If you grew up in the early nineties, you probably have a shoebox somewhere in your parents' attic filled with cardboard dreams. Most of it is worthless. Let's be real—the "Junk Wax" era earned its name for a reason. But then there's Bo. Specifically, the 1991 Score Bo Jackson card. It’s not the most expensive card in the world, and it’s certainly not rare. Yet, it remains one of the most culturally significant pieces of sports memorabilia ever printed.
Why? Because it captures a moment in time right before the wheels came off for the greatest athlete we ever saw.
The Image That Defined a Generation
Look at the card. No, seriously, pull it up or look at yours. It isn't a shot of Bo breaking a tackle for the Raiders or launching a 450-foot bomb for the Royals. It’s Bo in black and white. He’s shirtless, wearing shoulder pads, and holding a baseball bat across his back. It is the literal embodiment of the "Bo Knows" marketing campaign that Nike used to take over the world.
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Most cards back then were boring. You had a guy standing in the dugout or a grainy action shot with a generic border. Score changed the game by leaning into the celebrity of Bo Jackson. They understood that Bo wasn't just a player; he was a superhero. The photography by Richard Noble for the Nike posters was already legendary, and Score was smart enough to license it for their 1991 set.
It’s card #697. It feels different in your hand. Even today, the stark contrast of the black-and-white photo against the colored borders of the '91 Score set makes it pop. It’s art.
The Tragic Context of 1991
1991 was the year everything changed for Bo. Honestly, it's a bit heartbreaking when you look at the timeline. He was at the absolute peak of his powers. Then came the playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals in January '91. Kevin Walker tackled him, and in a freak display of Bo's own insane strength, he essentially pulled his own hip out of the socket.
By the time this 1991 Score Bo Jackson card was hitting packs and being traded on school buses, Bo’s football career was over.
Collectors were chasing this card while the man on the front of it was learning how to walk again. It creates this weird, nostalgic tension. We were holding a card that celebrated his dual-threat dominance at the exact moment that dominance became a memory. It’s a memento mori for the greatest athletic peak in American history.
What Is It Actually Worth?
Don’t quit your day job. You aren't going to retire on a stash of these.
Score printed millions of these things. Millions. You can go on eBay right now and find raw copies for a couple of bucks. But—and this is a big "but"—the market for high-grade versions is a different story.
Because Score used colored borders (black on the bottom, often prone to chipping), getting a PSA 10 is actually harder than you’d think. A perfect Gem Mint 10 copy can still fetch a few hundred dollars because collectors want that "perfect" version of their childhood. Most of the ones in your attic are likely PSA 7s or 8s at best, worth about the price of a cheap taco.
Beyond the "Black and White" Base Card
While #697 is the one everyone remembers, the 1991 Score set actually doubled down on Bo. There’s also the "Rifleman" card and various subsets. But none of them have the staying power of the black-and-white "Shoulder Pads and Bat" shot.
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People often confuse this with his 1990 Score Baseball card, which features a similar vibe but different design. The 1991 version feels like the definitive statement. It was the final year of the "Bo Knows" era before the hip replacement and the comeback with the White Sox, which, while impressive, wasn't the "Super Bo" we see on this card.
Why We Still Care Thirty Years Later
I talked to a few shop owners recently about why people still buy Bo Jackson cards. It isn't about the stats. Bo’s career stats are actually "just okay" if you look at them on paper compared to Hall of Famers.
The value is in the "What If."
The 1991 Score Bo Jackson represents the peak of human potential. He was the only athlete to be an All-Star in both baseball and football. He ran a 4.12 forty-yard dash. He threw out runners from the warning track on his knees. This card is a physical piece of that mythology.
When you hold it, you aren't just holding a piece of cardboard. You're holding the 1990s. You're holding the memory of watching SportsCenter and seeing him run up a literal wall in the outfield.
Spotting a Fake or a Reprint?
Actually, you don't really have to worry about fakes with this specific card. It was so overproduced that it wouldn't make financial sense for a scammer to counterfeit a base 1991 Score card. The cost of the card stock and printing would probably be more than the card is worth.
However, you should watch out for "reprints" or "tributes" that aren't from the original 1991 run. Check the back for the Score logo and the 1991 copyright date. The original has a very specific "flat" feel to the card stock that modern glossy reprints don't mimic well.
How to Value Your Collection
If you found a stack of these, here is how you should actually handle it:
- Check the corners. If they are even slightly white or rounded, it’s a "binder card." Keep it for the memories, but don't bother grading it.
- Look at the centering. The 1991 Score set was notorious for being cut slightly off-center. If the borders look uneven from left to right, it won't hit that PSA 10 status.
- Inspect the surface. Lightly tilt the card under a desk lamp. Any scratches on the black-and-white photo will tank the grade.
- Decide on grading. Unless the card looks absolutely flawless under a magnifying glass, the $20-$30 grading fee will be more than the card’s market value.
Actionable Next Steps for Collectors
If you’re looking to add a 1991 Score Bo Jackson to your collection or maximize the one you have, start by verifying the grade yourself. Don't send it to PSA or SGC blindly. Use a centering tool—you can buy them for ten bucks—to see if it’s truly a 50/50 split.
If you just want the card for the nostalgia, skip the auctions and buy a "Buy It Now" raw copy for $3. It’s the cheapest way to own a piece of sports history. For those looking for an investment, only hunt for PSA 10s or SGC 10s. The "population report" for these is high, but the demand from Gen X and Millennial collectors is even higher.
Go through your old binders. Look for card #697. Even if it isn't a gold mine, it’s a reminder of a time when one man convinced us that anything was possible.