This is a follow-up to my previous post about using the jock tag, NBA logo and collar label to determine the exact year that Champion released a particular jersey. Often times, you can pinpoint the year a jersey was produced by obvious aesthetic traits like the color, graphics/logo, and font of the player name. Or you can use simple logic based on team rosters and players that might have only played for a particular team for one season. But there are teams like the Bulls that didn’t change their jerseys the entire time that Champion produced replica jerseys from
Hello. I just ordered a couple of second hand jerseys that have been lying in the basement for roughly 20 years (according to the previous owner). One of them is the red jersey. It has the tag in the collar similar to the 96-97 you show here, but it says this instead: “Authentic Athletic Apparel Assembled in Costa Rica of U.S. Components fiber content on reverse.” Does it still mean it is a 96-97 jersey?
The other one is clearly a european version produced in Italy size M. Any way to determine the year of these jerseys? I cannot find any date/year in any of the tags.
Regards
A lot of Bulls jerseys from 1995/1996 seasons through 1997/1998 seasons have the Made in Costa Rica tags. You’ll also see them on Rockets and Sixers jerseys. Refer to my blog post on tags for more clarification: http://championblogger.com/blog/?p=2177
Hey quick question, I recently bought a 91-92 from eBay but noticed that when I received it the sizing seems pretty off. It’s a 48 but definitely does not measure up to my other 48s I have. Is this normal?
I’ve run into this in the past. It could be mislabeled. I had a Bo Kimble Clippers jersey that was labeled a 44 but was definitely a 48
Hey man just wanted to thank you for this site its amazing! ive spent the last 2 hours reading all your articles and its so informative! i had a pretty good base knowledge before as ive collected over 100 different champion jerseys but wow compared to you im a noob! so my question was about a jordan black replica i have. It says made in the US, and has no neck tag which i find interesting. Unless the previous ripped off the neck tag perfectly, but also the bulls didn’t start wearing black alt jerseys until 95-96 right? I’m trying to figure out what year to place this jersey. Thanks again!
You’re correct, the Bulls didn’t start wearing black alternate jerseys until the 1995-1996 season. But, although Champion moved a bulk of production to Mexico starting in the 1995-1996 season, there were still jerseys issued that season that were made in the USA. Particularly rookie jerseys (like Jerry Stackhouse), teams that had redesigned jerseys (like the Rockets or the expansion Raptor and Grizzlies) and teams that had new alternate jerseys (like the Bulls or Bucks). These would have been issued prior to the start of the 1995 season due to demand and to get the new designs in the hands of fans before the season started, and therefore would have been produced in USA plants. So you have an early run of a Bulls Jordan alternate jersey from the 1995-1996 season.
I’m trying to pinpoint the year of my jersey. I have the larger blue tag but it says made is USA, with the stitches NBA logo, and the jock tag also says made in the USA.
I have a Michael Jordan jersey that has to be a 96-97 version to 98-99 version range. But it says
Champion did have jerseys made in Costa Rica in the late 90s: black Bulls, black 76ers jerseys and Rockets jerseys
Was there ever a Michael Jordan Champion Bulls Rookie NBA Jersey made for the 50th season.
Yep, check out my 50th Anniversary Gallery. It has every jersey from that collection
I have an MJ Jersey by Champion that is a little
Yes, the 1991-1992 Jordan Bulls authentic jerseys had heat pressed letters. Fabric should be polyester and not nylon (which it sounds like thats the case). Your heat pressed letters should have tiny holes in them. Also, it will have an embroidered NBA logo on the tank and no Champion logo (and the NBA logo should be positioned pretty high on the tank, almost on the shoulder). If all those thing are true, you have an original authentic jersey from Champion’s 1991-1992 inaugural season of issuing NBA jerseys for retail.
So does someone have an idea how much the 91-92 replica is worth? I came across one and do not know the value of it. Its currently sitting in my closet collecting dust and in great condition. White name on back and iron on NBA felt patch.
You have to be a real collector to care enough about it being a 91-92 first year issue. Jordan jerseys are the most common since Champion produced 100s of thousands throughout the 90s. But still there is always steady demand for anything Jordan, so his replica normally sells between $20 and $50 depending on the size (and that goes for the 91-92 replica). The #45 jerseys have become more popular lately and have a little premium…sometimes going for up to $75 depending on home/away.
