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How much are basketball cards worth from the 90s
Most Valuable Basketball Cards 1990s (Investment Guide)
Most Valuable Basketball Cards of the 1990s
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While some of basketball’s greatest moments happened in this decade, the most valuable basketball cards of the 1990s don’t necessarily capture them. Why? In general, the most valuable collector items are usually rookie cards. Therefore, you’ll need to find players that made their DEBUT in the 90s to find the decade’s most valuable cards. So although the 90s were dominated by Michael Jordan, he’s outranked by the guy who went on to lay siege to the NEXT decade.
And that brings us to none other than Kobe Bryant. While Bryant won 5 Championships in the 2000s, his rookie season was 1996. So just like MJ who saw most of his success the decade AFTER he debuted, Bryant became a household name by winning 5 NBA titles in the 2000s. And also like MJ, his most valuable cards are from his rookie year. So let’s flash back to 1996 and find out which top the list of basketball cards worth money.
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Most Valuable Basketball Cards 1990s: Kobe Bryant
1996 Topps Chrome Refractor
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A card that has skyrocketed since that tragic day in early 2020. If you want this one in grade 10 condition, be prepared to SPEND BIG. Like over $100,000 big. Don’t have that kind of cash in your bankroll? Few do. No worries, go for one of the base cards (non-refractor). You’ll still be spending thousands but you probably won’t have to refinance the house to get one!
Related Content: Kobe Bryant Rookie Card Investment Guide
1996 Finest Gold Refractor
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Here’s a card that’s shot up the charts lately. For instance, in late 2020 a grade 10 cleared $70,000 on eBay. Wow. The card has a gold edge and shows Kobe doing some sort of over the back slam dunk. During the Slam Dunk Contest? Looking to reign in your investment? Seek out a lower grade version as prices fall off pretty quick with 9s being less than $20,000 and 8.5s less than $10,000.
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Most Valuable Basketball Cards 1990s: Michael Jordan
After Kobe, we move onto the one and only Michael Jordan. Just like Kobe. Jordan gets a whole section of his own because the list would only be full of MJ and Bryant cards if we didn’t set the two aside. At any rate, here are Jordan’s biggest cards of the decade.
1997 Upper Deck Game Jersey Michael Jordan
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An UNGRADED one of these broke $50,000 recently. Unbelievable. Guess that shows the true power of MJ. Aside from value, the card offers plenty looks-wise. Game-worn jersey? Check. Autograph? Check. A true gem.
1997 SPx Michael Jordan Die-Cut Autograph
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There were 100 of these manufactured so there should be a few swimming around out there but they’re obviously far from common. Finding one in mint condition is an even harder task. However, if you do happen to a perfect 10 out there you’ll be spending somewhere around $50,000 to bring it home. Or to take it immediately to your safety deposit box. We recommend the latter course of action.
1997 Skybox E-X2001 Michael Jordan
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We couldn’t complete this list without mentioning one of the most valuable inserts from the decade. None other than the 1997 Skybox MJ Jambalaya. And if the word Jambalaya doesn’t already get you in a festive mood, maybe the art on this card will. MJ in the middle of one of his classic slams (tongue out of course) in front of an orange and green prismatic backdrop. As far as what it’ll take to own one? North of $50,000 just for an SCG 9 grade. When it comes to the 1990s it’s easily one of the top basketball cards worthy money. LOTS of money.
1996 Flair Showcase
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Not as valuable as the others on our list but we’d thought we’d bring attention to this little diamond in the rough. A spectacular card that features an in game photo shot of Mike looking to make a pass with light blue letters marking his name. In addition to the main photo, you’ll also notice the background image of Jordan in his iconic hands on the knees staring down the competition pose.
At any rate, the most attractive feature of this card is not the style. It’s the value. Even as a PSA 9 like we see above, the card is still worth more than $10,000. Just think of what a PSA 10 would fetch? Probably not enough to buy a new Lambo but certainly enough to get you in a new set of wheels if you’re in need of an upgraded ride. And with a legend like Jordan, the price should only continue to rise as the years pass.
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Most Valuable Basketball Cards 1990s: The Other Guys
So for the sake of variety, let’s see who else is out there!
1996 Topps Chrome Refractor Allen Iverson
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Unlike Kobe’s card from the same set, this one doesn’t show some sort of athletic move towards the net. Rather, just a photo that shows one of the things Iverson did best: bark down the court at teammates and foes alike. That and score points by the bunches. Grade 10s are floating somewhere around the $25,000 value range.
