The 1996 Upper Deck UD3 Kobe Bryant Card has seen its value climb in recent months, nearly doubling in value. Please, comment below and let me know which cards you think should be on the list. Huge Chasers! Finest products remain heavy collector favorites across the hobby and this gold atomic refractor of Kobe Bryant's 1996 "Heir" subset issue is no exception. Free shipping for many products! Compare prices below or click on the card you want for more values, historic prices, and card details. It was graded an unheard-of 10 by the PSA. On a PSA NM+ 7.5 sold for $109,200. The only concession made to the gem mint grading is a small amount of imperfection in the printing quality. Kobe's first jersey card came in the 1998-99 Upper Deck set, and it featured two versions. A BGS 9.5, gem mint condition example sold for $69,000 in November 2022. The 20-card set features notable players such as Michael Jordan, Shaquille ONeal, Tim Duncan (RC), Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson, and Kobe Bryant. The highest Kobe Bryant rookie card sale came from this set at a price shy of $1.8 million at an auction. 9. A Michael Jordan PSA 10 example sold at auction in 2021 for a staggering $186,960. A BGS GEM MINT 9.5 sold for $36,000. These are easily identifiable with a unique die-cut pattern, gold foil background, and bevel and embossed Golden Touch letters. Log In Sign up PSA. This card has a PSA 10 population of 35, which is even less than the Topps Chrome refractor, but as you can see the popularity of Topps Chrome sells for many multiples higher than Bowmans Best. The majority of cards in the population are nm-mt PSA 8, with fifteen total. Huge Chasers! Ungraded examples of the Kobe Bryant Jambalaya card sell between $7,500 $9,000, depending on the condition. Racist Ex-University Of Kentucky 'Karen' Sophia Rosing Is Charged For Assaulting Black Student. Moreover, Fleer included a rarer parallel to the Fusion called Titanium Fusion, which is limited to 40 copies per player of numbers 31-50 and has a gold color on the front. The all-time Lakers scoring leader would also go on to achieve the following: His legacy as one of the NBA's greatest players of all-time and extreme popularity as a member of the Lakers will keep his rookie cards in high demand for a long long time. If you are a Lakers fan, the coloring and prominent Lakers logo make this a great collectible. On 12/6/2021 a PSA 10 sold for $9,500. I will make separate lists of his other cards and list them below. Blowout Cards Forums > BLOWOUTS HOBBY TALK > BASKETBALL: What is the future of Kobe Bryant cards? The 1996-97 Topps Chrome Refractors #138 Kobe Bryant Rookie Card, is just one of two in the entire world still in perfect condition. This set is full of Hall of Fame players and is the second most valuable (non-rookie) Kobe Bryant basketball card to collect. Gold Medallion parallels are also in the set and easier to pull. With an intense stare, this Kobe Bryant rookie card from 1996-97 SP might be one of the more captivating images of Bryant but the blue stripe on the side is a bit distracting. The number one most valuable (non-rookie) Kobe Bryant basketball card is his 1997 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems parallel, which parallels the base cards; however, the backgrounds are bright green or red. Showing only 100 cards. Fleer Kobe Bryant Rookie Sports Trading Cards & Accessories, Fleer Kobe Bryant Grade 9.5 Basketball Rookie Sports Trading Cards & Accessories, Read Description. A similar LeBron James rookie card , one out of 99, was sold for $1.72 million by Goldin Auctions on Saturday night. Kobe Bryant was one of the greatest players to ever set foot on the court. For instance, the Kobe Bryant card belongs to the Supernatural Subset, the same as Michael Jordans. Follow @blogzworth There are a Refractor and Atomic Refractor parallel of the base version. 1996-97 Finest Kobe Bryant Rookie Card #74. 1997 Skybox Premium Golden Touch Kobe Bryant basketball card #3GT PSA 10 sold for $8,300 Moreover, the design includes a spiral Prizm overlay that refracts when held in the light at an angle, making it easily identifiable. The Topps. The cards were distributed with a thin plastic coating that was meant to protect the extremely condition sensitive fronts. This 50-card set is semi-parallel to the base set cards #101-150, which are the Heavy Metal and Supernatural subsets. Guaranteed Value! Inserted into 2009 SP Game Used hobby boxes, this iconic Logo Men insert set featured Kobe and was serial numbered to just 11. Furthermore, Fleer states that hes established himself as a legitimate three-point threat, and at age 19, Bryant will only get better. The last PSA 10 version of this card sold for around $2,500 in 2014 so I'm guessing it would go for much more in