NBA trading cards are hot right now.
Couple passionate collectors with the fact that basketball trading cards can be seen as investment assets and it’s easy to see why the hobby is blowing up at the moment.
An autographed Michael Jordan card recently sold for $1.44 million, a rare LeBron James collectible card topped that by going for $1.845 million and there are entire YouTube channels dedicated to Trading Card investors, showing just how fantastically the business is currently booming.
Below, we have created a ranking using information from Stockx to sort out the average sales prices for trading cards over the past 12 months in order to see what the most expensive NBA cards are right now.
In this Top 30 ranking, you’ll find there are eight LeBron James cards and five Luka Doncic cards, only logical considering they’re two of the most well-known basketball players in the world. There is also one Zion Williamson and Trae Young card featured apiece, indicating that many expect their popularity to blow up over the coming years.
(Stockx has removed fakes, outliers and auctions with multiple listings while we have included cards that were sold at least twice.)
1
LeBron James 2003 Topps Chrome Rookie Refractor #111
Average sale: $14,031
Number of sales: Three
You can buy here if you have big money like that
2
Michael Jordan 1986 Fleer Rookie #57
Average sale: $7,355
Number of sales: 37
Buy here
3
LeBron James 2003 Topps Chrome Rookie #111
Average sale: $6,864
Number of sales: 53
Buy here
4
Larry Bird/Julius Erving/Magic Johnson 1980 Topps Scoring Leader N/A
Average sale: $6,641
Number of sales: 12
Buy here
5
Kobe Bryant 1996 Topps Chrome Rookie #138
Average sale: $4,141
Number of sales: 14
Buy here
6
Michael Jordan 1986 Fleer Sticker #8
Average sale: $4,105
Number of sales: 15
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7
Kobe Bryant 1996 Topps Draft Redemption Rookie #DP13
Average sale: $3,499
Number of sales: Four
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8
Luka Doncic 2018 Panini Donruss Optic Rookie Holo #177
Average sale: $3,375
Number of sales: Four
Buy here
9
Shaquille O'Neal 1992 Stadium Club Beam Team #21
Average sale: $2,952
Number of sales: Five
Buy here
10
Kobe Bryant 2008 Topps Chrome #24
Average sale: $2,779
Number of sales: Three
Buy here
11
Michael Jordan 1985 Nike Promo
Average sale: $2,617
Number of sales: 16
Buy here
12
Kevin Durant 2007 Topps Chrome Rookie #131
Average sale: $2,496
Number of sales: 24
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13
Luka Doncic 2018 Panini Prizm Fast Break Rookie #280
Average sale: $2,284
Number of sales: Three
Buy here
14
Luka Doncic 2018 Panini Prizm Rookie Silver #280
Average sale: $2,225
Number of sales: 48
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15
Lebron James/Dwyane Wade/Carmelo Anthony 2003 Fleer Rookie #300
Average sale: $2,055
Number of sales: Five
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16
Lebron James 2003 Bowman Chrome Rookies & Stars Rookie #123
Average sale: $2,016
Number of sales: 11
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17
Devin Booker 2015 Panini Prizm Rookie #308
Average sale: $1,970
Number of sales: Four
Buy here
18
Giannis Antetokounmpo 2013 Panini Prizm Rookie #290
Average sale: $1,936
Number of sales: 95
Buy here
19
LeBron James 2003 Topps Rookie #221
Average sale: $1,885
Number of sales: 188
Buy here
20
Kawhi Leonard 2012 Panini Prizm Rookie #209
Average sale: $1,822
Number of sales: 23
Buy here
21
Trae Young 2018 Panini Prizm Rookie Red Ice #78
Average sale: $1,692
Number of sales: Two
Buy here
22
Stephen Curry 2009 Topps Rookie #321
Average sale: $1,669
Number of sales: 34
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23
Luka Doncic 2018 Panini Select Rookie Silver #122
Average sale: $1,663
Number of sales: Two
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24
LeBron James 2008 Topps Chrome #23
Average sale: $1,653
Number of sales: Four
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25
LeBron James 2003 Fleer Rookie #261
Average sale: $1,629
Number of sales: Five
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26
Jayson Tatum 2017 Panini Prizm Rookie Silver #16
Average sale: $1,591
Number of sales: 18
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27
Zion Williamson 2019 Panini Prizm Rookie Silver #248
Average sale: $1,518
Number of sales: 40
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28
Luka Doncic 2018 Panini Prizm Rookie Pink Ice #280
Average sale: $1,476
Number of sales: Two
Buy here
29
Lebron James 2003 Topps Pristine Rookie #101
Average sale: $1,469
Number of sales: Four
Buy here
30
Shaquille O'Neal 1992 Topps Gold Rookie #362
Average sale: $1,358
Number of sales: 16
Buy here
