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One of the most sought-after rookie cards of LA Lakers superstar LeBron James just recorded an all-time high sale on Sunday. A rookie with the Cleveland Cavaliers, James’ 2003-04 Exquisite Rookie Patch card had just sold for $2,029,500, or basically $2.03 million.
A similar card was sold last July 2020 for $1.8 million, a record at the time, but the recent sale surpassed that by nearly a quarter of a million.
The rookie cards manufactured by Upper Deck during LeBron James’ debut season were distinct from other manufacturers. The trading card company had exclusivity to memorabilia from the 2003-04 Rookie of the Year.
In 2003, James signed a five-year deal with Upper Deck reportedly at nearly $1 million per year with a $1 million signing bonus. This granted the trading card manufacturer exclusive rights to make memorabilia cards featuring James' game-used items and his signature, joining other legendary athletes like Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
The deal also gave Upper Deck exclusive retailer rights to all memorabilia bearing LeBron James' name and image.
Because of this exclusivity, LeBron James’ rookie cards with his jersey and signature could only come from Upper Deck alone, making these trading cards especially valuable because of their rarity and the player’s popularity.
Distinguishing the record-selling LeBron James rookie cards
The recently sold LeBron James’ 2003-04 Exquisite Rookie Patch card looks almost identical to the 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection autographed rookie card. The previous one sold for a record $5.2 million last April and was the highest-selling basketball card of all time. However, on closer inspection it can be seen that there are a few differences between the two.
They look the same visually but the card that was sold on Sunday has silver ink and is numbered to 99. The pricier card sold a few months ago has gold ink and is numbered to only 23 cards in the subset.
Just a few days ago, LeBron James’ NBA Top Shot card sold for the record price of $230,023, besting the previous sale of $210,000 for another digital card of the Lakers forward.
In less than a week, LeBron James has been in the news with sales of his basketball cards going for record prices. It’s a reminder to everyone that the four-time MVP remains the single-most sought-after player in the NBA and his popularity continues to soar even during the offseason.
As he prepares for another title run with new teammate Russell Westbrook in tow, James may be reaching new heights of popularity if he bags a fifth championship ring with the title next year.
Also Read: Which season did LeBron James become an NBA all-time great?
Guess the Lakers players!
