27. NIKE Poster Cards Type 4 290870 - 290874

The second grouping of Type 4 poster cards came with 12 known cards between 290270 and 290887 including several important star cards such as Mike Schmidt as Superman, Howie Long's iconic "Lethal Weapon" the Jordan and Spike Lee iconic poster Best on Earth / Best on Mars, Agassi's Ace of Hearts , Bo Jackson's "Ballplayer" , Wayne Gretzky's iconic "I Love LA" and Jordan's iconic "MVP"

Why were these inter spaced with poster cards of type 2 is an outstanding question. 

First we look at 290270 - 290274


290270 Superman  (Mike Schmidt)   1987

Mike Schmidt wearing a Superman tee shirt. Worthpoint dates this issue as 1986. We think it may be 1987 since Ohio Flyer (290269) and Lethal Weapon (290871) are both locked in as 1987.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/mike-schmidt-superman-phillies-nike-poster-36x22-1

290871  Lethal Weapon (Howie Long)      1987

Defensive end for the Oakland/LA Raiders Long won the super bowl in 1984. In this poster we see  Howie Long  mimicking the box office hit of the spring of 1987 "Lethal Weapon" 

Multiple sources date this poster as 1987 including the 1994 Nike / Upper Deck card set so this date is firm.

290872  Supreme Court II**

** added Feb 2021 see blog #63

Appears in the Sept 1988 catalog


290273 Mr. Barkley  (Charles Barkley)   1988

 Barkley shooting the basketball. 

Appears in the 1988 catalog 

290874  Best on Earth / Best on Mars   (MJ and Spike Lee)   1988

Probably the most popular of the Jordan / Spike Lee poster. The 1988 date is firm based on several references and the date on the 1991 Nike Jordan/Lee  poster card set. This was also produces as a type 3 poster card in 1991/92

https://solecollector.com/news/2015/06/michael-jordan-nike-air-jordan-posters https://www.ebay.com/itm/1991-Nike-Trading-Cards-Set-1-Michael-Jordan-and-Mars-Spike-Lee-Blackmon/174033333662?_trkparms=aid%3D1110001%26algo%3DSPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225074%26meid%3Db6d1bf68aff7488aa39598504c758126%26pid%3D100623%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D324110828813%26itm%3D174033333662%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c100623.m-1