today's market. In terms of Kobe's base rookie cards, the range of values starts on the low end with Kobe's Collector's Choice #267 card which sells for less than $50, all the way up to Kobe's Topps Chrome rookie card which sells for around $3000 in Mint condition. On 10/27/2021 a PSA 10 of the Credentials parallel sold for $617,460, and on 2/22/2021 a PSA 10 of the base version sold for $87,100. Final Sale Price: $1,795,800An all-time record for any Kobe Bryant card. Upper Deck came out with a number of patch and auto cards inserted into Series 1 hobby boxes. And the last time one of these in BGS 10 condition sold in 2017, it went for an incredible $33,500. Because the 97 Metal Universe Championship PMGs have such high demand and low supply, the value is priceless. On 4/6/2021 a BGS 9.5 sold for $145,200. Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are the two most prominent names in the set. Free shipping for many products! I think the card has very strong eye appeal overall and was a great concept in design. Stay posted for any cards that surface on eBay for auction because any PMG card is valuable regardless of the player. It's an interesting card overall and including the names of the other players on the card front was a nice touch. Surprisingly, the auction only had 20 bids, a small amount for a card of such significance, and ended with a final bid of $19,500. The most recent PSA 10 gem mint condition was sold by Goldin Auctions in October 2021 for $8,610. The imagery on this card is loud as it features a young Kobe looking like he's busting through the card itself on his way up for a jam. Toggle navigation. Due to the back having black, cards are often found with chipping on the edges, resulting in lower grades. This one is without a doubt the most sought after Kobe Bryant rookie card in the hobby and easily the key to a legendary set that features rookies of other stars like Allen Iverson and Ray Allen. Kobe Bryant Rookie Card Values. It is numbered as the 442nd card in its set. The most recent auction was a PSA 9 example, which ended in May 2022 for $33,000. He has also worked at iHeartRadio in New York City. PSA graded 23 of Kobes PMG cards, with three grading NM_MT 8, one PSA 7, one PSA 6, and the remaining PSA 5 or less. High grade copies are tough to come by as you can imagine just how condition sensitive they are. These cards almost never come up for auction, as for many collectors it would be considered a holy-grail card. Auction Prices for 2004 All Pro Deal Playing Cards Kobe Bryant - Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) & PSA/DNA Authentication Services Services 1996 Skybox E-X2000 Credentials and Base #30 Kobe Bryant, 1996 Flair Showcase Legacy Collection Row 0 & 1 #31 Kobe Bryant, 1996 Topps Chrome Refractor #138 Kobe Bryant, 1996 Finest Refractor w/ Coating #74 Kobe Bryant, 1996 Finest Refractor w/ Coating #269 Kobe Bryant, 1996 Bowmans Best Rookies #R23 Kobe Bryant Atomic Refractor, 1996 Skybox E-X2000 Star Date 2000 #3 Kobe Bryant, 1996 Skybox Premium Star Rubies #55 Kobe Bryant, 1996 Skybox Premium Star Rubies #203 Kobe Bryant, 1996 Fleer Ultra Platinum Medallion Kobe Bryant #P266, 1996 Fleer Ultra Platinum Medallion Kobe Bryant #P52, 1996 Skybox Premium New Editions #3 Kobe Bryant, Most Valuable Kobe Bryant Cards Rare Inserts (1997-2018), 1997 Skybox E-X2001 Essential Credentials Future #8 Kobe Bryant, 1997 Skybox E-X2001 Jambalaya #12JB Kobe Bryant, 1997 Flair Showcase Legacy Collection Row 0 #18 Kobe Bryant, 1997 Hoops High Voltage 500 Volts #1HV Kobe Bryant, 1997 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems #81 Kobe Bryant, 1997 Skybox Premium Star Rubies #23SR & #226SR Kobe Bryant, 1997 Ultra Platinum Medallion #1P & #252P Kobe Bryant, 2003 E-X Essential Credentials #9 Kobe Bryant, 2003 UD Exquisite Autograph Patches #AP-KB Kobe Bryant, 2003 UD Exquisite Limited Logos #LL-KB Kobe Bryant, 2004-05 UD Exquisite Collection Number Pieces Autographs #NP-KB Kobe Bryant, 2008-09 Topps Chrome Gold Refractor #24 Kobe Bryant, 2015-16 Panini Prizm Kobe Bryant #182 Prizms Gold, 1998-99 Fleer Brilliants 24kt Gold #70TG Kobe Bryant, 2000 Upper Deck Game Jersey Patch 2 #KB-PA Kobe Bryant, 2009 UD SP Game Used Logo Men #LOGO-KB Kobe Bryant, 2009 Playoff National Treasures Notable Nicknames #NN-KB Kobe Bryant, 2018 Panini Prizm Prizms Gold #15 Kobe Bryant, 2012 Panini Prizm Most Valuable Players Prizms Gold #3 Kobe Bryant, 2017 Panini Impeccable All-Stars Autographs #16 Kobe Bryant, 1998 Fleer Playmakers Theatre #3 Kobe Bryant, Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Cards Conclusion, Brilliant Blue (Veteran 1:3 packs, Rookies 1:6 packs), Brilliant Gold (sequentially numbered to 99), 24-Karat Gold (sequentially numbered to 24). There was also a silver version that was exclusive