1996 Upper Deck SPx Basketball Hobby Box
36 packs per box, 1 card per pack

Inserts:
Gold Regular Player (1:7 packs)
Holoview Heroes (1:24 packs)
Michael Jordan Record Breaker (1:75 packs)
Anfernee Hardaway Tribute (1:95 packs)
Autograph Trade (1:1,294 packs)
Anfernee Hardaway Autographs (1:1,1345 packs)
Michael Jordan Autographs (1:34,560 packs)

Michael Jordan’s first autographed card available through packs was featured in this beautiful set, and is extremely rare. A trade card was inserted into packs at a rate of 1:34,560 packs. It had to be redeemed by 12/31/1996, so the window of opportunity was limited. Upper Deck would mail back the autographed card with a hologram on the back containing the prefix BAD. They also sent a separate 2.5”x3.5” authentication card with a hologram on it containing a matching BAD number as was on the autographed card. (Although it has been said that BAC was also used, I have never seen an authentication card with that prefix. It is always BAD). For some reason, Beckett assigned this card a #NNO designation. All Jordan autographs have the number 8 on the back. There are no unnumbered versions. This historic and beautiful piece is rarely offered for sale.

Note: Autographed versions of this card that have holograms containing prefixes BAE, BAF, and BAG were signed during the mid 2000’s at Jordan’s basketball camps. They come with a much larger tri-fold authentication card, and it clearly indicates that the card was signed at a camp, and gives the location of the camp (Ex. Elmhurst, IL).

Is it true that an autographed MJ could be obtained in these packs? I see reference to a "trade card" on the box, which makes me think it would need to be mailed in, in order to receive the auto.

"two separate trade cards were available for signed Jordan and Hardaway cards. The odds of receiving a Jordan trade card were 1:34,560 packs. The Hardaway trade card was more than 25 times easier to pull at a rate of 1,345 packs. The Jordan AU was issued with a card sized certificate of authenticity, and the Upper Deck Authenticated hologram sticker on these cards carries a "BAC" or "BAD" prefix to the serial number."

This is a 1995-96 season release, in fact, it was the last one. It was the first set issued after I personally discovered NBA basketball cards, and also the first set I completed, as I recieved a complete set for my birthday in 1996.