I have an original 90’s black pinstripe authentic michael jordan jersey with the original tags. It has a gold NBA logo on the front. The tag says made in USA and is 100% polyester. I was wondering if you can provide any information on what year this might have been from, the significance of the gold NBA logo and maybe the rarity of an item like this. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Its from the 1996-1997 season when the NBA celebrated it’s 50th anniversary (hence the gold NBA logo). The pinstripe jersey is pretty common since Jordan was so popular, but it’s always in demand. The Jordan gold logo 1996-1997 jersey is definitely more scarce than the normal logo pinstripe from other seasons, and the fact that yours still has tags makes it more valuable. Without tags, these sell in the $100 – $150 range. You would get a little premium since it has tags, but would have to find the right buyer who cares about that and is willing to pay.
I recently bought a good Michael Jordan jersey. It seems to be in awesome condition for being over 20 years old but the tag on the neck says made in USA and the tag at the bottom looks like the one that you say they used when they produced them in Mexico from us materials. Plus the color matches the ones on line until I take a picture of it and it looks yellow. Are there fakes of these jerseys out there or do I just have something that is pieced together? I can not find any info on fakes of these besides apparent knockoffs that don’t have any champion logo or the numbers seen on
Are you referring to an authentic/sewn jersey or replica jersey?
Hi I have a champion replica Chicago bulls jordan jersey in red. The front logo has
You have the NBA 50th Anniversary edition Michael Jordan Bulls jersey from 1996-1997. Check out my NBA 50th Anniversary gallery for all the jerseys from that collection. It isn’t extremely rare, but is a collectible Jordan jersey. It usually sells for around $100.
Very informative article. Do you know if Champion made #23 Jerseys from 1994-1995 or were they only #45’s? Recently purchased a Jersey I’m confused about. No neck tag, sewn on NBA logo on front along with Champion logo, Jock tag says “Made in USA” as well as the wash tag inside towards the bottom of the Jersey and that still has an inspection sticker (Jersey appears new). Looks and feels quality, but I’m skeptical after reading this.
They only made #45 when Jordan returned starting in March 1995, but would have switched back to making #23 pretty quickly after he switched back during the playoffs in May 1995. But they printed well over one million #45 jerseys so those were in stores for a bit alongside the #23. But this is a common question…your jersey is legit. You can have a sewn on NBA logo and Made in USA jock tag on 1995-1996 Jordan #23 jerseys…Champion was just using the rest of their old blank jerseys to print the first runs of the 1995-1996 Jordan #23 jerseys. You’ll find this with some other teams/players as well for the 1995-1996 season.
I have a Jordan 23 Champion jersey with the following:
Gold NBA logo patch.
Sewn letters and numbers.
Made in USA collar tag.
Made in USA jock tag (48).
There is no Champion logo under the NBA logo. Purchased at the United Center at a Bulls Game.
I can send a picture if possible.
Do you think it is legit?
Well if you purchased it at a Bulls game yourself from a vendor inside United Center, it’s legit. Also, all the descriptors you provided makes it sound like a legit authentic Jordan Jersey to me
Hello! I have a Champion Reversible Michael Jordan and Grant Hill on the same Jersey! Somebody told me there are rivalry editions with two players from two different teams. What do you know about this?
Yes, they were part of Champions reversible collection, which was first launched during the 1996-1997 NBA season, just after the All-Star game in February 1997. The first collection of reversible was home/away jersey for single players like Jordan, Iverson, Grant Hill, etc. But in late 1997-1998 season, Champion added “Two Player” Reversible Jerseys. It wasn’t necessarily a rivalry edition. Combos included: Jordan/Hill, Webber/Kemp, Marbury/Iverson, Penny Hardaway/Kidd, Garnett/Kobe and Olajuwon/Shaq. They retailed for $54.99, whereas a typical replica jersey was $39.99. I plan on doing a reversible gallery and post at some point.
Hi, I have a Jordan jersey that has the gold NBA logo sewn onto the tank without the champion
Sounds like you have a 1996-1997 Authentic Jordan Jersey…are the name and numbers sewn on?
Dear Champion Blogger,
Were there any original MJ Jerseys with white inside instead of red? You see that sometimes in other Jerseys, too.
