Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James‘ trading cards have fetched significant sums over the years, and Topps recently asked him whether he knew which one of his cards had been sold for the highest price. James did know the card, but not the amount.
“I think my rookie card has sold for the most,” James said. “I don’t know the number, but I heard it’s crazy. And I happen to have maybe one or two of those things locked in a vault somewhere. So, just in case if I ever fall on hard times, then I’m good there.”
James was then told that the rookie card had sold for $5.2 million, much to his amazement. The 40-year-old was later informed that the sale took place in 2021, which led to his coming to a hilarious realization.
“So, it’s even higher then now,” James stated. “Hey, might need to go into that vault.”
LeBron was shook after hearing the price of his most valuable trading card…😆💰 @KingJames pic.twitter.com/ZmyCPWrUTp
— Topps (@Topps) December 5, 2025
James is a billionaire, so he doesn’t really need to look into that vault anytime soon. The value of those cards is only going to keep going up, too.
As for the card in question, it is quite a special one. We’re talking about a 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection RPA (rookie patch autograph) parallel LeBron James card. It is just one of 23 and was sold privately with PWCC Marketplace.
James has had a phenomenal NBA career, and his rookie season was no different. He averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game after being selected with the first pick of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The hype surrounding James in the early 2000s was unlike anything seen in decades, and everyone knew he would live up to it after seeing him play that well despite entering the NBA straight out of high school. He then became an All-Star in his second season and finished runner-up for MVP in his third.
James has gone on to win four titles, four Finals MVPs, four MVPs, a scoring title, and an assists title. He is also the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and is regarded by many as the greatest player of all time.
James has been a force on the court for over two decades, but you are now starting to wonder if age has finally caught up to him. He is averaging just 14.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game for the Lakers in 2025-26.
Writing James off completely would be a mistake, though, considering his track record. We’ll see him in action next when the Lakers take on the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on Sunday at 7:30 PM ET.