1997 Topps Chrome Refractor Tim Duncan
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Another top rookie of the 1990s who went on to win 5 NBA titles in the following decades. Which are 5 great reasons that this card is valued at around $15,000 when in grade 10 condition!
1992 Stadium Club Shaq Bean Team
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When it comes to Shaq rookie cards, this one sits atop the list. O’Neal is shown rising above the competition for a rebound or put back. As far as value goes, the card is approaching $10,000 if it’s in the right condition. A far cry from the Kobe cards we just listed but something to consider if you’re not looking to break the bank.
Most Valuable Cards 1990s Metal Universe 1997
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This is an incredibly rare set of cards that we give a category of its own due to the extraordinary amount of money people pay for them. For instance, the Michael Jordan Precious Metal Gems Red sold for north of $150,000 in 2020. In addition to that, there are plenty of other cards with MONSTER values.
If we’d have included this set it would completely dominate our little list here. Therefore, it serves as a nice little side note. Maybe we’ll take a deep dive at some point and dedicate an entire review to this highly sought-after set of cards. If you’re looking for basketball cards worth money from the 1990s a deep dive into this collection is certainly warranted.
Most Valuable Basketball Cards 1990s vs Modern Day
It goes without say (or at least it should) that cards from the 90s were way easier to come by than some of the most valuable cards from modern times. For instance, some of the most valuable rookie cards are from within the last few decades. The reason? Many of them are of cards that share a common feature: there’s only ONE in existence. When it comes to that kind of rarity the massed produced decade of the 90s has a hard trouble competing. Be that as it may, a classic card holds way more nostalgia than the newer styles. Regardless of how many of them were made!
Basketball Cards Worth Money: Modern Era
Lebron James
When it comes to modern day cards, nobody brings in the value like Lebron. For instance, the card shown here isn’t even a rookie card yet still sold for more than $15,000 in recent months. The reason? Scarcity. The card is a rare SSP that also touts a PSA 10 grade as it’s condition. Enough said.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
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In addition to James, another player who attracts big dollar signs is Giannis Antetokounmpo. Just like the card above, this 2016 Gold Prizm is far from Giannis’ rookie season but still managed to rake in nearly $14,000 at a recent eBay auction. And also like the card above it’s incredibly rare and sports a PSA 10 grade. When compared to some of the rookie cards above, you can see just how much modern day scarcity can impact how much a money a basketball card is worth.
Don’t forget about the most valuable basketball cards of the 2000s!
Most Valuable Basketball Cards 1990s: Investment Strategies
Short (1 year or less)
Sure, you may be able to make a small percentage gain over the short term but we tend to think bigger picture when it comes to iconic players. If you decide to go short watch the market closely and pick your spot. 7/10
Medium (1 to 5 years)
As we just said, iconic cards, and thus iconic investments, deserve some time to mature. The sports card market has been on fire and if that trend continues many of these cards will see major increases over the next 5 years. Safe to say that would make some incredibly happy investors. 9/10
Long (5 years plus)
We don’t think long-term often but with cards like these, it seems like the best bet. The faces on the front of these highly coveted collector items will ring out through the ages. Even if the market experiences a pullback you’ll likely see it rebound in a BIG way at some point in the long-term future. Sometimes the biggest gains take patience! 10/10
Check Out Our Other “Most Valuable” Lists
Most Valuable Football Cards of the 1980s
Most Valuable Baseball Cards of the 80s and 90s
List of Most Valuable Lebron James Cards
10 Most Valuable Basketball Cards of the 1990s
The 1990s is a storied decade in the game of basketball. This was a decade that saw one of the most revered players of the game make his debut. That’s none other than the Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant. This decade also saw one of the most iconic moments of the game: Michael Jordan’s final shot as a Bull. With 5.2 seconds left on the clock, MJ released that 17-footer that helped the Bulls win their 6th NBA championship in the 90s.
With basketball cards capturing the best highlights of the game and its players, the cards of 1990s are some of the most memorable, which makes them some of the most valuable.
However, with so many basketball cards printed every year, a whole decade will have an ocean of cards, with a wide range of value. In this article, we’ll show you the most valuable basketball cards of the memorable 1990s decade.
