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YEAR IN REVIEW: Top 40 sports card sales on eBay in 2023
The truly big prices in the hobby — the ones that drop jaws and steal headlines even outside of the sports world — happen at the major auction houses.
Such companies as Heritage, Robert Edward Auctions, Leland’s, Goldin, PWCC and others have the marketing punch, clientele, and history for uncovering sports treasures and getting top dollar.
That said, collectors keep flocking to eBay, where an unmatchable inventory remains at our fingertips. There’s no end to collector-friendly prices, but make no mistake: Competitive bidding still pushes cream-of-the-crop collectibles to impressive prices.
Consider our year-end list of the 40 top-selling sports memorabilia items on eBay during 2023:
1. $175,100 on 145 bids: 1952 Topps Willie Mays (PSA 8)
2. $130,102 on 57 bids: 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan (PSA 10)
Also See: Top 10 Michael Jordan cards
3. $105,000 on 12 bids: Complete run of Topps Baseball base sets from 1952 through 2022, largely ungraded
4. $79,433 on 87 bids: 2019 Topps Chrome soccer Erling Haaland Orange Refractor, #17/25, auto (PSA 10)
5. $71,211 on 90 bids: 2018-19 Panini National Treasures Luka Doncic, #60/99, auto patch (BGS 9.5, auto 10)
6. $66,000 on 87 bids: 2020 Panini Illusions Tom Brady (CG 10)
7. $61,850 on 91 bids: 2015-16 Panini National Treasures Nikola Jokic Emerald, #1/5, auto patch (PSA 9, auto 10)
8. $61,100 on 39 bids: 1996 Topps Finest Mickey Mantle 1955 Bowman reprint, unpeeled Refractor (SGC 8)
9. $58,989 on 51 bids: 1999 Fleer Brilliants 24K Ken Griffey Jr., #19/24 (PSA 10)
10. $58,200 on 90 bids: 2017-18 Panini National Treasures Jayson Tatum, #87/90, auto patch (BGS 9.5, auto 10)
Also See: Top 10 LeBron cards
11. $57,878 on 55 bids: 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle (PSA 2.5)
12. $55,100 on 27 bids: 2019 Panini National Treasures Zion Williamson/J.A. Morant Blockchain, dual autos and Logoman patches, #1/1 (BGS 9.5)
13. $51,665 on 135 bids: 2000 Bowman Chrome Tom Brady Refractor (BGS 9.5)
14. $50,421 on 31 bids: 1963 Topps Mickey Mantle (PSA 9)
15. $49,999 on 1 bid: 2000 Upper Deck SP Tom Brady, #596/1250 (PSA 10)
16. $48,100 on 84 bids: 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle (PSA 3)
17. $47,600 on 80 bids: 1951 Bowman Willie Mays (PSA 7)
18. $46,988 on 84 bids: 2017 Panini National Treasures Patrick Mahomes II, #53/99, auto patch (PSA 10)
19. $45,401 on 100 bids: 1915 Cracker Jack #103 Shoeless Joe Jackson (PSA 2.5)
20. $45,230 on 1 bid: 1996-97 Fleer Polychrome Michael Jordan Brushed Gold (PSA 10)
21. $44,008 on 62 bids: 2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady Rookie Ticket, auto (BGS 9, auto 10)
22. $43,052 on 3 bids: 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle (BVG 2.5)
23. $42,825 on 90 bids: 2006 Upper Deck Exquisite Babe Ruth/Lou Gehrig Dual Cut, #3/3, auto (BGS 9, auto 10)
24. $42,825 on 90 bids: 2006 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Babe Ruth/Lou Gehrig Dual Cuts, #3/3, auto (BGS 9)
25. $41,800 on 65 bids: 2020 Topps Dynasty Formula 1 Racing Lewis Hamilton, #6/10, auto patch (PSA 10, auto 10)
26. $40,500 on 70 bids: 2000 Bowman Chrome Tom Brady Refractor (PSA 9)
27. $40,200 on 3 bids: 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle (PSA 6)
28. $40,200 on 67 bids: 2003-04 Topps Chrome LeBron James Refractor (BGS 10)
29. $40,188 on 82 bids: 2017 Panini Flawless Patrick Mahomes II, #2/25, auto patch (BGS 9.5, auto 10)
30. $40,100 on 73 bids: 1981 Topps Joe Montana (PSA 10)
31. $40,000 on 1 bid: 2017 Leaf Trinity Signatures Shohei Ohtani, #6/7, auto (PSA 10)
32. $39,999 on 2 bids: 2000 Bowman Chrome Tom Brady Refractor (PSA 9)
33. $39,200 on 25 bids: 1954 Topps Hank Aaron (PSA 8)
34. $38,876 on 68 bids: 2017 Panini National Treasures Patrick Mahomes II Holo Silver, #5/25, auto (BGS 8.5)
35. $38,100 on 52 bids: 1996 Sports Illustrated SI for Kids Tiger Woods (PSA 10)
36. $37,900 on 75 bids: 2017 Panini Flawless Patrick Mahomes II vertical, #18/25, auto patch (BGS 9.5)
37. $37,600 on 100 bids: 2017 Panini Contenders Patrick Mahomes II Rookie Ticket, auto (PSA 10)
38. $37,100 on 98 bids: 1976 Topps Walter Payton (SGC 10)
39. $37,067 on 98 bids: 2000 Bowman Chrome Tom Brady, secondary market auto (PSA 10, auto PSA DNA 10)
40. $36,203 on 98 bids: 1952 Topps Jackie Robinson (PSA 7)
Accounting for the majority of the 40 slots were baseball (16) and football (14). There were seven hoop stars within the top 40, and one each from golf, soccer and Formula 1 auto racing.
It’s become tradition, but the most frequent fliers here are Tom Brady (seven items), Mickey Mantle (six) and Patrick Mahomes II (five). Only two Michael Jordan items turned up among our 40 highest prices for the year but — see below — a review of the charts themselves tells a different story.
2023 TRENDS
In covering the 2023 calendar year, we compiled 18 Top 10 charts. So in total, there were 180 entries. Which athletes turned up most often on our charts? It’s a list you could guess pretty accurately.
Top 10 Appearances
Michael Jordan 23
Tom Brady 22
Mickey Mantle 19
Patrick Mahomes 12
LeBron James 8
Shohei Ohtani 8
Babe Ruth 5
Willie Mays 5
Ken Griffey Jr. 5
Stephen Curry 5
Jayson Tatum 5
Kobe Bryant 4
