Instead of producing a second series of Metal Universe basketball in 1997-98, Fleer/SkyBox introduced Metal Universe Championship as a new product. The initial Metal Universe release proved popular with collectors who chased the Red and Green Precious Metal Gems parallels on Marvel-inspired etched foil cards. But the Championship edition changed the narrative. The 100-card set used backgrounds ranging from cityscapes to landscapes to outer space behind action photos of players. Ray Allen is a perfect example of this with lush Milwaukee cityscape providing the backdrop.
PMGs returned to the new set, but instead of colored foil, the parallel utilized holographic spirals, and Fleer/SkyBox capped production at /50 for the 98 player cards. As with their predecessors, the full-foil fronts of the Championship PMGs frequently incurred chips, scratches, and other blemishes, leaving well-preserved examples for and far between.
One of Jordan’s most popular and valuable cards, this iconic parallel features MJ making his way to the basket with the Chicago skyline in the background. It's an unforgettable card of a one-of-a-kind player.
The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 05/22/2026.
