There's competition for the highest expensive trading card ever sold. At $5.2 million, a LeBron James 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Rookie Patch Autograph set a record for the most valuable basketball card ever sold, tying Mantle for the most expensive card ever. Subsequent records were broken one year later when John Elway's autograph broke the $3 million barrier.
A baseball card is considered valuable if it can be bought at auction for more than $100,000. A 1973 Topps Mickey Mantle card is the most expensive card that has ever been sold at an auction game, having been purchased by a Texas card collector for $1.6 million in March 2001. The card was expected to sell for much more money but failed to reach its reserve price.
An NFL football card is worth something if it can be bought at auction for more than $10,000. An original Joe Namath rookie card from 1956 is the most expensive football card that has ever been sold. It was purchased by an Arizona collector for $119,900 in August 1999.
A hockey card is worth something if it can be bought at auction for more than $10,000. A Mario Lemieux 1992-93 Fleer Series 1 card is the most expensive hockey card that has ever been sold. It was purchased by a California collector for $137,937.50 in November 2000.
26th of April, 2021 Update: At $5.2 million, a LeBron James 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Rookie Patch Autograph set a record for the most valuable basketball card ever sold and matched Mantle for the most expensive card ever. The card was graded as a 9 mint when it was auctioned by PWCC on April 26. It remains the top-graded card in existence.
The previous record was held by a Barry Bonds 2001 Topps Gold Label card that sold for $4.6 million in August 2010. That card is still considered one of the top 20 cards in history by many collectors because of its grade (92) and scarcity (only 500 were made).
It's a common belief among collectors that trading cards are more valuable than regular cards because they're rare, have unique artwork, and come with a plastic protector case. However, there are other factors that can make sports cards more valuable than others. For example, cards featuring major league players tend to be more valuable than those featuring minor leaguers or people who have not yet played baseball or softball. Also, cards from before the 1970s are becoming increasingly valuable because so few remain today compared to years past.
There are several ways you can become rich by collecting sports cards. You can sell them at hobby stores, online marketplaces, and conventions. Or, you can keep them as investments and hope they increase in value.
The most expensive sports trading card sales have occurred to date.
| Player | Card | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Honus Wagner | T206 SGC 3 | $6.6 Million |
| T2. Mickey Mantle | 1952 Topps | $5.2 Million |
| T2. LeBron James | 2003-04 Rookie Patch Autograph | $5.2 Million |
| 4. Luka Doncic* | 1:1 Logoman Autographed | $4.6 Million |
According to Forbes, Curry's 2009 signed National Treasures rookie card is worth a stunning $5.9 million, setting a record for the most amount ever paid for a trading card. LeBron James and his 2003 Exquisite rookie card established the previous record in April, selling for $5.2 million. This makes Curry the first player to ever have two cards sell for over $5 million.
Curry's other NBA rookie card is also very valuable, having sold for $1.6 million in August 2016. The issue featuring this card is limited to 100 copies worldwide.
Curry's first signature card was released in October 2009. It features an image of him wearing a Warriors jersey with "Stephen" written on the back of it. This card is now considered rare and values around $40,000-$50,000.
His second signature card was released in February 2010 and features an image of him wearing a Warriors jersey with "Steph" written on the back of it. This card is even more rare than the first one and values around $60,000-$80,000.
Curry's third signature card was released in November 2011 and features an image of him wearing a Warrior's jersey with "Stephen C. Bay Area" written on the back of it. This card is extremely rare and has only been issued in the United States.
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