The Most Expensive Sports Card in History: Jordan and Kobe Autographed Card Sells for 17.9 Billion Won

Record-Breaking Auction Price for Sports Card
Second-Highest Price Ever Among Sports Collectibles

Basketball cards autographed by NBA legends Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant have been sold for 17.9 billion won, setting a new record for the highest price ever paid at a sports card auction.

Signed basketball cards of Jordan and Bryant. Screenshot from Heritage Auctions website in the United States.

According to BBC and other media outlets on August 24 (local time), the "2007-2008 Upper Deck Exquisite Series Jordan & Bryant Dual Logoman Autograph Card" auctioned by Heritage Auctions was sold for 12.9 million dollars (approximately 17.9 billion won). The card was originally expected to fetch only 6 million dollars (about 8.3 billion won), but after an astonishing 82 bids, it was sold for more than twice the estimated price.

The BBC reported that the Jordan and Bryant basketball card has become "the most expensive sports card collectible in history."

The Jordan and Bryant basketball card fetched the second-highest auction price ever among all sports memorabilia. The record for the highest price is held by a uniform worn by MLB icon Babe Ruth during the 1932 World Series, which was sold at auction in 2024 for 24.12 million dollars (about 33.4 billion won).

Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are legendary athletes who represent the NBA. Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships from 1991 to 1998, won five regular season MVP awards, was selected as an All-Star 14 times, and achieved numerous other milestones, earning recognition as the greatest player in NBA history.

Kobe Bryant also led the LA Lakers to five championships, was named regular season MVP once, and was selected as an All-Star 18 times, establishing himself as an NBA superstar. He tragically died in a helicopter crash in January 2020 at the age of 41.

Trading cards are collectible items featuring photos of specific events or sports athletes, and they are actively traded, especially in the United States. Rare cards of famous players are particularly valuable and often fetch high prices at auction. Many people collect them professionally for investment or as a hobby.