There’s a new king that sits atop the sports card throne. An incredibly rare dual logoman autograph card of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant is now the most expensive sports card ever after it netted nearly $13 million at Heritage Auctions over the weekend. It knocked the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, which sold for $332,000 less three years ago, to No. 2. How does the rest of the list shake out? Here are the top 10 most expensive sports cards of all time.
1. 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographs Michael Jordan/Kobe Bryant 1/1
There’s a new record for the most expensive sports card of all time. Over the weekend, a trio of investors, including “Shark Tank’s” Kevin O’Leary, bought the 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographs Michael Jordan/Kobe Bryant 1/1, graded PSA 6, at Heritage Auctions for $12.932 million. It exceeded the previous record set by a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle by $332,000 and demolished the all-time basketball card record by $7 million.
2. 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle
Mantle might not be the highest-selling sports card anymore, but it’s still the most expensive baseball card of all time. A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, graded SGC 9.5, sold for $12.6 million in 2022.
3. 1909 Sweet Caporal T-206 Honus Wagner
This is considered the holy grail of sports cards. The 1909 Sweet Caporal T-206 Honus Wagner, graded SGC 2, brought $7.25 million in a private sale in August 2022. Fifteen times, a T-206 Wagner card has sold for more than $1 million.
4. 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth
An incredibly rare rookie card of Babe Ruth came up for sale at Robert Edwards Auctions during their Fall 2023 auction, and the “Sultan of Swat” knocked it out of the park. The card, graded SGC 3, sold for $7.2 million — a record for any Ruth card.
5. 2009-10 Panini National Treasures Rookie Logoman Autograph 1/1 Stephen Curry
Before the record $12.932 million sale of the Jordan-Bryant dual logoman autograph card, the most expensive basketball card ever belonged to Stephen Curry. In July 2021, Alt Fund II bought Curry’s 2009-10 Panini National Treasures Rookie Logoman Autograph, graded PSA 8, for $5.9 million in a private sale.
6. 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection LeBron James Rookie Patch Autograph /23
A 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite LeBron James Rookie Patch Autograph numbered to /23, graded BGS 9, sold for $5.2 million in a private sale through PWCC Marketplace — now Fanatics Collect — in April 2021. It was the highest-priced basketball card for just three months before Curry overtook it with the $5.9 million sale.
7. 2018-19 Panini National Treasures Luka Doncic Rookie Logoman Autograph 1/1
In 2021, three records were set for most expensive basketball card, and it first started with Luka Doncic. Well-known collector Matt Allen, better known as “Shyne150” on social media, bought Doncic’s 2018-19 Panini National Treasures Rookie Logoman Autograph 1/1 for $4.6 million in a private sale in March of that year. James’ card would break that record a month later.
8. 2017 Panini National Treasures Platinum Shield 1/1 Rookie Patch Autograph Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Mahomes holds the record for most expensive football card of all time. His 2017 Panini National Treasures NFL Shield 1/1 Rookie Logoman Autograph, graded BGS 8.5, sold for $4.3 million in a private sale through PWCC Marketplace in July 2021.
9. 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth
The “Great Bambino” shows up on the list for the second time. Ruth’s 1933 Goudey, graded PSA 9, sold for $4.212 million during a Memory Lane auction in July 2021. It’s PSA’s highest-graded 1933 Ruth Goudey in existence.
10. 2009 Bowman Chrome Prospects Superfractor 1/1 Autograph Mike Trout
The only modern baseball card to make the list comes in at No. 10. Mike Trout’s 2009 Bowman Chrome Prospects Superfractor 1/1 Autograph fetched $3.84 million in August 2020 at a Goldin auction.
