The report for the quantity paid for a basketball card is about to be damaged by Kobe Bryant on what would have been his forty seventh birthday … with some assist from his “big brother,” Michael Jordan.
The 2007-08 Higher Deck Beautiful Assortment Twin Logoman Autographs card that includes Bryant and Jordan is up for bid on-line at Heritage Auctions. Bidding closes Saturday at 8 p.m. PDT, with prolonged bidding accessible at the moment.
As of early Friday afternoon, bidding for the one-of-one card had reached $7.015 million, together with the 22% purchaser’s premium added to the profitable bid. That already shatters the present report value garnered by a basketball card — the $5.9 million paid for the 2009-10 Panini Nationwide Treasures Stephen Curry Logoman Autograph card in a 2021 non-public property sale.
With greater than a day nonetheless remaining for bids, it’s nonetheless robust to inform what the brand new report may find yourself being.
“Most likely, it’ll end up somewhere in the $8-million range,” Heritage director of sports activities collectibles Chris Ivy instructed The Occasions late Friday morning, though he added that he “wouldn’t be shocked” if it went for $10 million or extra.
Probably the most anybody has paid for any sports activities card is $12.6 million for a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card in a 2022 Heritage public sale. The Curry card presently sits at No. 4 amongst all sports activities playing cards.
The Twin Logoman Autographs collection of playing cards options the pictures and signatures of two iconic gamers, in addition to NBA brand patches from a game-worn jersey from every participant. Jordan appeared on eight such playing cards and Bryant was on 11, however that is the one one which paired the 2 of them.
“It’s the only one that has Kobe and Jordan on it, and it has both their Logoman logos, and it’s signed by both,” Ivy mentioned, “and so kind of all those factors combined together to make this the top card for modern card collectors. And we’re seeing that in the price that it’s generating right now.”
Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan eyes the basket as he’s guarded by the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant on Feb. 1, 1998, on the Discussion board.
(Vince Bucci / AFP by way of Getty Photos)
Playing cards that includes Jordan and Bryant individually haven’t introduced in almost as a lot money, with Jordan’s high vendor going for $2.93 million in 2024 and Bryant’s going for $2.3 million earlier this month.
Ivy mentioned it’s a coincidence that the public sale is ending on Bryant’s birthday.
The beloved Los Angeles icon and daughter Gianna have been among the many 9 individuals who died in a Jan. 26, 2020, helicopter crash in Calabasas. Jordan was one of many audio system on the father and daughter’s public memorial held on Feb. 24, 2020, at Staples Heart.
“Maybe it surprised people that Kobe and I were very close friends,” Jordan mentioned. “But we were very close friends. Kobe was my dear friend, he was like a little brother.”
He added: “What Kobe Bryant was to me was the inspiration that someone truly cared about the way that I played the game or the way that he wanted to play the game.
“He wanted to be the best basketball player that he could be. And as I got to know him, I wanted to be the best big brother that I could be. To do that you have to put up with the aggravation, the late-night calls or the dumb questions. I took great pride as I got to know Kobe Bryant that he was just trying to be a better person, a better basketball player.”
