Jordan & Bryant Basketball Card Sells for Record $12.9M

In a stunning turn of events for the sports memorabilia market, a rare basketball card featuring both Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant has sold for an astonishing $12.932 million. This record-breaking sale, handled by Heritage Auctions, significantly surpassed initial expectations and has set a new benchmark for basketball cards.

A Record-Shattering Sale

The 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographs card, boasting signatures from two of basketball’s greatest legends, was initially projected to fetch over $6 million. However, the final bid more than doubled that estimate, surpassing the previous record of $12.6 million set by a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card in August 2022. Heritage Auctions, which also facilitated the Mantle card sale, confirmed the record-breaking price.

Mike Provenzale, production manager at Heritage Sports, highlighted the card’s unique status: it’s the only one of its kind featuring both Jordan and Bryant’s Logoman autographs. Chris Ivy, Heritage’s Director of Sports Auctions, attributed the record price to the card being the ‘finest modern basketball card in the world’ and the auction house’s ability to provide a platform for such high-value collectibles.

The highly sought-after card garnered 82 bids during the auction. The winning purchase was a joint effort by ‘Shark Tank’ co-host and investor Kevin O’Leary, along with mega-collector Matt Allen and entrepreneur Paul Warshaw. O’Leary shared that the trio connected via a late-night Zoom call to secure the purchase, expressing immense pride in owning the piece.

A New Benchmark in Sports Collectibles

This sale places the Jordan/Bryant card as the second most expensive sports item ever sold, trailing only Babe Ruth’s 1932 World Series baseball jersey, which commanded $24.12 million last year. Prior to this auction, the record for a basketball card was held by a 2009-10 National Treasures Steph Curry Logoman Autograph card, valued at $5.9 million from a private sale in July 2021.