Tracking the Most Valuable Cards Ever Sold

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

The 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographs featuring Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan represents an unparalleled piece in sports collectibles. This one-of-one card holds the distinction of being the sole card ever created that combines authentic autographs from both legends along with genuine NBA Logoman patches from their game-used jerseys. When it sold through Heritage Auctions in August 2025 for $12.932 million, the transaction broke all previous records for sports card sales and set a new benchmark as the highest-priced sports card in public auction history. The card was purchased by a partnership of three buyers: Canadian investor Kevin O’Leary, hobby super-collector Matt Allen (known as “Shyne150” on social media), and entrepreneur Paul Warshaw.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

The 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 card, graded SGC 9.5, shattered records when it sold for $12.6 million, becoming the most expensive sports collectible ever auctioned at the time. Hailed as the “finest known example” of its kind (keep in mind, there are three Gem Mint PSA 10s out there), this card represents the ultimate prize in baseball card collecting due to Mantle’s iconic legacy and its remarkable preservation over seven decades. The card originates from the famed “Rosen Find,” a legendary discovery of high-grade 1952 Topps cards. Widely considered the most coveted baseball card of all time, it embodies the intersection of baseball’s golden era, Mantle’s legendary career and popularity, and the growth of modern sports card collecting.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

The T206 Honus Wagner card’s rarity is primarily due to its early withdrawal from production by the American Tobacco Company, after Honus Wagner reportedly objected either because he did not want to promote tobacco to children or was dissatisfied with his compensation for the use of his image. As a result, it is believed only 60 copies of the card were produced and distributed, creating an aura of myth and driving its legendary status among collectors.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

The 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth card represents Ruth’s first appearance on any trading card, produced when he was just a 19-year-old pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles, making it his true rookie card. With only ten examples known to exist in any condition, it is extraordinarily rare – even rarer than the famous T206 Honus Wagner. The card’s historical importance as Ruth’s rookie card combined with its extreme scarcity has made it one of the most valuable baseball cards ever produced, with the SGC 3 example selling for a record $7.2 million.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

Robert Edward Auctions achieved a groundbreaking sale in August 2021 when a 1909 T206 Sweet Caporal Honus Wagner card graded SGC 3 sold for $6.6 million, setting a new record for the highest-priced sports card ever sold at the time. This legendary card is extraordinarily rare, with only a few examples earning grades as high as SGC 3. As the second appearance of this card on the list, it demonstrates its status as the ultimate prize in baseball card collecting, often referred to as the hobby’s ‘Holy Grail.’

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

The 2009-10 National Treasures Rookie Logoman Autograph #206 Stephen Curry card, graded PSA 8 with a perfect 10 autograph, sold for a record-breaking $5.9 million. As a one-of-one featuring the NBA Logoman patch and on-card signature, it’s considered the most iconic and valuable of Curry’s rookie-year cards. The purchase, by Alt Fund II, underscores the explosive growth of high-end modern sports card investing. Collectors and investors appreciate Curry’s revolutionary style of play — centered around deep three-point shooting and off-ball movement — which has fundamentally reshaped modern basketball strategy and inspired a new generation of players.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

Logan Paul made headlines in July 2021 when he purchased the world’s only PSA 10-graded 1998 Pokémon Japanese Promo Illustrator Pikachu card for $5.275 million. The transaction involved trading his PSA 9-graded copy of the same card (valued at $1.275 million) plus $4 million in cash. Paul famously wore the card as a necklace during his WWE WrestleMania appearance in April 2022, earning him a Guinness World Record for the highest-priced Pokémon card sale in history. With the recent Pokémon market surge, many speculators believe the card’s value may have doubled or tripled since the purchase.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

In October 2021, a 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Gold Rookie Patch Autograph LeBron James card (#78, serial numbered 07/23) with a BGS 9 grade sold privately for $5.2 million through PWCC Marketplace (now Fanatics Collect). This record-breaking sale matched the all-time highest price for a sports card at the time, equaling the $5.2 million paid for a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 9 earlier that year. The card received BGS subgrades of 10 for centering and surface, 9.5 for edges, and 8.5 for corners.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

This 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 9 card sold for a jaw-dropping $5.2 million in January 2021, making it one of the most expensive sports cards ever sold at the time. Revered for its iconic design and rarity, the card is considered the centerpiece of post-war baseball collectibles. The buyer, entrepreneur Rob Gough, called it “the Mona Lisa of sports cards,” underscoring its legendary status in the hobby. Not surprisingly, there are multiple copies of this card on this list.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

A one-of-a-kind Luka Doncic rookie card made history in March 2021 when it sold privately for $4.6 million, establishing a new record in the collectibles world. The 2018-19 Panini National Treasures card (#127) features both an authentic NBA Logoman patch and Doncic’s hand-signed autograph, making it the most expensive Doncic card ever sold and one of the most valuable basketball cards in existence. This groundbreaking sale marked a defining moment for modern card collecting and solidified Doncic’s status as one of the hobby’s most coveted modern superstars.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

