CHICAGO _ Often you'll read about a Michael Jordan or Babe Ruth trading cards selling at headline-grabbing prices and being let go for hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction, yet you might never know the identity of the reclusive bidder.
Not so with Nat Turner.
It's no secret that the co-founder and CEO of New York-based Flatiron Health has what's believed to be the world's most prolific collections of Michael Jordan cards and one of the most impressive assortments of sports cards known to exist. His Instagram account, which features front-and-back snapshots of many of his prized picks, has about 8,000 followers.
"I'd say he ranks right at the top of modern collectors, probably by far," said Nick Cepero, an independent sports collectibles expert. "I know his collection is extensive throughout everything.
"Especially with Jordan, (it's) probably one of the best."
But the question was put to the man himself: Are you the Jordan collector?
"Well, yeah, probably," Turner finally admitted with a laugh. "I don't like to be cocky about it because it's not my goal. But yeah, I have a lot."
Turner, who along with longtime friend and partner Zach Weinberg amassed a fortune starting and selling a variety of businesses, is unique among top collectors in that he doesn't just pursue high-end Jordan cards but low-end ones as well.
He estimates that there are about 6,000 Jordan cards and he has about 4,000 of them. But he's not out of the Jordan acquisitions business just yet.
"My goal is to have one of every Jordan card," said Turner, who made Forbes' 30 under 30 list in 2015. "And I'm pretty close."
Turner talked with the Tribune about his hobby. Some questions and answers were edited for clarity and brevity.