1996-97 Topps Chrome Refractor Allen Iverson RC BGS 10
1996
$250,000
5
1999 Upper Deck Ovation Super Signatures Gold Michael Jordan #MJS card
1999
$250,000
6
1997 Skybox Z-Force Michael Jordan Quick Strike card
1997
$199,999
7
1990 Big Blue Shaquille O’Neal #19 Non Perforated card
1990
$100,000
8
1996 Fleer Metal Universe Kobe Bryant #181 Error Card
1996
$48,000
9
1997 SPx Gold Die-Cut Michael Jordan #5 Signed PSA 10
1997
$59,999
10
1998 Upper Deck SP Authentic Michael Jordan #M4 PSA 10 GEM MINT
1998
$22,575
Many basketball cards from the 90s decade are very valuable today, especially those featuring Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. Here are 10 of the most valuable.
1. 1997 – 1998 UD Game Jersey Michael Jordan #GJ13
$599,999.99
Year: 1997
Price: $599,999.99
1997 – 1998 UD Game Jersey Michael Jordan #GJ13
This is a very interesting and valuable basketball card. For those that remember, it was the 1997 UD Game Jersey cards that sparked the jersey patch craze. So, this basketball card has some sort of historical significance.
The card features Michael Jordan bouncing the ball as he prepares for a scoring run. Apart from being a piece of history, this is one very rare card. The odds of pulling it from a pack is 1 in 55,000 packs.
Also, the front of the Michael Jordan #GJ13 basketball card features an authentic piece from a jersey worn by the legend himself in the 1992 All Star Game. As if that is not enough, the card is hand-signed by Michael Jordan himself. Also, this piece is in near-perfect condition. It is graded 9.5 by Beckett (BAS).
This is one of the most valuable basketball cards out there. The picture is the Black Mamba himself executing some sort of over the back slam dunk, and it is framed by a gold edge. This basketball card has surged in value since that tragic passing of Kobe.
Being a gold refactor, this basketball card is visually appealing. It is also very rare. The odds of puling a gold refactor from a pack is 1 in 288 packs. With PSA 10 points grade, it is in the best condition possible.
3. 1992 Classic Draft Pick Shaquille O’Neal Auto RC $500,000
Year: 1992
Price: $500,000
1992 Classic Draft Pick Shaquille O’Neal Auto RC
Big Shaq is another player of the game whose cards command huge fees. This 1992 Classic DP Shaquille O’Neal card is one of the most valuable of them all.
The card features the big man in his LSU days hanging on the rim after a powerful dunk.
Being a rookie card of big Shaq make this card special. Wat is more, it is autographed and hand-numbered by the big man himself. The bold signature covers the entire bottom part of the card. Importantly, it is also a PSA 10 GEM mint card.
1996-97 Topps Chrome Refractor Allen Iverson RC BGS 10
This Chrome Refractor Allen Iverson #171 cards is one of the rarest cards of this great basketball players nicknamed the Answer. It was released in 1997, which is a memorable year for AI and collectors of AI’s cards. He debuted in that year and also went on to win rookie of the year. So, this rookie card is a jewel.
The card features AI in his Sixers no. 3 jersey letting out a celebratory shout, with his teammates around.
Being a rookie of the year’s rookie card is not the only thing that makes this AI’s card special. You may find some other of this card, but finding one in pristine condition is very difficult. But this particular one is pristine – with BGS 10 grade.
5. 1999 Upper Deck Ovation Super Signatures Gold Michael Jordan #MJS card
$250,000
Year: 1999
Price: $250,000
1999 Upper Deck Ovation Super Signatures Gold Michael Jordan #MJS card
This UD Ovation Super Signature Jordan #MJS card is one of the most beautiful basketball cards you’ll find. The design is clean and features gold trims. It has two pictures of Michael Jordan – one picture is of the legend executing a beautiful one-handed dunk over another picture of his head.
This gorgeous basketball card is one of rare cards hand numbered by Michael Jordan to only 23. This means it is rarer than the unsigned cards. A big part of the card is devoted to MJ’s signed autograph. This MJ autographed /23 card is also is very good condition. It is graded by Beckett, and proudly has 8 points.
6. 1997 Skybox Z-Force Michael Jordan Quick Strike card
$199,999
Year: 1997
Price: $199,999
1997 Skybox Z-Force Michael Jordan Quick Strike card
This special basketball card features Michael Jordan throwing what is definitely a 3-pointer. He’s set on a beautiful background that features a brown oval shape giving off bright colours.
Talking of unreal basketball cards! This Skybox Z-Force Strike Force Michael Jordan card is one. It is literally one of its kind. You won’t find any like it anywhere.
