You’re digging through a dusty shoebox of junk wax era basketball cards and you see him. Mark Jackson. He’s in his New York Knicks home white jersey, mid-bounce, eyes up the court at Madison Square Garden. It’s a standard 1990-91 Hoops #205 card. For decades, this thing was worth maybe a nickel. If you were lucky, someone might give you a dime for it.
Then, everything changed.
If you look just past Jackson’s left hip, sitting right there in the front row, you’ll see two young men with thick, dark hair. They look like any other wealthy fans in the late 80s. But those aren't just fans. Those are Lyle and Erik Menendez.
The nba card menendez brothers discovery is honestly one of the weirdest intersections of true crime and sports history ever recorded. It wasn't found by a sports historian or a card expert. It was found by a guy named Stephen Zerance who was just deep-diving into the brothers' spending habits after they killed their parents in August 1989.
Why the Mark Jackson Card Blew Up
Before the internet realized what was happening, this was a "common." You'd find it in the bottom of bargain bins. But once the photo went viral on Reddit and Twitter around 2018, the hobby went absolutely nuclear.
The chilling part isn't just that they're on the card. It's the timing.
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- August 20, 1989: Jose and Kitty Menendez are murdered in their Beverly Hills home.
- Late 1989: The Knicks game in the photo takes place. The brothers are on a massive spending spree, dropping hundreds of thousands on cars, watches, and these courtside seats.
- March 1990: The brothers are finally arrested.
- Late 1990: The Hoops set is released to the public.
Basically, the photo on the nba card menendez brothers fans obsess over was captured during that tiny window where the brothers were living like royalty while the police were slowly closing in. They look calm. They look like they don't have a care in the world. It's haunting.
The eBay Ban and the "Black Market" Era
For a while, you couldn't even find this card on eBay. They actually banned the listing.
Why? eBay has a policy against selling items that are "affiliated with" or "glorify" murderers. Because people weren't buying the card for Mark Jackson's assists—they were buying it for the killers in the background—the algorithm started nuking listings.
It was a mess. Sellers started getting creative. They’d list it as "Mark Jackson 1990 Hoops Error" or "Mark Jackson (Famous People in Background)."
Eventually, the heat died down, and you can find them pretty easily now. But for a hot minute, it was like trying to buy contraband.
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What is the card worth today?
Prices have stabilized, but they're still way higher than a normal Mark Jackson card. Here’s a rough breakdown of what you might see in 2026:
- Raw (Ungraded): Usually $10 to $25. You can get them cheaper if the seller doesn't know what they have, but most do.
- PSA 9: Around $75 to $100.
- PSA 10: These can still fetch $200+ because "junk wax" cards are notoriously hard to find in perfect condition.
Misconceptions about the "Rookie" Status
People often call this the "Menendez Brothers Rookie Card." It’s a joke, obviously, but some new collectors get confused. Mark Jackson’s actual rookie card is the 1988-89 Fleer. This 1990 Hoops card is technically his third-year card.
Also, it's not an "error" card. Nothing was printed incorrectly. It’s just a "photo variation" or an "Easter egg" that nobody noticed for nearly 30 years. It makes you wonder how many other famous (or infamous) people are hiding in the background of 90s cards. We already know a young Patrick Kane is on a 1994-95 Pinnacle hockey card, but who else?
Collecting Ethics: Is it weird to own this?
Honestly, it's a bit of a gray area. Some people find it macabre. It’s essentially "murderbilia." But for most sports card collectors, it’s just a piece of history. It captures a moment in pop culture that defined an entire era of the 90s.
It’s the same energy as the Billy Ripken "F* Face" card**. It shouldn't exist, but it does. And because it does, we want it on our shelves.
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How to spot a fake (Yes, they exist)
Because the value jumped so fast, people actually started printing fakes of a 25-cent card. Crazy, right?
If you’re buying a raw copy, look at the "Hoops" logo in the corner. On the originals, the gold/yellow ink has a specific "dot matrix" pattern under a magnifying glass. The fakes usually look "blurry" or too smooth because they’re just scans of the original. Also, check the card stock. Original 1990 Hoops cards have a very specific "flat" feel to them—not too glossy.
Actionable Next Steps for Collectors
If you're looking to add the nba card menendez brothers piece to your collection, don't overpay for the hype.
- Check local card shops first. Many old-school shop owners still have these in "Common" boxes for $1. They don't always keep up with the "true crime" side of the hobby.
- Look for "unopened" packs. 1990-91 Hoops Series 1 boxes are still relatively cheap. It's a fun "hunt" to try and pull one yourself.
- Verify the centering. These cards were mass-produced and often come out of the pack looking like they were cut with a pair of safety scissors. If you want a graded copy, make sure the borders are even.
It's a weird, dark, and fascinating piece of the hobby. Just remember that behind the "cool" factor of the photo, there's a pretty tragic story that changed the American legal system forever.
Check your old binders. You might be sitting on a piece of the Menendez legacy without even knowing it.