A rare Kobe Bryant rookie card that Goldin Auctions considers “one of the rarest in existence,” has sold to an anonymous buyer for $1.795 million.
The auction house called the Topps trading card one of only two in the world in “black label pristine condition.” The sale makes the card the most expensive Kobe Bryant card ever sold, according to Reuters.
Ken Goldin, the founder of Goldin Auction, said the purchase is further proof of how beloved the late Los Angeles Lakers legend was.
“The fact that it sold for the final auction price of $1.795 million, the all-time record for any Kobe Bryant card, speaks to just how beloved he was around the world,” Goldin said.
Read More: Vanessa Bryant says Kobe, Gianna ‘motivate’ her, but pain is ‘unimaginable’
This is one of many pieces of memorabilia that have sold since his death.
In February 2020, Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers NBA All-Star jersey from 1998-1999 was auctioned with bidding that started at $20,000. 10 percent of the proceeds went to one of Bryant’s favorite nonprofit organizations After School All-Stars, which serves low-income students.
In November, Bryant’s basketball hoop from his childhood home in Lower Merion, Pennsylvania was removed prior to the home selling for $810,000. TMZ reported that the basketball rim sold for $37,200 at Heritage Auctions.
An autographed hardwood floor with Bryant’s original jersey number, 8, from his historic 60-point final game in 2016, sold for $631,200. A portion of the proceeds were donated to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation.
Read More: Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion added to the Grammys performance list
Rene Nezhoda, a cast member of A&E Network’s Storage Wars made news last October when he purchased a storage unit from someone who won it at an auction for $375. Nezhoda bought the unit, which was filled with Bryant’s personal memorabilia including jerseys, a fur coat, and sneakers, for $13,000.
Vanessa Bryant and her team reached out to Nezhoda after learning of the discovery and was able to purchase some of the items for an undisclosed amount, according to The Daily Mail.
Nezhoda confirmed to TMZ that he worked with her to return some items, but was allowed to keep items that weren’t personal to Bryant.
“Everything has been worked out. A number of personal items, worn items, and paperwork were sold directly back to the Bryant family,” he told TMZ.
Bryant, who died at age 41 on Jan. 26, 2020, with his daughter, Gianna, and seven other passengers, retired in 2016 as an 18-time NBA All-Star, the fourth all-time leading scorer, and one of the most successful basketball players in history.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!