An odd pop culture crossover is once again drawing attention, as people are reminded of the unique qualities of a 1990 basketball card.
Sports cards, in general, aren’t nearly as popular as they were in their heyday, but a solid, well-preserved card can still net a collector some serious cash. The Mark Jackson 1990 hoops card isn’t overly valuable all on its own — despite Jackson’s impressive resume both on and off the court — but a pair of unlikely additions, nestled into the background, could see the card’s value spike immensely in the next few years.
See, the card’s value — despite displaying Jackson when he was a member of the New York Knicks — isn’t really rooted in Jackson at all. Instead, its higher-than-usual value can be attributed to two of the 1990 game’s attendees, who can be seen in the background of the card. Lyle and Erik Menéndez can be seen, with relative clarity, just behind Jackson on the card, and their renewed notoriety is already working to boost the card’s value.
Who are the Menéndez brothers?
Before we get into what the card itself is worth, let’s dig into why it’s valuable in the first place. It is, unfortunately for Jackson, not due to his stellar track record on the court — which includes a stint as the Golden State Warriors head coach — but due to the presence of several fans. The infamous Menéndez brothers are clearly displayed on the card, just behind Jackson, and their presence is likely to give the card a boost.
That’s all due to the murder of José and Mary Louise (or “Kitty”) Menéndez. The Menéndez brothers managed to dodge charges in the murder of their parents for several years, following the horrific act, before they were finally found guilty in 1996 — a full seven years after the murders were committed. In 1989, when the brothers sauntered into their parents’ Beverly Hills mansion and shot them a total of 16 times, they walked away from charges without a second thought. They spent the next several months making a hearty effort to spend as much of their family money as they could, buying up properties, cars, and — you guessed it — basketball tickets.
All of this led them to appear in the background of Jackson’s 1990 rookie card, after they attended one of his games. Their unexpected appearance on the card, after they killed their parents but before they were convicted, makes the card a piece of history, and one that people are eager to snatch up.
How much is the Mark Jackson/Menéndez brothers card worth?
The Mark Jackson 1990 NBA Hoops rookie card has seen spikes in value before, and it’s fair to assume the card is once again headed toward a surge. Next year, a fresh documentary about the Menéndez murders is set to debut via the second season of Monster. The first season zeroed in on notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, and a new season — titled Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story — will shift focus to the infamous brothers.
The new season of Monster is set to release on Netflix in 2024, and frequent sports card traders are expecting the card to see an increase in value that coincides with the show. The card could even get a mention in the series, which would certainly help it to sell for more, as eager murder fans (an odd group, but a prevalent one nonetheless) snatch up memorabilia from the crime.
Currently, a Mark Jackson card with the Menéndez brothers in the background will run a buyer between $3 and $300, depending on quality and PSA rating. A range of the cards are available via eBay for reasonably low prices, ranging typically between $1 and $10, but one or two options —pledging authenticity — rocket the price up to a whopping $1,250. This latter price is likely to become the norm, as the Menéndez name once again becomes common knowledge, and people rush to snatch up a staple of pop culture history for themselves.
If you’d like to get in on the card trading action ahead of Monster‘s release, Sports Card Pro currently lists a number of the cards for sale, with prices falling in the $3 to $300 range. The most expensive options, which are PSA certified, are still reasonably affordable, but that’s bound to change once the Netflix true-crime series drops.