The most sought after modern basketball card in recent years was pulled during a live internet break on Friday night. The 2020-21 Panini Flawless Triple Logoman LeBron James 1/1 was the subject of a much publicized hunt that included rapper Drake spending over $200,000 searching in vain for it.
Whatnot had announced earlier in the week that it had issued a bounty on the rare card, offering a 2021 Lamborghini Huracán to anyone who pulled the card on the platform and then offered it for sale via its livestream app. The card was pulled during a string of Flawless breaks hosted by Whatnot.
“We’re thrilled for the entire sports card hobby, especially the Whatnot community, that the chase for the Lebron Triple Logoman concluded on our platform,” said Eric Shemtov, Head of Sports at Whatnot. “This is what the hobby is all about – finding rare cards that galvanize this passionate community. We’re proud to create an environment where these moments can happen.”
The James Logoman wasn’t autographed. It features three images of him in the three NBA uniforms he’s worn: Cleveland, Miami and the LA Lakers. It was one of five different 1/1 Logoman cards in the product, but the only one devoted to an individual player.
There’s no word yet on where or when the card will be offered for sale but it’s been touted as a seven-figure item.
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Tom Stephens loved baseball cards as a kid back in the 1960s, but after high school, when he thought he was about to be drafted into the service during the Vietnam War, he decided to give them to someone who might enjoy them.
Joel Dawson was that kid.
Stephens never left the country and as time went on, he missed his old collection. Then one day, he got a knock on the door:
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Reporter Steve Stecklow was a card collector as a youngster. Thankfully, his mom didn’t toss them out when he moved away, but after more than 50 years, he had to decide what to do with them.
He chronicled their journey in this story for Reuters.