This is because it is a 1/1 autographed card. The bold blue autograph is perfectly placed on the card. The signature of Michael Jordan on a basketball card is enough to make it special. It being the only card in its set to be so autographed takes it from special to super special.
7. 1990 Big Blue Shaquille O’Neal #19 Non Perforated card $100,000
Year: 1990
Price: $100,000
1990 Big Blue Shaquille O’Neal #19 Non Perforated card
Talking of special O’Neal cards, you’ll be hard pressed to find one better than this Big Blue Shaquille O’Neal #19 non-perforated card. This is because it is the big man’s first trading card. It was released in 1990, two years before his rookies.
The card pictures Shaq donning his no. 33 LSU jersey, in his center position, reading the game.
This non-perforated card had only 1,200 print runs making it a very rare Shaq’s card. Adding the mystique of being a pre-rookie, it is one very valuable basketball card. Also, it is PSA 10 graded card. It is in the best condition possible. That is why its worth reaches the six-figure mark.
1996 Fleer Metal Universe Kobe Bryant #181 Error Card
Sometimes, what makes a collectible very rare and valuable is an error. When a company notices an error in a lot, the production is stopped, and those items are never released. Decades later, the “error products” that make it out can become very valuable.
That is the story of this Metal Basketball Kobe Bryant #181 card. It features the Black Mamba bouncing the ball and most probably already eyeing the backboard.
What makes it so valuable is that it is a rare error card. The word “Robert Park” is erroneously written over “Kobe Bryant” on the card. So, this card is a one-of-a-kind card that should have ever been released. It also comes in great condition, graded 8.0 by Beckett (BGS).
9. 1997 SPx Gold Die-Cut Michael Jordan #5 Signed PSA 10
$59,999
Year: 1997
Price: $59,999
1997 SPx Gold Die-Cut Michael Jordan #5 Signed PSA 10
This is another special and rare autographed Michael Jordan basketball card. The SPx Die-Cut Gold MJ #5 card is not like the regular rectangular cards. Rather one side is shaped like a less-curvy “S”, while the other is shaped like an “X”.
It has a picture of the phenom in game action, as well as a smiling MJ in the background. The card has a bold blue signature of MJ over it. This authentic stamp of the biggest name of the game raises the value of the card. Impressively, it is in mint condition. It has the perfect 10 PSA grade.
10. 1998 Upper Deck SP Authentic Michael Jordan #M4 PSA 10 GEM MINT
$22,575
Year: 1998
Price: $22,575
1998 Upper Deck SP Authentic Michael Jordan #M4 PSA 10 GEM MINT
Another card that makes it into our list is this SP Authentic Michael Jordan insert card. The picture has MJ executing a no-look pass, in a black background that blur everything else to highlight the phenom.
This Michael Jordan insert is from Upper Deck’s 98/99 SP Authentic release. According to Upper deck, the odds of pulling a Michael Jordan insert card is 1 in 144. The odds reduce to virtually zero if the card is to be in mint condition.
This is one that that makes this MJ SP Authentic #M4 card very valuable. It is in mint condition, graded PSA 10. Also, it is one of the five that have managed to earn the prestigious PSA 10 points grade.
How to get basketball cards graded
Getting your basketball card graded by a professional card grading company is important. This s because grading officially authenticates the card and establishes its quality/ condition.
There are a lot of grading companies. However, PSA (Pros Sports Authority) is generally regarded as the best. BGS and SGC are also two companies that are well-regarded.
Getting your basketball card graded is simple as submitting your card to the company. The company will closely check the card, and give it a grade (out of 10 points). Some of the things considered are: centering of the card, printing errors, and evidence of wear. After grading, the card is encapsulated in a tamper-free casing with the grade and certification number displayed.
How to sell basketball cards
Selling your basketball card is actually very easy because you can sell them in yard sales, in pawn shops near you, and in a host of online places.
When selling online, you have the options of selling:
Selling directly to collectors – an example is Deanscard.com.
Selling in auction sites – some of these sites include eBid
Selling in online market places – these include eBay and Craiglist
The only effort it’ll take from you is highlighting the specifics of your card (like the player featured, the year of issue, etc) and taking photographs of it that’ll help in preliminary evaluations.
Where can I buy basketball cards?
You can buy basketball cards wherever they are sold such as in garage sales, and in online selling places like eBay.
How much are my basketball cards worth?
