Jeff Malone’s rookie card can be found in 1986-87 Fleer, and currently sells for five figures. Why is it so valuable, and are there any other options to chase?

Two-time All-Star Jeff Malone is best known for his time spent with the Washington Bullets. The shooting guard was drafted 10th overall in 1983, going on to make his NBA debut in October 1983. 

Somewhat underrated, he spent 13 years in the league, and he left Washington as the second-leading scorer in franchise history, only behind Elvin Hayes.

There are over 250 base Malone cards, but there’s only one RC, with a few early Star cards to chase. Let’s take a look at the best options overall.

The Best Jeff Malone Rookie Cards

There’s only one true Jeff Malone RC, but we’ve included a couple of early options from his NBA debut. 

3. 1983-84 Star Jeff Malone XRC #212 (eBay)

The 1983-84 Star set is where you’ll find the first ever Jeff Malone card. It was the first major NBA release for the brand, with a blue border that helps it to stand out compared to the red sets seen in later years. 

An XRC, it uses a great action shot of Malone on the attack. Sets were limited to a reported total of 5,000, and the cards were only made available via mail-order. One of the reasons for the XRC designation is the method of release, as cards were sent out in teams, rather than individually.  

Check prices of 1983-84 Star Jeff Malone XRC on eBay

2. 1985-86 Star Jeff Malone #112 (eBay) 

Star continued to release Malone cards all the way up to the 1985-86 season. This option has a more familiar red border rather than the blue seen with the 1983 collection.

1985 Star is slightly contentious, as it’s rumored that some of the cards continued to be printed long after the season finished. Considering there’s a Michael Jordan rookie in the collection, it’s easy to see why it would be tempting to keep up production. In any case, we’d stick with graded versions to be sure. 

Check prices of 1985-86 Star Jeff Malone on eBay

1. 1986-87 Fleer Jeff Malone RC #67 (eBay) 

Believe it or not, Jeff Malone’s RC in the 1986-87 Fleer set is slightly overshadowed by Michael Jordan. Regardless, both players share a rookie within the fabled collection, which has a familiar red, white, and blue border. Malone is pictured during his time spent with the Washington Bullets. 

There’s a massive market for PSA 10 copies of this Malone card, with one selling for $11,692 as part of the Memory Lane Summer 2022 Auction. Of course, that’s more to do with the set itself, but it’s still noteworthy. There are only 66 Gem Mint copies at the current time of writing. 

Check prices of 1986-87 Fleer Jeff Malone RC on eBay

Jeff Malone Rookie Cards: Are They Worth It?

If you’re not bothered about collecting pristine versions, PSA 9 copies of the Jeff Malone RC are selling for under $300 as of December 2022. You should be able to grab a PSA 7 grade for less than twenty bucks. At least this means that there’s something to suit every budget.

It’s a great option for any fans of the Wizards franchise. 

Jeff Malone Rookie Cards: Final Thoughts 

Malone might not be the biggest star from the era, but there’s a considerable market for PSA 10 copies of his Fleer RC. That’s mostly down to MJ, and collectors who want to complete pristine sets. 

However, Malone was a great player in his own right, who scored over 17,000 points at a 19 point per game average. 

He’s not in the Hall of Fame, which does lower values and overall interest to some extent.