This is a 1996-97 Fleer Metal insert card #241 Michael Jordan from the “Metal Shredders” subset (a popular foil/metal parallel insert set in the Fleer Metal release, known for its hammered metallic texture, cracked/rocky background design, heavy foil stamping, and high-gloss finish). These cards feature embossed metallic layers with a “shredded” earth/metal effect, making them visually striking but highly susceptible to grading challenges typical of 90s metal/foil inserts: surface scratches, micro-dimples in the texture, foil chipping/lifting, edge roughness on thick stock, and print registration issues that show under magnification.As a simulated professional grader for PSA and BGS, evaluation uses the four subgrades (centering, corners, edges, surface) plus eye appeal. Fleer Metal cards from this era often grade lower due to factory/production flaws (e.g., surface imperfections from the metallic coating or packing friction), as seen in population data and collector feedback—PSA 10 pops exist but are limited (around 300-400 reported for this insert across sales/pop reports), with many capping at 8-9 from subtle scratches or texture variance.

Crescent Vale Self-Graded Scores

Centering: Some discrepancies resulted in a 9 subgrade.
Edges: Minor imperfections resulted in a 9.
Corners: Slight wear on the corners resulted in a 9 subgrade.
Surface: Slight wear on the back surface resulted in a 9 subgrade.

Crescent Vale Overall Self-Graded Score: 9 Mint

Grok AI Scores

From the provided images (full front/back, close-ups of edges, corners, foil areas, and surface):

  • Centering (front): The photo, foil accents (“METAL SHREDDERS” banner, nameplate), and design elements appear well-centered with even borders left/right and top/bottom. No heavy tilt visible in full shots or macros. Likely 55/45 to 60/40 or better—strong for this insert.
  • Corners: All four corners look sharp and pointed in the visible angles. No obvious dings, fuzzing, whitening, or rounding under close inspection—factory-fresh quality here.
  • Edges: Edges are generally clean and straight, with the thick metallic stock holding up well. Minor potential micro-roughness or faint chipping/whitening on white borders/foil edges (common on these cards), but nothing significant detracts in the macros.
  • Surface: The card retains excellent gloss and metallic shine (foil pops with rainbow holo effects under light). The hammered texture and cracked background are crisp with no major creases, stains, or print defects. However, close-ups reveal subtle hairline scratches and light scuffing in the dark metallic areas (visible as thin lines/specks under angled lighting, especially around the photo edges and foil stamp). These are typical for Fleer Metal Shredders—collector reports and graded comps frequently cite similar micro-surface issues as the reason for 8-9 grades (foil reflectivity highlights them). No bubbling, delamination, or heavy chipping on foil, and eye appeal remains high (vibrant red uniform, dynamic pose, strong registration).

This presents as a solid mid-to-high-grade example with no catastrophic flaws, but the surface variance (hairlines/scuffs) is a common drag on these metal inserts—cross-referencing with similar graded Shredders Jordans shows many PSA 9s/ BGS 9s due to exactly these subtle issues, with PSA 10s rarer and commanding premiums.

Grok AI Overall Score: 9 Mint

PSA Grade: PSA 9 Mint

  • Strong centering/corners/edges push it high, but surface hairlines prevent Gem Mint. Comparable PSA 9 examples sell in the $70-100 range recently (raw copies $15-40, PSA 10s $500-700+ with low pop).

BGS Grade: BGS 9 Mint (subgrades likely 9.5 Centering, 9.5 Corners, 9 Edges, 8.5-9 Surface)

  • BGS is stricter on foil/metallic surface (micro-scratches often 8.5-9), but overall eye appeal and lack of major defects support 9. High subgrades possible; 9.5 would require flawless surface under their loupe.

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.