(Reuters) – A rare trading card of NBA great LeBron James’ 2003-04 rookie campaign with the Cleveland Cavaliers fetched $1.84 million at auction over the weekend, the league has said.
Bidding for the Upper Deck card, signed by the 35-year-old who now plays for Los Angeles Lakers, began at $150,000 before it became the most expensive basketball card purchased in the modern era – those produced in 1980 or later.
“Only 23 versions of the Patch Autograph Parallel collection for James were ever produced. The rare card received a 9.5 mint gem grading from Beckett grading service,” the NBA said https://www.nba.com/article/2020/07/19/lebron-james-rookie-card-sold-18m-auction.
“Numbered 14 of 23, the card attracted 34 bids over the course of the 26-day auction.”
Darren Rovell of sports media company Action Network said the winning bidder was Leore Avidar, the CEO and co-founder of a San Francisco-based company.
James is a three-times NBA champion (2012, 2013, 2016) and twice Olympic gold medallist (2008, 2012). He has won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award four times.
In May, Michael Jordan’s autographed game-worn sneakers from his rookie season fetched $560,000 in an online auction.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
