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Dan Hajducky
A trading card from the 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection, titled “Emblems of Endorsements” and featuring Kobe Bryant, fetched a price of $1.22 million, inclusive of the buyer’s premium, through Goldin Auctions in a recent transaction.
This particular item represents the third most expensive public transaction ever recorded for a single Kobe Bryant collectible card.
The collectible bears an autograph in blue ink, is individually numbered as 8 out of 15, and has received a near-mint 8 grade from Beckett Grading Services. It incorporates a pair of vibrant, game-worn fabric swatches, which were taken from a jersey worn by Bryant during his time as No. 8.
Within the identical Goldin sale, the Bryant item was among four distinct cards that each exceeded a valuation of $500,000. The remaining three comprised: a 2005 Topps Finest SuperFractor die-cut Tom Brady card, achieving a sale price of $704,550; a 1997-98 Skybox Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Red Michael Jordan card, which realized $651,334; and a 1998 Pokémon Japanese Promo Holo Illustrator Pikachu card, commanding $610,000.
The pinnacle sum ever spent for a sports trading card continues to be held by an item that showcases Bryant. This unique collectible, a one-of-one numbered, autographed directly on-card Bryant/Jordan Dual Logoman, was acquired by Kevin O’Leary of Shark Tank, prominent collector Matt Allen (recognized as Shyne150 within the collecting community), and business owner Paul Warshaw for $12.932 million during the previous August.