to hobby boxes and averaged one out of every 250 packs. This card has a PSA 10 population of 15, and only 50 have ever been graded by PSA. This cards price fluctuates, but it sits at a reasonable price of $299. On 2/19/2022 a PSA 10 sold for $360,000. $999.99. I used to love watching him and Shaq play together during that dominant Lakers run. If youre looking for an ultimate challenge, consider hunting down the 1/1 Masterpiece edition. The base versions use gold foil for the text on the front but the scarcer "Rubies" parallels use a ruby-colored foil instead. With similar pricing as a base card, its really a matter of preference for design on these two cards. Please comment at the end of the article and let us know what Kobe Bryant basketball card you think should be on this list. It's one of only two ever rated at that level by Beckett. While this card will likely always sell for less than his rookie of the same brand/insert set, it will always be an iconic set of the mid-90s. A rare Kobe Bryant rookie card sold for more than $1.795 million on Saturday, an all-time record for any Bryant card, according to the Goldin Auctions, an online auction house. He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. This generally makes them scarcer and more historically relevant. The Upper Deck Exquisite Collection was originally sold in packs of 6, with no guarantee that you would get any rare or valuable ones in each. While this Star Date insert doesnt sell for nearly as much as the more rare base or ultra rare Credentials it is still one of the most iconic designs of Kobes rookie card selection. The 1996-1997 Skybox E-X2000 featured a limited number of cards but was loaded with high quality, cutting edge designs. These packs cost $2,000 each, but the chance at a Kobe Bryant proved to be incentive enough to try! Some things to look out for when grading is centering and damage on the backside edges and corners. Grant Hill was one of the NBA's biggest young stars of the era and in a nod to his greatness, Hoops created this set in his name. The refractor parallels of Kobes rookie fetch much higher values, particularly in Gem Mint condition. While it is unknown just how many Star Rubies were printed, a safe estimate is between 100 and 250 according to some hobby discussion. Kobes other parallel, the Essential Credentials Now version, was serial numbered in reverse. Yet another great insert set in the E-X2001 set is this oval-shaped die cut card which has become iconic among collectors. Pre-owned. On 2/26/2021 a PSA 8 sold for $13,650. Card Number: 91. The Topps trading card is a chrome refractors edition sold from 1996-97, Goldin Auctions said on its website. This particular Kobe Bryant rookie card doesnt have any of the premium elements as the card above, but its still one of the most popular cards on the market. Despite all of that complexity and tiered rarity, there were a limit of 150 of each player's parallel cards known as the "Legacy Collection". 1996-97 Flair Showcase Row 2 Kobe Bryant Rookie Card #3. 1996 Flair Showcase Legacy Row 2 #31 Estimated PSA 10 Value: $3,000 We may earn an affiliate commission if you There are two versions; the Future version, shown here, has a yellow tint background and is limited to 81 copies. 4:33 PM EST, Mon March 8, 2021. On 5/25/2021 a PSA 8 of the #226SR sold for $47,970. Only one other example of this card is considered to exist at this level of quality. Both sales were part of a Goldin Elite auction. According to eBay, just two weeks after Kobe Bryants death, his basketball cards increased in sales by 600%. The first year of the highly popular Essential Credentials parallel was 1997, which was Kobes second year in the league. Then again, only time will tell on how historic and valued Prizm Gold parallels will become. Kobe Bryant has the second most Golden Touch basketball cards in PSAs population report with 64; Michael Jordan has the most, with 84. Each card parallels the base set and has a serial number of 50 on the back. This sale coincided with a large spike in graded card sales across the hobby and sticks out as quite the anomaly compared to a sale in February of 2019 for $6,000. They offer an entire foil front with cropped-out photos of players positioned over a gold background. On 5/24/2021 a PSA 10 sold for $111,930 at a Goldin Elite auction. This card is well known as Kobe's most valuable rookie and the most sough after modern basketball card in the entire industry. The hologram of Brant in the lower right corner makes it obvious where this card received its name. He is a professional photographer, dog lover, gamer, and has quite the green thumb. PSA 9, mint condition examples sell between $1,800-$2,000, while Goldin Auctions recently sold a PSA 10 for $8,300. PSA graded eleven of his #23 and