Thanks
Whenever you see a white inner on the main jersey shell, that is a Champion Europe jersey. Those jerseys will have jock tags that have a letter size (S, M, L or XL) instead of numerical (36, 40, 44 or 48). Also the graphics are dye sublimation versus screen print and the fabric isn’t nylon.
How you doing? great blog by the way. I just wanted to get your knowledge on an MJ replica jersey i’m looking to cop on ebay. it has every characteristic of a 94-95 replica except it’s his #23 on it. Did champion really produce those or am I looking at real good fake?
No worries, it’s legit
So of course I’m watching ‘The Last Dance’ in my Champion Jordan Jersey from 20+ years ago and I stumble upon your site. For the life of me, I can place the year of my jersey. Sewn on NBA logo, tag sewn into left side hemline with jock tag reading ‘Made in USA’. What year would you give to it?
Sewn on NBA logo with Made in USA jock tag = 1995-1996 season
So I have the 96-97 Jordan jersey champion 46 +3 exclusively for the Chicago bulls. And on the inside seam tag is written number 345. I know these were only for him but was wondering how to figure out the provenance or if it
In order to verify if it’s a game used/team-issued versus a Pro-Cut, you would need to send it into an auction house for authentication, which would come with a cost. They look at stitching and wear/tear. First they would ask how you got a hold of it to determine if they would even take the time to look at it. For instance, if you got it from someone associated with the Bulls. But if you got it online without any documentation, they probably won’t take the time to authenticate
I have a 95-96 jersey with all the same characteristics as yours but on the inside left seam there is a white label with a number 28 written on it in ball point pen. I don’t know what this number means. Obviously it was a 28 of something.
Is there a Champion Jersey (1994-1995) that is REVERSIBLE (RED and BLACK each side)? is it fake or is it rare? i have one but i cant see a tag in its hemline, its jock tag says it is MADE IN USA. Thank you and more power..
The Champion home/away reversible jerseys were sold during the 1996-1997 and 1997-1998 seasons. The 1996-1997 versions were Made in USA, while the 1997-1998 were not. For the most part, one side is the home while the other side is the away. They retailed for $54.99 whereas a regular replica retailed for $39.99. They launched in the second half of the 1996-1997 season after the All Game and Champion partnered up with Champs and Foot Locker for the exclusive release. They did a commercial with Gary Payton, but Nike (who had Payton under contract) sued Champion over the ads. For the 1997-1998 season the jerseys were more widely sold, including through Eastbay. There were 15+ players including Jordan, Grand Hill, Iverson, Kobe, Kevin Garnett and Stephon Marbury. I’ll plan on doing a gallery and post at some point
I have a replica Jordan jersey that matches all of the criteria you list for the 1994-95 jersey (no neck tag (no evidence of one being cut off), jock tag says “made in USA,” left side tag “colors 100% nylon-white 100% poly-rib 100% poly,” and sewn-on NBA and Champion embroidered logos. The only difference is, the number is #23, not #45. Was there a run of jerseys with #23 post-season? Otherwise, I might think it is from 1992-93, but the font looks different and it does not have the iron on NBA logo. Any thoughts or advice you have would be appreciated.
Yes, once Jordan switched back to #23 Champion began printing those by the millions and used their remains supply of blank jerseys with the Made in USA jock tags to meet the demand. So you’ll see 1995-1996 Jordan jerseys with sewn NBA patch but Made in USA jock tag.
Hey there, I am a big fan of your blog. It’s packed full of great information. I was curious if an Authentic Road Red Champion Michael Jordan Jersey with Made in the USA tags, sewn on NBA logo, no Champion logo above, and White outline name letters is expected? And if there is anyway to identify the year?
Yes, most Jordan Authentic jerseys have the traits you describe. But traits you describe would be Jordan Authentic jerseys would only be for the 1992-1993 and 1995-1996 seasons. For the 1991-1992 season, the letters/numbers were screenprinted on the Authentic jerseys and the Jordan nameplate was all white. For the 1993-1994 season, Jordan played baseball. For the 1994-1995 season, this was Jordan’s comeback when he chose #45 (before switching back to to #23), so for the 1994-1995 season Champion only produced Authentics with #45. For the 1996-1997 season, the Jordan Authentic jersey would have the gold NBA logo to commemorate the NBA celebrating it’s 50th Anniversary. And for the 1997-1998 season, Nike became the official uniform supplier for the Bulls and Champion was no longer able to produce Jordan Authentic jerseys. So, you can almost date any Jordan Authentic, and the 1992-1993 and 1995-1996 Authentic would be the only jerseys that look the exact same
I inherited some items from a relative. He had some game worn or team issued items. I recently started going through some stuff and found a Jordan jersey. As such I embarked on this journey. It is a Champion size 46. It also has a tag next to the Champion size tag that says it was designed and tailored exclusively for the Chicago Bulls. Body Length +3. The Jerry West logo is all Gold. Any thoughts?