Your basketball cards can be worth anything from a few hundred dollars to millions of dollars.
Looking at the 1990 cards above, the 97/ 98 UD Game Jersey Michael Jordan #GJ13 is worth a whopping $599,999. 99, while the 1998 UD SP Authentic Michael Jordan #M4 is worth $22,575.
The worth of your card can swing wildly depending on factors like the type of card, who is featured in it, how rare it in, and its condition.
What basketball cards are worth money?
The basketball cards that are worth the most are rare rookie patch autos (RPA) of star players in mint condition. That is, a rookie card of a star player that is hard to get, autographed by the player, has a patch of his game-worn jersey, and graded as mint.
To understand this, let’s take a look at the factors that make basketball cards valuable.
These are:
Year of Issue
Player featured
Condition/ Grading
Rarity
Autograph/ Patch
Year of Issue
Generally, basketball cards released during a player’s rookie year are more valuable than those released afterwards. In the same vein, those released in the player’s second year will be more valuable than those released in the third year, and so on.
For example, the most expensive basketball cards ever are rookie cards. The first is a Lebron James rookie card that sold for $5.2 million, and the second is a Luka Doncic rookie card that sold for $4.6 million.
For the 1990’s decade, the basketball cards that’ll be worth money are rookie cards – cards of players making their debut in that decade. However, there are a few exceptions to this, as the 90’s Michal Jordan’s cards show.
Player featured
Cards of star players are generally the most valuable. Just like the health of a company affect its stock, how much a player goes on to achieve affects the value of his rookie cards.
So, when gunning for rookie cards, they should be cards of players that went on to achieve great success in the game. It doesn’t matter that the height of their careers was after the 1990s.
Thus, not all rookie cards of the 1990’s are worth serious money. Rather, the very valuable ones are rookie cards that feature stars of the game like Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Allen Iverson.
Condition
With all collectibles, condition is a big determinant of value. It is the same thing with basketball cards.
So that there are no confusions about the condition of a basketball card, cards are usually officially graded. This authenticates the cards and defines their condition (in a scale of 1 – 10).
Generally, a card with a higher grade (is in a better condition), and will be valuable than an identical card with a lower grade. Thus, cards that are worth money are those graded as mint by trusted grading companies like PSA and BSG.
Rarity
Cards that are rare are generally valuable than those are easy to get. You can use serial number or population report to determine cards that are rare.
For example, a 1/1 card shows that it is the only one that exists and will be very valuable. An MJ hand-numbered /23 card shows that only 23 of its kind exists, and will be very valuable.
Others
Other things that make a card valuable are autographs and patches. If a card is signed by the featured player, it’ll be more valuable than an unsigned version. Also, if the card comes with a game-worn patch of the featured player’s jersey, it’ll be very valuable.
Conclusion
The 1990s saw a host of great basketball stars make their debut as well as some iconic moments. So, many basketball cards of this decade capture these highlights and are very valuable.
These are usually worth from a few hundred dollars to up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. These include: 97 UD Michael Jordan auto patch #GJ13 BSA 10, 96 Finest Gold Refractor Kobe Bryant #269 PSA 10, 92 Classic DP Shaq O’Neal auto RC PSA 10, and 97 Topps Chrome Refractor Allen Iverson #171 RC BGS 10.
With a few exceptions, the most expensive basketball cards of the 90s are rare RPA (rookie patch autographed) mint cards.
The most expensive basketball cards of November-December - Hobby: Collectible cards - Blogs
Hobby: Collectible cards
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Hello everyone!
After a short break, the top most expensive basketball cards are back. Today we will capture 2 months - November and December.
In order for the cards of different periods to be presented in the top, I divided it into three parts: before the 90s, the 90s and the first half of the 00s and the last 10 years.
Let's go from new cards to old ones (most often this means an increase in cost).
So, the top 4 most expensive new cards.
4) In fourth place is a 1/1 LeBron James card from Flawless 2015-16 with the NBA logo. They paid $10,300 for it.
3) Next is newcomer Steph Curry from Topps Chrome 2009-10. The gold parallel in this collection has a circulation of 50 copies. Added to this is the almost perfect condition of the card, and the total price is $10,600.
2) And the same amount was paid for a Karl-Anthony Towns card with a mourning patch dedicated to Flip Saunders of Flawless 2015-16.
1) And in the first place, 2 league logos and two Golden State stars - the same Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. It's the same Flawless collection from last season. The price of this card is $12,000 without one dollar.