thirteen of his #226. This card will run you anywhere from $150-$1,850. Other Hall of Fame players in this set include Michael Jordan, Shaquille ONeal, Tim Duncan and Scottie Pippen. This 1997 Kobe Bryant Emerald is the pinnacle of that PMG fandom. When it came to Topps basketball cards, Finest was top of the line. Here is a list of the most valuable Kobe Bryant cards, including rookies and inserts from the late 90s and 2000s. This leaves them with higher overall mint percentages if you look at the PSA pop reports. Free shipping for many products! The hefty price tag made the card one of the most expensive basketball. There were 90 cards in their base set for this year, separated into what they call Rows. Row 2 is the base set and the most common while Row 1 and Row 0 are much rarer. On 5/24/2021 a PSA 10 of the Row 0 sold for $233,700 and a Row 1 sold for $100,860. These Ultra Stars will continue to be one of the top collectible insert sets of the mid 90s, as the set also features Michael Jordan and Kobes teammate Shaquille ONeal. The Row 2 or "Style" Legacy Collection parallel is another extremely valuable card from that set. The Flair Showcase Legacy Collection Row 1 Kobe Bryant Rookie Card is from the players 1996/1997 season. They have cards from players still in the NBA that are worth millions. Price: $36,000. A Bryant rookie card sold for $1.795 million at auction on Saturday night, giving it the distinction of one of the most valuable basketball cards (and the most expensive Bryant card). This signed card in the Exquisite Collection is actually two cards, KB1 and KB2, each of which sold at a Goldin Auction for $36,000. These are also prone to easily showing wear and chipping along the colored edges. If we're talking green, the most expensive Kobe Bryant cards are: 1997-98 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Emerald - $2 million 1996-1997 Topps Chrome Rookie Refractor (BGS Black Label) - $1.8 million Regarding importance, all Kobe basketball cards are valuable, and each card is worth the money. Proving just how rare they are. The sale is notable in that the card -- a 1997-98 . This card has never been graded by PSA, but just for comparison, a PSA 8 copy of Stephen Curry for this same card sold on 5/23/2021 for $12,850 at a PWCC auction. According to Newatlas.com, the card is now valued at more than 1.7 million dollars. Like our content? This card in particular also sells for more than the series one rookie, most likely due to the preferred design. It's one of the more interesting design concepts on this list and it screams mid-1990s. The Ultra Stars insert was rare enough on its own, and this Gold parallel is even more rare at a staggering 1 out of 28,000 packs. Just like its series one counterpart, the refractors fetch much higher prices. Attributes of gem mint-rated cards include a sharp focus, sharp corners, and the full original gloss on the whole surface of the card. Lets take a look at some of Kobe Bryants most valuable, as well as most affordable rookie cards. Again, these parallels are easily distinguished from the base versions based on the teal coloration of the front text. All 3 cards have single digit PSA 10s, and there are only 19 10s in total. After making the jump from high school to the NBA, Bryant was one of the most hyped young stars of the day. Only the first ten cards in the set were done in green foil while the rest were red. The Playmakers Theatre inserts are gaining more momentum in the hobby recently for a few reasons. PSA graded 41 of Kobes Hardware cards with eight grading gem mint 10, ten mint 9, and three nm-mt+ 8.5. One of them is the second-most expensive Kobe Bryant card: his PSA 10 Score Board Rookies Autograph. }, 2000 ) } ); Source: MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images / Getty. On 7/21/2021 a PSA 10 sold for $8,650. This card has a PSA 10 population of 0, which isnt surprising since the typically came with chipping along the high gloss edges straight out of the pack. Judging by the grades PSA is giving these inserts, they must be very prone to chipping as a majority of the cards were given a PSA 8 Near Mint designation. This Star Ruby parallel would have been featured in 1996 Skybox Premium series 2 hobby boxes. Examples of this card that have been graded in PSA 10 condition have been selling for between $14,000 and $17,000 over the past few years. Contact him at [emailprotected]. Mar 7, 2021 A Kobe Bryant rookie card sold for $1,795,800 at auction on Saturday, the most expensive for a card of the Lakers legend and one of the most expensive for a basketball card. 1996-97 Fleer Metal Kobe Bryant LA Lakers #181. Learn how to search faster and find your cards. If you grew up before the 2000s, the hobby of collecting sports cards shouldnt be foreign to you. This