Goldin Auctions puts rookie year LeBron James Logoman on the block
By Stephen Laroche | Beckett Basketball Editor
For many player collectors, there is always one card that proves to be incredibly desirable and elusive at the same time. One wonders if it is stashed away in someone’s personal collection or still sitting inside of a pack, but for those that chase key cards of LeBron James, one of those holy grail-level items is up for auction and the eventual winner will have a true cardboard treasure in their hands.
The 2003-04 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Ultimate Logos autographed patch card is regarded as one of those treasured cards and it is up for bidding now via The Great American Trading Card Auction from Goldin Auctions.
Back in 2003-04, the concept of a premium one-of-one trading card featuring a prime piece of memorabilia was still in its infancy and this particular item is regarded as one of the most desired of James’ rookie year issues. Featuring a Logoman patch and a bold signature, it shows King James as a freshman and has a grade of 9 from PSA.
During his rookie season, James appeared on over 500 different cards and just 71 of them were autographed. All of those came from Upper Deck products due to his relationship with the company beginning at that time. Just four of them were limited to a single copy each and none are priced by Beckett Basketball due to scarcity. This particular card may be the most desirable of the bunch because of the Logoman patch.
Estimated to garner a final bid of $200,000.00, it is currently sitting at $80,000.00 and should rise as the auction enters its final hours. The card itself has only had one owner since the 2003-04 season.
Of course, this is not the only major trading card to bid on in The Great American Trading Card Auction. Among the lots expected to sell for $200,000.00 or more include a PSA 7.5 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, a PSA 9 1955 Topps Roberto Clemente, and the legendary T206 Honus Wagner known as the “Jumbo Wagner” which previously sold for over $2-million three years ago.
“The demand for rare, high-grade vintage cards has exploded with new record price being established every week,” said Ken Goldin, founder of Goldin Auctions in a press release. “Every time one of these rare collectibles, such as the T206 “Jumbo Wagner,” is offered for auction, serious collectors realize that it may be the last time for a long time. The booming market for high-grade trading cards coupled with the limited supply, creates the perfect storm for the Jumbo Wagner and several of these other cards to establish new records.”
Bidding ends on October 1 and the James Logoman card can be viewed here.
Stephen Laroche is the editor of Beckett Hockey, Beckett Basketball, and Beckett Sports Card Monthly magazines. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an e-mail to him at slaroche@beckett.com or follow him on Twitter @Stephen_Laroche.
