Luka Doncic card sells for record $4.6M

The sizzling card market continued to soar to new heights as Luka Doncic and Tom Brady cards became the highest-selling basketball and football cards of all time.

In fact, not only did the 2018-19 National Treasures RC Auto Logoman 1/1 card of the Dallas Mavericks star surpass a Giannis Antetokounmpo card as the top-selling hoop card, it also became the second-highest selling sports card in history behind the $5.2 million paid for a 1952 Mickey Mantle in January.

The Doncic card was purchased by collector Nick Fiorello for $4.6 million, as reported by Darren Rovell of Action Network and collector Bolillo Lajan San. 

The 2000 Playoff Contenders Championship Ticket Tom Brady card, like the Doncic card sold privately, was sold for $1.32 million through PWCC Marketplace.

“I lived in Boston for 10 years and so am a huge fan of Brady,” James Park, the buyer, said, according to PWCC Marketplace. “The last Super Bowl win was just a mind-blowing accomplishment. I’ve also had a love of collecting cards since I was a kid. Given Brady’s uncontested status as GOAT in football, this card is an important piece of sports history and of any collection and I’m incredibly excited to now own 1 of only 100 of Brady’s best rookie card.”

Coming on the news of the Brady sale was the auction results from Goldin Auctions that saw five cards sell for more than $1 million. How far has the sports card craze come? Rovell notes that the first $1 million card was the Honus Wagner T206 in 2000.

The highest selling card in the Goldin auction was a 1996-97 Topps Chrome Refractors #138 Kobe Bryant Rookie Card that went for $1,795,800, followed by a 2003-04 UD Exquisite Collection #78 LeBron James Signed Patch Rookie card (#32/99) at $1,537,500, and a 2004-05 Upper Deck Ultimate Signatures Logos Logoman Game Used Patch Card (1/1) at $1,291,500.

A pair of vintage cards also broke the $1 million barrier: A 1952 Mantle (PSA NM-MT 8) fetched $1,353,000 and a 1955 Topps #164 Roberto Clemente Rookie Card (PSA MINT 9) sold for $1,107,000.

Another Tom Brady rookie card, currently on auction at Lelands, could hit the million-dollar mark by the end of its auction April 2.

There seems to be no end to this card craze.