Basketball Memorabilia Shatters Records with $12.93 Million Sale of Iconic Jordan–Bryant Card

In a stunning display of the fervor surrounding basketball’s most celebrated names, a 2007–08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman card—featuring autographs and game-worn jersey patches from Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant—has just become the most expensive trading card ever sold, fetching an astronomical $12.932 million at Heritage Auctions in Dallas.

The card eclipsed the prior record held by the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card, which fetched $12.6 million in 2022. That said, it remains the second-most valuable sports collectible ever, trailing only behind Babe Ruth’s 1932 “Called Shot” jersey, valued at over $24 million last year.

This isn’t just any collectible. The Jordan–Bryant card is a 1-of-1 logoman edition, meaning no other copy exists—a rarity that underlines its “holy grail” status among serious collectors. Chris Ivy, Heritage’s director of sports auctions, emphasized that in an age of modern parallels, this card reigns supreme: “It’s the pinnacle as far as modern card collectors are concerned.”

The journey to this headline-grabbing sale was years in the making. Its previous owner reportedly held onto the card for over a decade, resisting multiple high seven-figure offers. Heritage had pegged its pre-auction estimate at just over $6 million, but the open bidding transformed expectations and propelled the final price into the stratosphere.

Beyond the commercial thrill, the card’s appeal is rooted in its ironclad authentication: Jordan’s long-term partnership with Upper Deck and Bryant’s collaboration prior to 2009 lend unmatched credibility—and prestige—to this treasure.

The sale also highlights a rapidly evolving market in high-end basketball collectibles. Even before this windfall, collector Matt Allen made headlines for spending $4 million on two 1-of-1 signed Panini Flawless Logoman Bryant cards—one from the 2017–18 season and another from 2015–16.

In short, this transaction isn’t just record-breaking; it’s a statement. It underscores the rising value of basketball memorabilia in the investment ecosystem, driven by legends like Jordan and Bryant, whose legacies still resonate powerfully across generations.