LeBron James signed card expected to get more than $1 million at auction. Take a look
Both NBA fans and sports memorabilia collectors will rejoice over an extremely rare LeBron James rookie card that’s set to be put up for auction on June 22.
Goldin Auctions says that the signed 2003-2004 Upper Deck Exquisite card is one of only 23 of those cards in existence and that it’s expected to sell for around $1 million.
“The card is the ultimate rookie card of LeBron James — (the cards were) numbered to 23 to match his uniform number,” Ken Goldin of Goldin Auctions told McClatchy News. The card itself is No. 14 of 23 and rated Gem Mint 9.5 out of 10 by Beckett, which means its condition is excellent and as good as new.
“With the popularity of both basketball cards as a worldwide phenomenon and LeBron as its star player, we expect bidding on this card to set a record for not only the most valuable basketball card of all time, but the first to break the $1 million barrier,” Goldin said.
The autographed card also has a piece of fabric from a jersey from James’ rookie year, CBS Sports reported, which makes it a unique and desirable piece of sports history.
Goldin Auctions sold a rare 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks and Prospects Mike Trout Red Refractor signed rookie card for over $900,000 this year, according to Sporting News.
James won his first two NBA championships while playing for the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013. After his fourth season with Miami, James opted out of his contract and re-signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers, leading them to the title in the 2015-16 season. In summer 2018, James announced he was joining the Los Angeles Lakers.
James averaged 21 points, 6 assists, and 5.5 rebounds a game in his 2003-04 season and won Rookie of the Year.
This story was originally published June 16, 2020 at 12:49 PM with the headline "LeBron James signed card expected to get more than $1 million at auction. Take a look."