Further older cards. I will say in advance that all 4 are from the second half of the 90s
4-3) And open the top two cards of Michael Jordan with a jersey and an autograph. In the first case, the card in this form was inserted into the blocks of the Upper Deck 19 collection98-99 - a kind of parallel with the autograph with a circulation of 23 copies. $10,999 was paid for the card. And the second card in the collection of the previous season was a regular unnumbered jersey. For a re-release in 2013, an autograph was at stake in the Jordan collection. The resulting result was estimated at $15,000.
2) Next, another overlay of the top newcomer from Topps Chrome. This time it's Kobe Bryant and the 1995-96 collection. Plus, the card itself is in excellent condition. Price $17500.
1) And in the first place is the red parallel Metall Universe PMG by Michael Jordan with an edition of only 100 copies. In addition, the card number 23/100 is of additional interest. It should also be noted that the card was sent to the PSA for an authenticity check, but not for a condition assessment. The rating would not be high - edge damage (not rare for cards of this sub-series) is visible to the naked eye. As a result, the card was sold for $21453.
Well, the oldest top contains only the classic rookie cards of future NBA legends.
4) And this list opens with Wilt Chamberlain's map from the Fleer collection from 1961. The condition of the card is 9 points out of 10 possible, and the price is $32,211.
3-2) Next, two cards from rookie Michael Jordan. Moreover, for a rarer 9-point card from Star-85, they paid more ($40,207) than for a 10-point card from Fleer-86 ($35,999).
1) Well, absolutely out of competition is the triple card of Larry Bird, Julius Irving and Magic Johnson - the main newcomers of the 1979 season-80 from Topps. Three members of the Hall of Fame + the perfect condition of the card itself gave a total of $96423.
Thank you for your attention!
Almost $2 million for an autographed card - is that normal? A new way to make money on sports
In the era of digitalization, when one of the dominant algorithms is to get the maximum you want in the shortest possible time, collecting is often perceived as a relic of the times. At best, it is associated with the quirks of the elderly rich, at worst - with the hoarding of infantile freaks who diligently laminate individual copies of comics. Strange as it may seem, these general outlines of the mass idea of gathering and collecting could once indeed be considered a reflection of the main idea of the varieties of this activity. But just as outlines and sketches become paintings over time, so collecting in the 21st century has become a huge industry. Paradoxically, it is very closely tied to digitalization. And this sign of the times can be most clearly seen in that branch of collecting that until recently was considered children's entertainment: collecting sports cards.
You must have heard that a LeBron James card was recently sold for a record $1.8 million for modern items (those produced since 1980) , but hardly aware of all the nuances that influenced its cost. It gave not only in quantity (a total of 23 such cards were issued) and certainly not in James's autograph. The brand of the card, the record rating on the Beckett scale (a special gradation by which the value of an item is determined) and the time period during which the value of the LeBron card was formed played a huge role. According to auctioneer Ken Goldin, there would not be such a fuss about the amount of the sale if it were rarities like the Mickey Mantle baseball card issued in 1952nd year. Immediately, all experts were shocked by the record short 17-year period during which the card added in price. Goldin, like many collectors, believes that the reasons for this rapid growth are directly related to changes that will soon attract a large number of new people with money to the industry and make collecting even more similar to investment funds. Sounds loud and ambitious, but not convincing enough. So why is it profitable to invest in collecting right now?
Marking and production
Many consider the sport of the period from the early 80s to the late 90s to be a golden age, however, a huge number of cards with players from these eras are not much sought after by collectors today. The fact is that at that time the sports card industry was just in its infancy, manufacturing companies regarded their product as a quick way to cut more money from naive and avid kids for images of their idols. Children, being the main target audience, of course, did not have a couple of extra millions in their pockets, so the prices for the cards were low. Manufacturers, quite expectedly, did not want production costs to exceed the final cost, so cards were printed in huge quantities and on cheap machines. As a result, the market was oversaturated with cheap goods.
that you can work for the adult segment. Industry giants such as Panini Prizms, Optic Holos, Flawless, Immaculate began to produce limited edition cards and design them in accordance with fashion trends. A hologram, an autograph of an athlete, a part of the jersey in which he performed, a serial number confirming the authenticity of the copy - all this significantly increased the external attractiveness of the cards, their cost and the speed of pricing relative to the time period from the moment of printing. Now some examples are quite drawn to a finely executed work of art.
