1991-92 Upper Deck Basketball Cards: Review, Jordan Chase & Box Opening

When you grow up just outside of Chicago during the 90s Bulls dynasty, opening basketball cards wasn’t just a hobby — it was an event.

Every trip to the local card shop felt like another chance to pull something incredible, especially if Michael Jordan was involved. Buying a premium pack of Upper Deck in the early 90s felt like a big investment, and it WAS because I only had a few dollars to spend.

I know you be laughing at those glasses!

This 1991-92 Upper Deck Basketball Cards review takes me back to those memories as I crack open a factory-sealed box of Upper Deck’s very first basketball release.

My mission? To finally chase two cards I could never seem to pull as a kid — the legendary Michael Jordan Award Winner AW1 and AW4 holograms.

My 1991-92 Upper Deck Basketball Box Opening

In this video, I open a factory-sealed 1991-92 Upper Deck Basketball Inaugural Edition box and revisit one of the most influential basketball card releases ever produced. Along the way, I share:

• Why this set meant so much to me growing up
• Upper Deck’s strategy on their inaugural release
• The data behind Jordan holograms and why it’s nearly impossible to hit a Gem Mint 10 (see those rates further below)

By the way, if you’re a fan of Jordan and recently jumped back into the hobby, I think you’ll find this helpful: How to Collect Michael Jordan Cards (on a budget) — I walk you through my 5 pillars.

Set Snapshot

Ready to Rip a Box Yourself?

Factory-sealed boxes are still available if you’d like to experience this iconic release yourself. Browse the latest eBay listings below to compare Buy It Now prices and live auctions.

Every Michael Jordan Card in the Set

One of the biggest reasons collectors still love this release is the variety of Michael Jordan cards available. Here are the 6 Jordan cards available in Series 1:

1. Base Card (#44)
2. All-Star (#69)
3. Jordan vs. Magic (#34)
4. Collector’s Choice Bulls Team Checklist (#75)
5. Award Winner Hologram (AW1, Scoring Champion)
6. Award Winner Hologram (AW4, MVP)

And 2 more Jordan cards were released in Series 2:

1. All-Star Checklist (#48)
2. All-Star (#452)

Why Everyone Chases the AW1 & AW4 Holograms

The entire reason I bought this sealed box was to chase two cards that always escaped me as a kid: the Michael Jordan Award Winner AW1 and AW4 holograms.

Ironically, these cards aren’t necessarily impossible to pull. What makes them so desirable today is how difficult they are to find in Gem Mint condition. Before opening my box, I looked through PSA population data and was surprised to see just how few have earned a PSA 10:

• AW1 = 1.6% of cards submitted (see on GemRate.com)
• AW4 = 4.6% of cards submitted (see on GemRate.com)

Furthermore, as of the day I published this content (July 2026), there are only three AW4 and zero AW1 in a PSA 10 grade available for purchase on eBay!

Why 1991-92 Upper Deck Changed Basketball Cards Forever

When Upper Deck entered the baseball card market in 1989, it completely changed collectors’ expectations:

• premium card stock
• incredible photography
• tamper-resistant foil packs
• hologram security features

It made Upper Deck feel like a luxury product compared to anything that had come before. Just two years later, the company brought that same premium approach to basketball.

At the time, most collectors were buying Fleer, Hoops, or SkyBox. Upper Deck positioned itself as the premium brand, with packs typically costing around $1.00 to $1.50 each—roughly twice the price of many competing products.

Need some new Products?

Aside from this PREZA case for graded cards (you’ll see 2 different ones in this review), here are a few of my favorite products:

PREZA Graded Card Case - Slab Case for Graded Slabs - Premium Trading Card Storage Box with Upgraded Combination and Key Lock (X-Large)

Rongon Jewelers Loupe Magnifiers 10X Magnifying Glass with Light Magnifying Lens with Light Scale and Measure Scale for Jewelry, Seniors Read, Map, Stamps, Macular Degeneration, Inspection

DEEIF Toploader Storage Box, Trading Card Storage Box with 5 Dividers, Hard Plastic TCG Card Storage Box for Top Loaders, Large for 165 Toploaders 650 Cards (2 Pack)

Cardboard Gold Penny Sleeves for Trading Cards - 1000 Count Card Protector Sleeves with Durable, Crystal-Clear Plastic for Baseball, Sports, Collector, Standard-Sized Cards 2-5/8” x 3-5/8” (67x94mm)

Dad’s Final Thoughts

If you grew up collecting basketball cards in the early ’90s, this box is more than just cardboard — it’s a time machine.

Between the Hall of Famers, iconic Michael Jordan cards, and the thrill of chasing those elusive holograms, the 1991-92 Upper Deck Basketball factory-sealed box is one I’d happily open again.