Most Expensive Basketball Cards Ever Sold (2026 List)

Sales listed on Wikipedia's list of most expensive sports cards, highest first, with grade, price, date and seller:

• Michael Jordan / Kobe Bryant, 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Dual Logoman: PSA 6, $12,932,000, Aug. 23, 2025, private sale.
• Stephen Curry, 2009 Panini National Treasures Logoman: PSA 8, $5,900,000, July 6, 2021, private sale.
• LeBron James, 2003 Upper Deck Exquisite Rookie Patch: BGS 9, $5,200,000, April 26, 2021, PWCC Marketplace.
• Luka Dončić, 2018 Panini National Treasures Logoman: ungraded, $4,600,000, Feb. 28, 2021, private sale.
• Michael Jordan, 1997 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Ultimate Logos Signature: PSA Authentic, $2,928,000, June 2, 2024, Goldin.
• Michael Jordan, 1986-87 Fleer, signed: PSA 9 with autograph 10, $2,500,000, June 26, 2025, Joopiter.
• LeBron James, 2020-21 Panini Flawless Triple Logoman: PSA Authentic, $2,400,000, June 25, 2022, private sale.
• Kobe Bryant, 1997 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems: BGS 8.5, $2,000,000, Feb. 22, 2022, private sale.
• Giannis Antetokounmpo, 2013-14 Panini National Treasures Logoman: BGS 9, $1,857,300, Sept. 20, 2020, Goldin.
• Kobe Bryant, 1996-97 Topps Chrome Refractor: BGS 10 Black Label, $1,795,800, March 6, 2021, private sale.
• Wilt Chamberlain, 1961 Fleer: SGC 10, $1,700,000, September 2024, private sale.
• Michael Jordan / LeBron James / Kobe Bryant, 2006-07 Upper Deck Exquisite All NBA Access Triple: PSA Authentic, $1,680,000, Aug. 6, 2022, Goldin.
• Michael Jordan, 1997-98 Upper Deck Game Jerseys: PSA 7, $1,440,000, Feb. 5, 2021, PWCC Marketplace.
• Larry Bird / Julius Erving / Magic Johnson, 1980-81 Topps: PSA 10, $861,000, Aug. 7, 2021, Goldin.
• Bill Russell, 1957 Topps: PSA 8.5, $630,000, Aug. 21, 2021, private sale.
• Lew Alcindor, 1969-70 Topps: PSA 10, $501,900, Aug. 26, 2016, Heritage Auctions.

ESPN reported a further private sale through Goldin of a signed 1986 Fleer Jordan, PSA 9 with an autograph 10, at $2.7 million in October 2025, which it described as a record for a card signed after issue.

• Almost all are modern premium cards, not base cards: Logoman patches cut from game jerseys, Exquisite and National Treasures rookie patches, and parallels such as Precious Metal Gems or Black Label refractors, most made in very small numbers or as one of one.
• Autographs count, including signatures added later: the signed 1986 Fleer Jordans sold for $2.5 million and $2.7 million in 2025.
• The vintage entries are rookies in top grade: 1961 Fleer Chamberlain in SGC 10, 1957 Topps Russell in PSA 8.5, 1969-70 Topps Alcindor in PSA 10.
• Jordan, Kobe and LeBron dominate: they appear on more than half of the basketball entries above.

Records are one-off sales; these are SportsCardsPro market prices on Sept. 25, 2026, listed as raw / grade 9 / PSA 10:

• 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan #57: $4,779 / $37,524 / $300,392.
• 1980 Topps Larry Bird / Julius Erving / Magic Johnson: $859 / $16,230 / $87,549.
• 2009 Topps Stephen Curry #321: $1,599 / $5,400 / $19,242.
• 2003 Topps LeBron James #221: $797 / $1,676 / $7,000.
• 1992 Upper Deck Shaquille O'Neal #1: $16 / $380 / $3,536.
• 1996 Topps Kobe Bryant #138: $109 / $416 / $3,050.
• 2018 Panini Prizm Luka Dončić #280: $52 / $75 / $201.

The PSA 10 Bird / Erving / Magic at $87,549 compares with the $861,000 record for the same card in 2021, a reminder that record sales are not current values.

Some are worth a great deal, most are not. The 1990s produced three of the most expensive basketball cards on record: a 1997 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Kobe Bryant ($2,000,000, BGS 8.5), a 1996-97 Topps Chrome Refractor Kobe Bryant ($1,795,800, BGS 10 Black Label) and a 1997-98 Upper Deck Game Jerseys Michael Jordan ($1,440,000, PSA 7), all per Wikipedia. Those are scarce inserts and parallels.

Ordinary base cards from the same decade were printed in large numbers. The 1992 Upper Deck Shaquille O'Neal #1 is $16 raw but $3,536 in PSA 10, and the 1996 Topps Kobe Bryant #138 is $109 raw and $3,050 in PSA 10 (SportsCardsPro, Sept. 25, 2026). For a 1990s card, the three questions are: is it a star's rookie, is it an insert or parallel rather than a base card, and are the corners and surface near perfect?

• Find the rookie cards first. Our rookie card lookup names the exact card for Jordan, Kobe, LeBron, Curry, Dončić, Giannis, Bird and Magic, Shaq and Wembanyama.
• Look for anything that is not a base card: a serial number, an autograph, a jersey swatch or patch, a refractor or colored finish. Our parallels and refractors guide explains how to tell them apart.
• Check condition against the PSA grading scale. For a modern card, only near-perfect copies carry large premiums.
• Look up sold prices for the exact version; the method is on how to find a sports card price.
• Be wary of Jordan rookies offered cheaply; the 1986 Fleer #57 is heavily counterfeited, and our Michael Jordan rookie card page lists the checks.