Kobe Bryant's popularity is at an all-time high, as the search for memorabilia and other collectibles related to him continues. This time, a rookie card of the late Los Angeles Lakers legend just sold at an auction for an incredible price of $1.79 million.
The card is a black label 1996-97 Topps Chrome Refractor of Kobe. It is in an ultra-rare pristine condition with its BGS Grade of 10. As Darren Rovell of Action Network noted, it's the 10th most expensive sports card ever purchased in recorded history.
Kobe Bryant rookie card sells for $1.79 million tonight at @GoldinAuctions, now the 10th most expensive card purchased of all time.
This is your new Top 10 https://t.co/z9ylkaYDl6 pic.twitter.com/Z1BLUMEroA
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) March 7, 2021
Perhaps for those in the card collecting hobby/business, the sale of the card is not that surprising. After all, a raw version of the same card is already fetching tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent months–particularly after the sudden passing of the Lakers icon.
Not to mention that Kobe Bryant is set to be officially inducted into the Hall of Fame.
For what it's worth, Kobe's childhood basketball hoop also recently sold for $37,000, which is enough proof that fans and collectors will pay any amount to get their hands on any Kobe memorabilia.
Aside from Kobe's Lakers rookie card, other NBA players also make the top 10 of the most-expensive cards list. Leading that category now is Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic, whose One of One National Treasure Logoman rookie card just sold for $4.6 million in a private sale. Giannis Antetokounmpo's 2013-14 Logoman autopatch and LeBron James' 2003-04 rookie patch autograph were both sold for $1.8 million in recent years as well.