In the world of sports collectibles, where memorabilia is treated like fine art,
LeBron James has long been a golden figure. But a recent auction has raised eyebrows. A rookie card of the
Lakers star, prized for its rarity and pristine condition, sold for $112,240. While that may sound impressive, the issue is that an identical card fetched $480,000 back in 2021. That’s a drop of over $300,000 in just four years.
The card in question is a Topps Chrome Black Refractor #111 (PSA 10), part of a limited batch of 500, with only 20 graded as perfect. In theory, its value should be stable or even rising—especially with
LeBron James entering what could be
the final chapter of a career that’s kept him firmly in the
GOAT conversation.
The promise of a fifth ring
According to
First Sportz, several factors may explain the price dip. First, the relative abundance of these cards has watered down their exclusivity. Second, the peak sale happened right after
LeBron James won his fourth championship—when hopes for more titles were sky-high. Since then, the
Lakers have had uneven seasons, and that elusive fifth ring remains just that: a promise.
Still, not everything tied to LeBron James has lost its shine. His Game 7 jersey from the 2013 NBA Finals sold for $3.7 million, and his high school uniform was valued at $2 million in a Hong Kong auction. These items, thanks to their uniqueness and emotional weight, continue to attract top-dollar bids.
Market fatigue?
The question hanging in the air is whether LeBron James’s longevity, instead of boosting the value of his memorabilia, is causing a kind of “market fatigue.” At 40, he’s still playing at an All-NBA level. Yet collectors seem to be waiting for a new milestone to reignite their passion—maybe a fifth title, a legendary farewell, something that revives the myth.
Meanwhile, LeBron James keeps writing chapters on the court that defy price tags. And while his cards may fluctuate, his legacy is far from depreciating.