Liquid market
Social networks and the Internet have given collectors a lot of room to maneuver. Whereas before avid fans had to rely only on reading Beckett Basketball Card Magazine and exchanging cards through long mail correspondence, now on eBay alone there is a huge community of auctioneers, buyers, sellers and other hucksters who call themselves fortune-catchers in high society. Websites, online auctions, festivals, exhibitions, conventions have become an ordinary and integral part of the collecting industry in a short time. People who qualify this for themselves as a professional activity are not much different from financiers who play on the stock exchange. They catch the rise and fall of card prices depending on the player’s statistics, his injuries, his transfer to another team, and so on. This again catapults us to the question of how closely statistics and modern technology interact with collecting. To understand how serious people are about investing in collecting, it is enough to mention the person who bought that very LeBron card for 1.8 million.
The lucky winner is Leor Avidar, 30, one of the two founders of the automated mailing service and Lob.com software. Together with his friend Harry Zhang, Avidar has repeatedly been included in various Forbes lists, but still calls collecting his main activity. It is clear that the rich have their own quirks, but the man who left Microsoft at 23 and successfully started his own business after that probably knows what he is talking about.
Collecting is a safer form of betting
Betting is booming - a fact. Bloggers, athletes, TV channels, movie and show business stars offer to try their luck at their own expense every 5 minutes. What is there, 60% of the English Premier League teams have a betting office as a title sponsor. The mantra that it is impossible to make money on bets has long been perceived by many as a challenge: everyone is trying to prove the opposite, in an attempt to refute the obvious, losing their cash. The market for collecting sports cards is vast, but in terms of its mass character, it is not even close to playing on bets. This makes it no less interesting and safer.
Involvement in the field of collecting keeps the excitement, but reduces the risk of loss. You have the opportunity to get to know the collector better before selling or buying a copy of this or that card from him. You seem to be inside an industry that at the same time has a human face. In the end, no one bothers to combine one with the other: if you lose on bets, you can always get a rare card from the bins and try to sell it at exorbitant prices.
Basketball is booming!
And this is objective. The phrase “perfect storm” has had mostly negative connotations over the past year, but in the context of the collecting industry and everything that is happening now in the NBA, the meaning remains paramount. Here are just some of the reasons why collecting basketball card menus is especially profitable today.
The NBA is an all-star league, and that's axiom . The biggest personal contracts, the most unparalleled indulgences, the most personalized stories, the star players, in fact, form the teams themselves. The NFL will never cease to be the most popular and popular sport in America, but the personality of the league owner and commissioner there always prevails over the personality of the player. In the NBA, everything is different, here all the attention is focused on the basketball players, they are the main characters, and the deliberate media accent only makes their personas brighter and more attractive. All this gives the players the aura of superheroes, in turn, this image component allows you to sell cards with NBA players more expensive and more often.
In basketball, a player can become a star in virtually any position . Especially now, when the lack of roles is becoming a sign of the times. Marcus Smart defends against Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid shoots from behind the arc, Nikola Jokic plays combinations, Houston plays four small and one large. By and large, there are no center, powerful forwards and point guards anymore. In basketball, at the end of each season, three symbolic teams are assembled, each of which has five star players. There is a huge amount of potential for collectors in the NBA. It's not the case in American football, where pronounced stars predominate mainly in three positions: quarterback, running back and receiver. Cards with players of these positions are in the price, but the rest are not sold so willingly. American football is a game of schemes, chess is on the field, the work of each player here is strictly functional, and there is not much room for improvisation. The situation is similar with baseball, where pitchers and hitters run the show, and defense players dutifully perform their duties. This doesn't make the NFL or MLB worse than the NBA, but it drastically reduces the number of characters whose flashy performances could drive up the price of a card with their image. The same goes for the NHL with European football, sports that are themselves less in demand in the United States.
Injury . Damage and stress will happen in the NBA, but this is not the NFL, where it is quite normal to end a career after 7-10 seasons. And this is about the average duration. In this contact sport - as in hockey - every hit can send even the most status player to the end of the line for severance pay. MLB has its own characteristics: pitchers, one of the two most sought-after positions among collectors, throw balls at a speed of 150 kilometers per hour over and over again and invariably cripple hands, elbows and shoulder joints. These are chronic injuries, after which baseball players rarely return to their previous level. So basketball is here, although relatively, but still in a privileged position.
