Kobe Bryant trading card sells for $2 million
The late Kobe Bryant continues to break records even though he's no longer with us. Most recently a trading card with him on it sold for $2 million.
Though he's gone, it's clear he will never be forgotten especially considering that someone just bought a rare trading card featuring the Lakers legend for a significant amount of money
Rare Kobe Bryant card sells for $2 million
According to a report from PWCC on Thursday, a trading card featuring the late Kobe Bryant card was sold privately last week for $2 making it the highest price ever paid for a Bryant trading card. What makes the sale unique, is the fact that the card itself - a 1997-98 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Emerald - is neither a rookie card, nor a limited edition card. It also does not feature does Bryant's autograph or game-used memorabilia swatch. The Bryant card becomes the latest in basketball to break the $2 million threshold, joining multiple LeBron James RPAs (rookie patch autograph), a Luka Doncic Logoman auto and a Michael Jordan All Star Game-used jersey auto card. James holds the record, with his 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection RPA parallel card selling for $5.2 million in April 2021.
🚨Most ever paid for a Kobe card🚨
— PWCC (@PWCCmarketplace) February 22, 2022
This record-setting Kobe Bryant Green PMG sold for $2 Million in a private sale!🔥 pic.twitter.com/1o7cFJA5um
The particulars of the Kobe Bryant card
Where the card itself is concerned, the Bryant card is 004/100, only cards 1-10 are of the emerald-hued variety in this set. It should be noted that cards 11-100 of the Precious Metal Gems insert are red. For perspective, Beckett Media once called Precious Metal Gems parallels "some of the most coveted postwar sports cards, period." The Bryant card received an 8.5 grade from Beckett Grading Services, which tied for the best-graded known example of the card in question. "This is arguably Kobe's best card in existence," Jesse Craig, director of business development at PWCC, said in a statement. "It's [difficult] to find them in any condition - and because of their delicate nature, to find one in such good condition is incredibly rare."
Interestingly, the specific portfolio of Metal Universe cards was often celebrated in the past for its futuristic and somewhat cartoonish nature of the backgrounds, which were laid behind players featured. Ironically, however, it was because of the artwork and the cards' foil surface that the edges often dinged and the cards flaked easily, diminishing their value. Want an interesting piece of trivia? The Kobe Bryant card in question - a 1997-98 Metal Universe - was numbered 81 out of a set of 123. As Kobe fans will know, the legend scored 81 points back on January 22nd, 2006. It was the second most points in a single game in the history of the NBA.