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LeBron James, Shohei Ohtani Rookie Cards Sell for Over $2.5 Million Each
A LeBron James 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection rookie patch autograph card sold for $2.93 million. A one-of-one 2018 Topps Chrome SuperFractor Shohei Ohtani rookie card sold for $2.56 million at the same auction.
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A LeBron James 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection rookie patch autograph card, numbered 9 of 23, sold for $2.93 million at Goldin Auctions on Sunday night. The sale set a new public auction record for a LeBron James card. A one-of-one 2018 Topps Chrome SuperFractor rookie card of Shohei Ohtani sold for $2.56 million, including the buyer's premium.
The card, graded 9.5 out of 10, is the only version of its kind ever produced and now holds the record for the highest public sale price of any Ohtani rookie card. The same Ohtani card last sold in 2022 for $139,200. Its price has risen by more than $2.4 million in four years.
James' Exquisite Collection rookie patch autographs have long been viewed as some of the most sought-after modern basketball cards. It did not surpass the $3 million sale of his one-of-one 2025 Topps Chrome Gold MLB Logoman patch autograph card in December.
The results added two more high-value entries to the list of cards that have sold for over $1 million without autographs or game-used patches.
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CorroborationLimited · 2 sources