Globalization . Collecting is not only a privilege of the United States, where American football is popular, and baseball has already become not so much a sport as a cultural tradition. Basketball is global and in its popularity it is much more representative than hockey, so we do not read news about the record purchases of cards with the names of Teemu Selanne or Jaromir Jagr, with all due respect to these great people.
For instance, in late 2020 a grade 10 cleared $70,000 on eBay. Wow. The card has a gold edge and shows Kobe doing some sort of over the back slam dunk. During the Slam Dunk Contest? Looking to reign in your investment? Seek out a lower grade version as prices fall off pretty quick with 9s being less than $20,000 and 8.5s less than $10,000.
Unbelievable. Guess that shows the true power of MJ. Aside from value, the card offers plenty looks-wise. Game-worn jersey? Check. Autograph? Check. A true gem.
MJ in the middle of one of his classic slams (tongue out of course) in front of an orange and green prismatic backdrop. As far as what it’ll take to own one? North of $50,000 just for an SCG 9 grade. When it comes to the 1990s it’s easily one of the top basketball cards worthy money. LOTS of money.
And with a legend like Jordan, the price should only continue to rise as the years pass.
Which are 5 great reasons that this card is valued at around $15,000 when in grade 10 condition!
Regardless of how many of them were made!
Even if the market experiences a pullback you’ll likely see it rebound in a BIG way at some point in the long-term future. Sometimes the biggest gains take patience! 10/10
This is because it is the big man’s first trading card. It was released in 1990, two years before his rookies.
It features the Black Mamba bouncing the ball and most probably already eyeing the backboard.
Impressively, it is in mint condition. It has the perfect 10 PSA grade.
99, while the 1998 UD SP Authentic Michael Jordan #M4 is worth $22,575.
If a card is signed by the featured player, it’ll be more valuable than an unsigned version. Also, if the card comes with a game-worn patch of the featured player’s jersey, it’ll be very valuable.
Today we will capture 2 months - November and December. 
It's the same Flawless collection from last season. The price of this card is $12,000 without one dollar. 
In addition, the card number 23/100 is of additional interest. It should also be noted that the card was sent to the PSA for an authenticity check, but not for a condition assessment. The rating would not be high - edge damage (not rare for cards of this sub-series) is visible to the naked eye. As a result, the card was sold for $21453. 
Sounds loud and ambitious, but not convincing enough. So why is it profitable to invest in collecting right now? 
com/paniniamerica/status/1283059530461515776?s=21 
Websites, online auctions, festivals, exhibitions, conventions have become an ordinary and integral part of the collecting industry in a short time. People who qualify this for themselves as a professional activity are not much different from financiers who play on the stock exchange. They catch the rise and fall of card prices depending on the player’s statistics, his injuries, his transfer to another team, and so on. This again catapults us to the question of how closely statistics and modern technology interact with collecting. To understand how serious people are about investing in collecting, it is enough to mention the person who bought that very LeBron card for 1.8 million. 
It is clear that the rich have their own quirks, but the man who left Microsoft at 23 and successfully started his own business after that probably knows what he is talking about. 
You seem to be inside an industry that at the same time has a human face. In the end, no one bothers to combine one with the other: if you lose on bets, you can always get a rare card from the bins and try to sell it at exorbitant prices. 
In the NBA, everything is different, here all the attention is focused on the basketball players, they are the main characters, and the deliberate media accent only makes their personas brighter and more attractive. All this gives the players the aura of superheroes, in turn, this image component allows you to sell cards with NBA players more expensive and more often. 
It's not the case in American football, where pronounced stars predominate mainly in three positions: quarterback, running back and receiver. Cards with players of these positions are in the price, but the rest are not sold so willingly. American football is a game of schemes, chess is on the field, the work of each player here is strictly functional, and there is not much room for improvisation. The situation is similar with baseball, where pitchers and hitters run the show, and defense players dutifully perform their duties. This doesn't make the NFL or MLB worse than the NBA, but it drastically reduces the number of characters whose flashy performances could drive up the price of a card with their image. The same goes for the NHL with European football, sports that are themselves less in demand in the United States. 
And this is about the average duration. In this contact sport - as in hockey - every hit can send even the most status player to the end of the line for severance pay. MLB has its own characteristics: pitchers, one of the two most sought-after positions among collectors, throw balls at a speed of 150 kilometers per hour over and over again and invariably cripple hands, elbows and shoulder joints. These are chronic injuries, after which baseball players rarely return to their previous level. So basketball is here, although relatively, but still in a privileged position. 
