News
LeBron James cards, memorabilia expected to spike after NBA points record
With LeBron James breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time NBA scoring record Feb. 7, James cards and memorabilia are sure to soar in the next few weeks.
LeBron’s top cards have sold for millions and set records at the hobby’s top auction houses in the last few years, including a record $5.2 million for a 2003-04 rookie card in 2021. Two of the top three highest-selling modern cards of 2022 were both LeBron cards — a 2020-21 Panini Flawless Triple Logoman Patch 1/1 (PSA Authentic) that sold for $2.4 million at Goldin Co., and a 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Rookie Patch Auto (BGS 9.5) that also sold for $2.4 million.
LeBron cards have also attracted big sales on eBay. According to eBay, the top-selling LeBron cards on the site in the last five years include:
• A 2003-04 Lebron James Rookie Auto card #127 (PSA 10) for $275,000 in Feb. 2021.
• A 2003-2004 Lebron James Rookie Patch Auto #79 (BGS 9.5) for $250,000 in Jan. 2018.
• A 2003-04 Lebron James Rookie Auto #127 (BGS 9.5) for $225,600 in Feb. 2021.
Though prices of modern cards have declined dramatically in the last year, LeBron cards are still attracting impressive prices.
A 10-grade LeBron James Refractor rookie card ranked near the top of our Top 10 chart this month. Just beyond our Top 10 was another Gem-Mint James card, this one an autographed insert from Upper Deck’s 2003-04 Ultimate Collection set. That card’s PSA 10 grade helped attract 65 bids, which pushed the final price to $15,800.
Also See: Top 40 eBay card sales of 2022
James continues to perform at a crazy-high level, averaging 30.2 points per game for the Lakers, three points higher than his career average. At 38, he’s clearly defying Father Time, and broke Jabbar’s all-time record of 38,387 points that had stood for 38 years.
Yet at some point in the not-too-distant future, LeBron will be a retired legend. Until then, it’s not a bad idea to stock up on his cards and memorabilia. Hoop collectors are doing just that. Besides the two items noted above, we can report these hefty prices paid at eBay during the past month:
• $15,199 on 55 bids for a 2003-04 Topps Chrome Xfractor graded PSA 8.
• $15,099 on 55 bids for a 2004-05 Upper Deck SP Authentic Signatures card graded PSA 10.
• $15,000 on 63 bids for a 2003-04 Fleer EX Jambalaya card graded BGS 9.
• $14,100 on 44 bids for a James-autographed 2013 NBA Finals jersey. The jersey was marketed by Upper Deck Authenticated and includes, as part of James’ inscription, the notation “#14/50.”
James memorabilia has also set records recently, with a game-used jersey from the 2013 NBA Finals selling for $3.68 million at Sotheby’s.
Here’s a look at our list of Top 10 Online Sales through Feb. 5:
TOP 10 CHART
1. $45,401 on 100 bids: 1915 Cracker Jack #103 Shoeless Joe Jackson (PSA 2.5)
2. $40,200 on 67 bids: 2003-04 Topps Chrome LeBron James Refractor (BGS 10)
3. $30,000 on 39 bids: 2020 Panini Chronicles Prizm Black Joe Burrow, #3/5, auto (PSA 10)
4. $29,800 on 46 bids: 2017-18 Panini Flawless Jayson Tatum, #4/5, auto patch (BGS 9.5, auto 10)
5. $20,000 on 28 bids: 1961-62 Fleer Wilt Chamberlain (PSA 7.5)
6. $19,650 on 64 bids: 2017 Panini Contenders Patrick Mahomes II Red Zone, auto (BGS 9.5)
7. $16,885 on 56 bids: 1951 Bowman Willie Mays (PSA 5)
8. $16,600 on 65 bids: 2015-16 Upper Deck Young Guns Connor McDavid Acetate (BGS 9.5)
9. $16,215 on 49 bids: 2017-18 Panini National Treasures Jayson Tatum, #9/99, auto patch (BGS 9, auto 10)
10. $16,100 on 111 bids: 2017 Panini Origins Patrick Mahomes II, auto patch (PSA 10)
