Collecting cards is a hobby for several people across the world. These cards are often associated with sports and feature images of athletes, along with information about their careers and achievements. Some cards may also include autographs or even pieces of game-worn equipment, significantly increasing their value.
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Recently, while interacting on NASCAR Cup Series driver Corey LaJoie’s Stacking Pennies podcast, former NASCAR driver for 23XI Racing, Kurt Busch, revealed the story of how he got a signed Michael Jordan Rookie card in his possession.
Kurt Busch reveals how he got Michael Jordan to sign on a rookie card
During the latest episode, Busch narrated, “So I signed on with 23XI to race their car, and you have to sign the preseason paperwork and the Daytona 500 entry is blank. So an entry blank literally, it’s not a DocuSign. It’s a handwritten signature.”
“And I got to sign it on the driver line and I look at the owner line. I would have thought that it would have been a team president, Denny’s name. It’s Michael Jordan’s signature across the owner line. And I’m like ding! Light bulb went off in my head. I can get an MJ rookie card and I’ll come up with a plan to get them to sign. Because he signed this entry blank…”
Busch then explained how Jordan rarely ever puts his signature on something. He then mentioned that he called his ‘Las Vegas person’ who was a massive car collector. The former 23XI Racing driver asked him to find a MJ rookie card and the person asked for two days to revert back.
Soon enough, he called Busch back and asked him to send in cash for the card. Busch then asked, “All right. How much? He goes, just send me this deposit. Oh boy…” Subsequently, LaJoie asked, “Was it six figures?” The 2004 Cup Series champion replied, “I can’t tell you that. If I told you that I’d have to kill you…”
Busch explains the details of getting the deal done
Sometime later in the conversation, Busch explained his game plan to get Jordan to sign the card while at Daytona. He apparently asked 23XI co-owner Denny Hamlin, “Hey, I have this plan have MJ sign this card. I want to give it to him because his birthday was the Daytona 500 weekend.”
“Give it to him as a birthday gift. Of course, he’s not going to take it right? But have him sign it. And then when we win together, I get it back.” After hearing his game plan, Hamlin told Busch that he barely got Jordan to sign a pair of shoes for his mother, so he remained skeptical about the whole idea.
He added, “It’s after the qualifying races. He’s over there quintessential MJ with a cigar and his Tequila. We go over there after the race say hi and sing Happy Birthday. ‘MJ I got something. My hand is on this little brown paper bag.” Jordan then told Busch that he did not have to give him anything. But then when he opened the bag, he saw the card and said, “Damn, you paid a pretty penny for this didn’t you?”
Soon after, Busch told Jordan that he had something else to give him. Then he pulled out an autograph pen and told him, “If you sign that, you keep it. You hold on to it. But when we win together, I get it back.” Apparently, Jordan responded and stated, “I’m gonna get you a good one.”
A couple of months after this interaction took place, Busch explained after their race win at Kansas, the card showed up with Jordan’s autograph on it. Later on, he sent the card back to the person who sold it to him to have it graded. He might have received the card back from the dealer later on, but just imagining the value of that card now would give goosebumps to the mere mortals.
