Rare LeBron James rookie card expected to fetch up to $200,000 at auction

[Lebron23]

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The world's rarest and most valuable LeBron James basketball trading card according to some collectors is currently up for auction. And with fewer than two weeks remaining, bids are expected to reach $200,000.

Sports memorabilia expert Ken Goldin says a collector pulled the one-of-a-kind card out of a pack in 2003 and held on to it for more than 10 years.

"It's sorta like finding Willy Wonka's golden ticket," Goldin said. "It really is the Holy Grail of modern trading cards."

Here is a link to the auction site featuring the LeBron rookie card.

Upper Deck produced the "2003 LeBron logoman" card as part of its Ultimate Collection series.

The card includes a color image of James in mid-shot above an autograph penned by James in blue ink. To the left of the image is a patch of fabric with the NBA logo taken from a LeBron-worn jersey.

Goldin, who runs Goldin Auctions, the service hosting the item, says the card is "the most valuable LeBron James collector's item out there." Even more valuable than a game-worn, autographed jersey.

"If you had the jersey he wore in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, this card is worth more," he said.

With 12 days remaining in the online auction, bids have reached $65,000. But Goldin expects the card to fetch as much as $200,000 by the time the bidding closes on Oct. 1, which is not typical for cards produced after 2000.

"It's highly unusual to see a modern card like this to sell so high," Goldin said. "A lot of these type of cards end up going to high-end buyers who want to have the best collections."

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index....okie_card.html

It sucks that I stop collecting NBA Cards in 2001. I heard that the retired poster Kennethgriffin have a LeBron James Rookie Cards Collection. He promised he was going to give his cards to me last year.

[SpaceJam]

I wish card-collecting was still big, sadly I missed out on that whole phase. I had Pokemon cards and all that but I wish I was into NBA card collecting back then

[Hoopz2332]

I stopped collecting cards in 2001 also....I don't know what that world has been like in over 15 years

[ClipperRevival]

I still remember my local card shop selling 1986-87 Fleer basketball packs for a buck back in the early 1990's. If you know ANYTHING about basketball cards, you know that was like buying Apple stocks for a few bucks.

I wish I could go back in time so I can buy as many of those boxes as possible. I would be freaken rich.

[ihatetimthomas]

The basketball card industry has changed a lot since the 90's. I think everyone who collected in the 90's realize it was the worst era to collect cards as most cards are worth far less than they were at the time. Nowadays, only the most rare and scare cards are the only cards in real demand, which is very little. No one cars much about inserts that have no auto/memorabilia unless they are the rarest of inserts. I have plenty of inserts that were valued high back in the 90's but are pretty worthless now.

That Lebron card is pretty sick. 200k is insane though. It might be at its highest value ever bc of him just winning a title. Only time it might get higher is the year he retires. If you can get a rare Lebron auto at a discount, it would prob be a good buy if you plan to sell when he retires.

I was able to pull one of the holy grails of cards in a Wilt Chamberlain Epic Signatures /100 card. I have that one in a lock box. Its a card that will only increase in value bc Wilt did not sign many cards

[bigkingsfan]

So glad I stopped collecting. I had nothing valuable, anything worth a damn wasn't mint anyways.

[Hoopz2332]

Signed LeBron James rookie card shatters records at auction

[quote]A rare LeBron James rookie card has set a record at auction, selling for $312,000, the largest price ever paid for a signed trading card. Take a look at the card above, and read on for more details from Darren Rovell of ESPN.com:

[JebronLames]

Seller shoulda waited one more year

After this year, LeGoat gonna have 4 FMVPs and 5 mvps.

[Round Mound]

[B]Dam i stopped collecting cards in the mid 90s. I do have Shaq

[nathanjizzle]

very rare card. rookie with nba logo patch. insane.

[I<3NBA]

an unknown bidder...

either Kobe or Lebron bought it.

[Kool Boy]

[Jasper]

I think it went for over 300k.

I used to collect bubble gum baseball cards , but fav was the metal buttons..

I have never seen them since ... god only know how much I had in $$$$ when I was collecting them and threw them away.

[Hoopz2332]

I think it went for over 300k.

I used to collect bubble gum baseball cards , but fav was the metal buttons..

I have never seen them since ... god only know how much I had in $$$$ when I was collecting them and threw them away.

$318,500 it went for



http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index....rt_river_index

[Hey Yo]

Kobe's rookie card showing him handing Shaq and Eddie Jones a cup of gatorade is worth about 10 bucks.