The Most Expensive NBA Cards Ever to be Auctioned

Basketball cards are making history as reliable investments in the market today. Along with the growing popularity of the sport, as the awareness of trading cards grows, so does their value. It isn’t just the vintage cards that sell for exorbitant prices, it’s even the current ones. The price of these cards have steadily been on the rise over the last decade. There are many categories you can choose from depending on your price range but the ones that sell for millions of dollars come from high-end collections such as the National Treasures, Flawless, Opulence or Immaculate sets produced by Panini America, a sports card manufacturer that holds the exclusive rights for producing basketball trading cards for the National Basketball Association (NBA). 

Even within these sets, there are cards that feature a player’s autograph or a small swatch of their jersey. These cards are valued above all others. Sitting right on top of this pyramid are the highly coveted Rookie Patch Autograph (RPA) cards: cards of a legendary player, released in the year they entered the sport, featuring their autograph and a swatch of their jersey. Cards that feature the logo patch from a player’s jersey, also known as Logoman cards, are also highly coveted. The final feature of a card that makes it expensive is its rarity. 

Many of the most expensive cards were produced in batches of 99 or even less. Some cards are the only one of their kind in existence. These 1 of 1 cards, as they are known, may be rare but may not be the most expensive in the market. As seen above, there’s a lot that goes into understanding a card’s value. At the end of a day, live events, a player’s performance and charisma all play a role in elevating a card’s value. 

In recent times, particularly during the pandemic, RPA cards in particular have sold for record amounts. If you’re curious about just how expensive these cards can get, here’s a list of the most valuable NBA trading cards ever to be auctioned.

1. Card value: $2.4 million
Card name: 2020 Panini Flawless Triple Logoman Patch LeBron James

This is the card that puts basketball cards as a whole on the world map. It became famous when pop singer Drake bought 14 boxes of Panini Flawless cards just to acquire this card, which unfortunately continues to elude him. Drake spent over $200,000 to purchase his bounty, which undoubtedly features other amazing cards, sparking conversations about basketball cards among new audiences who had not considered them as being this valuable before. This card features NBA logos from three of LeBron’s jerseys—Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and LA Lakers.

These may be some of the most expensive basketball cards ever to be auctioned but the joy of collecting and owning basketball cards goes beyond their monetary value. If you ask a serious collector, basketball cards are as much about the game as they are about making an investment. Without a love for basketball it becomes hard to predict who the next star rookie will be. After all, the best thing about these cards is that they allow you to own a small piece of history and culture and reminisce about a good game with close friends. Their value just adds to their charm.

2. Card value: $2.7 million
Card name: 1997-98 Upper Deck Michael Jordan All Star Game Used Jersey

 Any list of expensive basketball cards would be incomplete without the appearance of the Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan.

This card features a swatch of his jersey from the 1992 NBA All-Star game, which was also basketball legend Magic Johnson’s last ever appearance in a professional basketball game. This game became legendary as it pitted Magic Johnson against his longtime rivals Isiah Thomas and Michael Jordan in one-on-one defensive match-ups, leading to an epic game.

3. Card value: $4.6 million
Card name: 2018-19 Panini National Treasures Luka Dončić Logoman Autograph Rookie

Luka Dončić is a Slovenian basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks. His card has an interesting story behind it.

In February 2021, the year many NBA Cards skyrocketed in value, it sold for the record price of $4.6 million, then achieving the coveted position of the most expensive card ever sold. By November 2022, at a PWCC Marketplace auction, it sold for $3.1 million, a total bargain. This may have had something to do with the controversy surrounding the signature on the card with some handwriting experts arguing that it appeared to have been signed by Luka’s mother. Whether Mirjam Poterbin really signed the cards remains to be proven but it impacted the card’s value nonetheless.  

4. Card value: $5.2 million
Card name: 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection LeBron James Rookie Patch Autograph

This is LeBron James’ second appearance on this list. He is the all time leading scorer in NBA history.

This particular card is just one of 23 copies ever to be made by the trading card manufacturer Upper Deck. It sold for $1.8 million in July 2020 and just a year later, in April 2021, its value grew by almost three times this amount! What makes this card so special? It contains a little slice of history. The year of its release marked the year LeBron was the first overall pick of the NBA draft and when he was still a part of his hometown team—the Cleveland Cavaliers.

5. Card value: $5.9 million
Card name: 2009-10 Panini National Treasures Stephen Curry Rookie Logoman Autograph

Finally, the card you have been waiting for. Golden State Warriors legend Stephen Curry dominates this list by a wide margin.

 This card is the most expensive one on this list. It broke all records when it was purchased at a PWCC Marketplace auction in 2021. After Curry broke Basketball Hall of Fame Ray Allen’s record of 2,973 three pointers in 1,300 games in almost half the time (Curry took 789 games to surpass Allen), his stock rose tremendously. As of 2023, he is still in the game, which goes to show just how much his cards are going to be worth in the future.