In August 2023, a 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle card graded SGC 9 sold for $4.5 million at Heritage Auctions’ Summer Platinum Night. The card hails from the “Rosen Find.” With only a handful of examples surviving in such strong condition, it is among the most coveted Mantle cards in the hobby. While not as valuable as the record-setting SGC 9.5 that sold for $12.6 million in 2022, this sale underscores the massive premium collectors pay for top-grade vintage icons.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

The 2017 Panini National Treasures Platinum Shield Autograph #161 Patrick Mahomes 1/1 rookie-year card, graded BGS 8.5 with a 10 autograph, sold for $4.3 million in July of 2021, establishing a new record as the most expensive football card ever sold. The card incorporates the NFL Shield from a game-worn jersey and is regarded as the premier Mahomes card due to its unique one-of-one status, unique patch and on-card signature. The purchase, by LJ’s Card Shop, represents the significance of Mahomes’ growing legacy and demonstrates the expanding market for super-premium sports collectibles.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

A PSA 9 (mint) 1933 Goudey #53 Babe Ruth card sold for a record $4.212 million through Memory Lane in 2021, making it the most valuable of the four legendary Goudey Ruth cards in the set and among the highest-priced sports cards ever at the time. The card’s extraordinary value comes from its scarcity and top condition, with only a select few achieving such an elite PSA grade. Collectors are drawn to its distinctive yellow background, historical significance, and Babe Ruth’s legendary status.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

In August 2020, the 2009 Bowman Draft Chrome Prospects Autograph Superfractor #BDPP89 Mike Trout 1/1, graded BGS 9 with a perfect 10 autograph grade, sold for $3.936 million in a private sale facilitated by Goldin Auctions. The transaction set a new record as the most expensive sports card ever sold at that time, highlighting both Trout’s exceptional talent and the rapid expansion of the modern collectibles market. The card’s unique Superfractor finish combined with Trout’s rookie autograph established it as the ultimate prize for elite modern card collectors. The card has since been cross-over graded to PSA as a PSA 9 with a 10 autograph.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

A PSA 10 Gem Mint 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie card achieved a historic milestone in March 2021 when it sold for $3.75 million in a private sale arranged through Heritage Auctions, establishing a new benchmark for hockey card sales. The card commands such remarkable value due to its extreme scarcity — just two specimens have ever received the pristine Gem Mint 10 rating. Though both the seller and purchaser chose to remain unnamed, the new owner shared that obtaining this card represented the realization of a cherished family aspiration.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

In May 2021, a 1909 T206 Sweet Caporal Honus Wagner card graded PSA 2 achieved a remarkable $3.75 million through a private sale facilitated by Mile High Card Company, establishing a new record for this legendary piece. Despite carrying a modest PSA 2 grade, this particular example commanded a premium price because its visual appeal and overall presentation exceeded what the technical rating might suggest to collectors. This landmark transaction exemplified the explosive growth in vintage card values and served as a major catalyst for the broader collectibles market boom that followed.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

The 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle rookie card, graded PSA 9, sold for $3,192,000 through Memory Lane Auctions in December 2022. This sale made it one of the most valuable Mantle cards ever sold at the time, quadrupling the previous record for this particular card. With only nine PSA 9 examples known to exist, the card’s rarity and classic design significantly enhances its appeal among baseball card collectors. The sale was part of a high-profile auction featuring a premium collection of Mantle cards, which collectively generated over $10 million in total sales.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

A historic milestone occurred in June 2021 when a Tom Brady 2000 Playoff Contenders Championship Rookie Ticket #144 autograph card achieved a record-breaking $3.1 million sale at Leland’s Auctions. This card, numbered out of only 100 copies and graded BGS 9, established a new benchmark as the highest-priced football card of its era. The unprecedented valuation stemmed from its pristine condition in a notoriously condition-sensitive issue, extreme scarcity with just 100 examples produced, and Brady’s unparalleled legacy as a seven-time Super Bowl winner. With its BGS 9 grade and flawless 10-rated signature, this specimen stands among the most exceptional examples of Brady’s most coveted rookie card. The sale represented a watershed moment that positioned football cards alongside elite basketball and baseball collectibles, demonstrating their arrival as premium investment-grade assets.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

A 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Black Lotus card with a perfect CGC Pristine 10 grade sold privately for $3 million, establishing it as the most expensive Magic card ever sold. The transaction was conducted between seller Adam Cai of Pristine Collectibles and collector Benjamin.be, who confirmed the sale’s legitimacy. This record-breaking price reflects both the card’s exceptional significance, rarity and condition, as well as the extraordinary value the trading card community places on such premium collectibles.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

The 2003-04 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Logoman Michael Jordan card sold for $2.928 million via Goldin Auctions in June 2024, setting a Jordan-card record at the time. This one-of-one card features a game-used NBA “Logoman” patch from a Bulls Jordan jersey along with his signature, earning an “Authentic” grade for the card and a 10 grade for the autograph from PSA. Considered a “grail” among high-end collectors, it’s the first Jordan Logoman patch autograph. The card’s whereabouts were unknown until PSA graded it in 2022. Its extreme rarity and significance among Jordan collectors drove intense bidding to nearly $3 million.