article listed the best Kobe Bryant basketball cards recently sold at auction. Your search for Kobe Bryant This is by far one of the coolest Kobe Bryant rookie cards ever made. Report this item Report this item - opens in new window . buy stuff after clicking links on our site I think the design of the 1996 Bowman's Best card is easily one of the best of the cards on this list. PSA graded 11 of the 98 Essential Credential Kobe cards, with three grading gem mint 10, seven mint 9, and one NM-MT 8. Secondly, the thick chromium finish makes these feel premium and sturdy, unlike any other sets. Kobe is shown soaring through the air catching a pass that will undoubtedly result in points on the board. Not likely, but maybe. Due to a low supply and high demand, the value of Kobe Bryants Precious Metal Gems parallel from the 97 Metal Universe set is priceless. However, this base-level card's current fair market value is around $7,200 for the highest graded version. Five players remain correct: Michael Jordan, Grant Hill, Allen Iverson, Shawn Kemp, and Stephon Marbury. As you can see, the rare and limited print run of the Star Ruby parallel really brings up the value. This 1997-98 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Emerald Kobe Bryant card just set. Because of the foil-type finish, they are often found with soft corners and edge wear, resulting in a lower grade. They are limited to 100 copies per card and have serial numbers on the back, making them some of the hobbys earliest parallel cards to have such a feature. On 4/6/2021 a PSA 9 sold for $157,200. The value of a Playmaker Theatre Kobe Bryant card is between $8,000 $33,000, depending on the condition. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. On 5/24/2021 a PSA 9 of the #23SR parallel sold for $87,330. With so many great ones to choose from, how can you pick just one favorite Kobe Bryant rookie card? @blogzworth. The Raise the Roof text has the early 90s feel, with the letters having varying angles and sizes. Featuring a strange typographic treatment reminiscent to It Came from Outer Space and a Nintendo Gameboy-like border, this die-cut card is very prone to chipping along the edges. The card is pretty much identical to the rare "Credentials" parallel that we covered earlier except for the different colored border. These first appearances are often highly valued since they are produced before the athletes attain major popularity. Moreover, there are actually fewer Row 2's that have been graded PSA 10 than either the Row 1 or Row 0 cards making them a bit more rare. International shipping - items may be subject to customs processing depending on the item's customs value. Players are cropped-out and placed over a background of the sky, appearing as though they have broken through the roof. The most expensive Kobe Bryant card was the 1996-1997 Topps Chrome Rookie Refractor (BGS Black Label), selling for $1.75 million. It can be found in 1996 Fleer Ultra Series 2 hobby boxes. Track your collectionfor free, SportsCardsPro 2019-2023 The auction house called the quality of the card a condition assessment of unsurpassable magnitude, scoring 10s in every tested category. !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)? $13.99 + $0.99 shipping. 2023 Cable News Network. With 42 bids, it ended for a total of $111,000. Prices tend to hover around the $8k-$10K range for a PSA 10 copy, although considering it has a PSA 10 population of 8 and only 59 have ever been graded, not many ever really pop up for sale. This article will cover the best Kobe Bryant rookie cards from the 90s. When ungraded, the value is between $800-$1,000. PSA graded fifteen of Kobes Fusion basketball cards, with five grading gem mint 10, six mint 9, three NM-MT 8, and one authenticated. Ungraded examples have a value between $9,000 $12,000, depending on the condition. The main difference in the design from the regular High Voltage cards are the 500 Volts designnation on the front, along with a different refractor-like pattern when shown in the light. Only one copy per card exists. MORE: The Makings Of Black Mamba: Kobe Bryant Through The Years. 120 sold. There are many coveted player cards in the Metal Universe set. However, It has a PSA 10 population of only 8, which makes it quite the rare Kobe rookie card. Similar to the Star Ruby cards, these Fleer Ultra parallels called Platinum Medallion differ from the base card only in the crystal metallic shine in the Ultra logo along with a designation in the lower left-hand corner. The Flair Showcase card was a multi-image card with a side portrait blending with an action shot of the late star. While there are a seeming endless number of parallels Panini Prizm decided to produce, the golds are always the rarest and typically serial numbered to 10.