It sounds like you have a 1996-1997 Pro Cut Michael Jordan Bulls jersey. That’s a nice collectible that can fetch $2,000+ assuming its legit.
Hi
I have a replica Champion of the Bulls with a tag that shows a text which says:
It’s a Champion Europe jersey….I’m assuming the tag also has the size as a letter (S, M, L or XL) and not as a number.
i have a jordan champion black jersey… neck tag reads( authentic athletic apparel
assembled in costa rica of us component fiber content on reverse)
back of tag
100% nylon
rn 26094 ca 21356
assembled in costa rica of us components
p.o. box 3012
winston-salem,nc
27102-3012
white tag under champion tag reads
111-003
92 423973
24
27397
rn 26194
has tag on bottom jersey sz 52
BUT DOES NOT HAVE THE (C) CHAMPION LOGO AND NBA LOGO ON THE JERSEY
i think i bought it at the sears tower store in chicago i think 1998
Someone could have removed the patch and logo, or they came off over time if the jersey has excessive use/laundering.
I found a red Jordan jersey packed away. It has a sewn in label on the collar, a sewn on NBA tag on the left side with no white outline and no champion symbol underneath it, a jock tag that has
Sounds like you have an authentic Jordan jersey (and maybe a Pro Cut if it has two tags on the lower hem, one that says size 46 and one that says Body Length +3). If it has these features, then it’s worth some money. If it doesn’t, it’s still an authentic jersey with autograph, you would just have to get the signature authenticated in order to get top dollar.
Hi
I have a red chicago bulls jersey that says 95-96 on the tag body length +3
46 and made in USA on the jock tag. The issue I have is the name Jordan on the back is placed higher to the neckline than photos i’ve seen. Can it be some sort of replica jersey? There’s a white label on the inside seam that says body fabric colours 100% nylon white 100% polyester with an odd number 28 written in ball point pen on the back. it’s a signed jersey i’ve had for over 20 years but what i’m trying to establish is if it’s game worn or just a signed replica
You have a Pro-Cut jersey, not game worn though. Probably an Upper Deck authenticated jersey since it is autographed and is true to Jordan’s sizing. The 28 written on the inside label most likely indicates it was 28 out of XX amount of jerseys signed.
Hi, I have just re-arranged my storage, I found my vintage champions 1992 dream team jerseys. Mine are Pippen
Yes, the Dream Team jerseys were some of the first replica jerseys that Champion produced and it’s common to see variations in the fabric. In my assessment, the versions with larger holes were the original production runs.
Hi sir. I found your website by accident when i try to find infomation on NBA jersey. Im very impressed with all your work and sharing all the information. Definitely will spend more time to read and learn about jersey here 🙂 Oh btw I got a 50th NBA Chicago Bulls Dennis Rodman jersey BNWT i planning to let go. How much should i put a price on it? I found in ebay someone list it $399..but it try to find more accurate price since ebay can be overprice.
I always say it’s worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it. The fact that it is BNWT definitely adds some value. You can either start it low and have a traditional auction where people bid against each other, and probably sell it for $100 – $150, or do a buy it now for whatever price you want in hopes the right person eventually comes along who will pay a premium.
Hello! This blog is incredible! I recently started to collect Champion jerseys and had my eye on what looks to be a 91-92 road red Jordan Replica. I
Sometimes the 100% Nylon tag has been removed or worn away. If Jordan’s nameplate on back of jersey is solid white lettering, then it’s 1991-1992
Hello,
Loved reading your blog but made me wonder about my champion replica jersey..
My jersey doesn
Most likely someone just removed the logo
As a fan of your blog and a huge fan of Michael Jordan, I simply couldn