Jordan-Kobe 1-of-1 card fetches $12.9M, a record for NBA memorabilia

A one of a kind dual-autograph sports card featuring Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant sold for a record $12.9 million at a late August auction, topping the previous high for a collectible and underscoring the rising value of NBA memorabilia. The Upper Deck Exquisite "Dual Logoman" card, created as a single example pairing photographs, jersey patches and signatures of the two Hall of Famers, was purchased by an unnamed bidder at the Summer Platinum Night Sports Auction on August 24, auction officials said.

Sports writer Brad Crawford described the card as the unique "1 of 1 Kobe Michael Jordan logo man from Upper Deck Exquisite" and Chris Ivy, director of sports auctions at the auction house, said demand for the item was "astronomical." Ivy noted its rarity was amplified by Bryant's death in 2020, meaning the example will remain the only one pairing the two players. The sale eclipsed the long standing high of $12.6 million paid for a mint condition 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card.

Collectors and auctioneers say the result reflects a broader shift in the sports-card market toward basketball icons. Baseball cards historically dominated the highest sales, but NBA-related autographs have...