Over the weekend, Heritage auctioned off a 1-of-1 basketball card featuring signatures from Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan. This exclusive item was featured during their Summer Platinum Night Sports Auction that took place on Aug. 23 and 24.
A card like this has never been available for auction, let alone for sale, meaning the value would be through the rough and amount to millions of dollars. Sure enough, it did as the final price ended up being $12.932 million on Saturday, breaking the record for the most ever paid for sports card.
“I think that this incredible world record price reflects two things,” says Chris Ivy, Heritage’s Director of Sports Auctions. “First, this is the finest modern basketball card in the world, and second, Heritage Auctions provides our clients with the best platform to generate world record results for your rare collectibles.”
Prior to this monumental sale, the previous record holder was a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle No. 311 SGC Mint+ 9.5 that Heritage Auctions sold for $12.6 million in 2022. When it comes to one of a kind sports memorabilia or sports cards, there is no shortage of bidders and there were 82 bids, which resulted in the Bryant and Jordan card skyrocketing in value.
However, other valuables on hit the auction floor on Saturday with a 1960 Mickey Mantle game worn and signed New York Yankees jersey, a signed 1952 Topps Mickey Mantel card and a 1984 Jordan NBA debut Bulls ticket stub. Mantle’s jersey sold for a world-record price of $5.246 million and his card sold for $1,067,500, a record for a signed 1952 Topps Mantle card.
Meanwhile, Jordan’s ticket stub final price was $280,600, again another record as it was the most a stub sold for the six-time champion. Safe to say this was a monumental auction for Heritage and they were able to smash multiple records in one day.
Shane Battier admits Kobe Bryant gave him most trouble as defender
Aug. 23 and 24 also carry weight for Lakers legend Kobe Bryant as it is his birthday and Mamba Day, respectively. This weekend featured reflection and appreciation of the five-time champion to keep his legacy alive.
With that comes stories of who Bryant was as a competitor. Shane Battier was a player that defended plenty of greats through his career. To his credit, he shut down top talent, but not the Black Mamba as he admitted that Bryant gave him the most trouble as a defender.
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