prevents elite marks. Corners/surface are the drags, consistent with how these grade (many cap at 8-9 due to foil texture/edges).

PSA Grade: 8 NM-MT (Near Mint-Mint) — Likely lands here: strong overall but corners/edges/surface imperfections hold it from 9. (PSA 9s for this card #11 are tougher and command premiums; PSA 10s are very scarce/pop-limited and sell for $500+.)

BGS Grade Equivalent: Probably 8.5 or 8.0 (sub-grades like Centering 9.5, Corners 8, Edges 8.5, Surface 8—foil often gets dinged to 8 range).

Please Note: This card is housed in a custom display slab for superior protection and presentation. While the label may include descriptive details, this is not a grade from a third-party professional service (such as PSA, BGS, or SGC). The card is being sold as Raw/Ungraded. Please review the high-resolution photos provided to make your own assessment of the card’s condition before bidding or purchasing.