LeBron-Jordan 1/1 Card From 2003-04 Exquisite Sells for $900,000

Goldin Auctions says it has brokered the record-setting sale of a modern basketball card.

The company says it sold the 1/1 2003-04 Upper Deck “Exquisite Collection” #JJ LeBron James/Michael Jordan Logoman card for $900,000 on behalf of a client.  The card is graded 8.5 (NM/MT+) by Beckett.  What’s shocking about the price is that while a 1/1 featuring two NBA icons, the card doesn’t carry an autograph from either player.

It marks the highest sale price for any basketball card and is now the most expensive modern trading card of any kind.  In 2016, a 1969/70 Topps #25 Lew Alcindor PSA GEM MT 10 sold at auction for a then record price of $501,900. 

“We are proud to report that this sale nearly doubled that price and joins the famed 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card and classic T206 Honus Wagner card as the only trading cards to ever reach this level,” said Ken Goldin, Founder and CEO of Goldin Auctions. “Several years ago we saw the modern trading card market growing in popularity and have made it a major focus of our business.”

The buyer, according to his Instagram post Thursday, was high-end basketball card collector Nat Turner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Can’t believe I’m posting this. After searching for literally 15 years, I was finally able to acquire the 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection All NBA Access Press Patches LeBron / MJ 1/1 card (often referred to as the MJ/LeBron dual logoman). It’s quite amazing in person. Yes I wish it was autographed by both players, but it’s still a legendary card from LeBron’s rookie year also featuring the best player ever in Jordan, from the first Exquisite set, and with the first real introduction of the logoman concept, and it’s a 1/1. I also acquired several other big cards from 03-04 Exquisite which I’ll post soon. I don’t really care about grade on rare cards like this, but happy it got an 8.5 from BGS. Keep on collecting. The cards you want will eventually turn up.

A post shared by Nat Turner (@natsturner_cards) on Feb 13, 2020 at 7:48am PST

Goldin Auctions has sold some pricey James rookie cards in the past.  Last October, a 2003-04 James autographed patch rookie card from Upper Deck Exquisite reached $270,000 at auction. 

In December, the company sold another James Exquisite rookie card for $198,030 and in 2016, an Upper Deck Ultimate Collection 1/1 “Ultimate Logos” card went for $312,000.

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About Rich Mueller

Rich is the editor and founder of Sports Collectors Daily. A broadcaster and writer for more than 30 years and a collector for even longer than that, he's usually typing something somewhere. Type him back at [email protected]