Michael Jordan–Kobe Bryant Card Sets Record with $12.9 Million Sale

Michael Jordan is, without a doubt, one of the greatest athletes of all time. Many regard Kobe Bryant in a similar space, but not necessarily at the top tier alongside His Airness.

Combined, they have 11 Larry O’Brien Trophies to show for, along with a never-ending list of individual accolades. Jordan trumps Bryant in the individual awards, even though they were similarly skilled.

Some claim the latter is a carbon copy of the 1st, complete with the assassin mindset that has become part of their legacy. However, the Black Mamba did not start dominating the league until he was left to lead the Los Angeles Lakers on his own.

Despite that, the late-Kobe Bryant is revered as one of the best to ever play on an NBA court. When the two combine to be a part of memorabilia auctions, they usually tend to garner a lot of interest.

The last time the two were part of an auction, their rookie jerseys commanded millions. However, they did not garner the $10 million each mark that auction house Sotheby’s hoped they would draw.

Heritage Auctions, on the other hand, had expected the one-of-a-kind Jordan and Bryant 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection dual Logoman autographed patch card to sell for around $6 million.

🚨New record 🚨 The only copy that will ever exist of an extraordinary card featuring images, NBA uniform logos, and signatures from two of the greatest players of all time broke the records for the highest price ever paid for a card Saturday in @Heritage_Sport Summer Platinum… pic.twitter.com/uvXCeEGLwW

— Heritage Auctions (@HeritageAuction) August 24, 2025

Had it been sold at that price on Sunday morning, it would still have become the most expensive basketball trading card ever sold. But the auction house was in for a surprise when it sold for an eye-watering $12.932 million.

Michael Jordan–Kobe Bryant Card becomes most-expensive sports card ever

Of late, basketball trading cards have become more and more lucrative for collectors. Michael Jordan signed a set of rare Fleer cards that helped its value grow twofold.

The most expensive card ever sold was the one-of-one Stephen Curry 2009 Panini National Treasures Logoman autographed patch rookie card that sold for $5.9 million. That card exchanged hands at a private sale.

In public auctions, a one-of-a-kind Luka Doncic 2018 Panini National Treasures Logoman autographed patch rookie card sold for $3.12 million. That card sold at a loss after the previous owner bought it for $4.6 million a year earlier at a private auction.

In this latest instance, it seems Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant’s collective stardom was enough to trump every other basketball card. This exclusive card became the most expensive sports card ever sold.

The previous record was held by a 1-of-1 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 card with a “Mint-Plus” 9.5 grade from SGC. Known as the finest example of that card, it sold for $12.6 million in August 2022.

Michael Jordan continues to dominate sports card world

His Airness not just captured the attention of basketball fans, but he also helped the NBA reach the corners of the world through his combination of skill, grit, and personality.

That is reflected in memorabilia sales that continue to top any basketball player in history. Be it his shoes or ticket stubs, if his name is officially linked to a piece of memorabilia, chances are they are in high demand.

There is a reason why the world’s richest sports fans continue to invest in trading cards bearing his name. LeBron James, for all his 22 seasons worth of work in the NBA, cannot come close in terms of sheer demand when it comes to trading cards.

The likes of Drake, Dana White, and several others create bespoke card display racks to proudly show off their collection. Most of these collectors are ready to pay millions to acquire a rare Jordan card.

That is why, as per GemRate, the 6-time NBA champion continues to dominate trading card sales charts. Since January this year to now, the Chicago Bulls legend’s cards have sold for approximately $34 million.

The next closest is baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani, but he lags by nearly $10 million. It goes to show how much His Airness is valued at, 22 years after he left the game.

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