IN HONOR OF BASKETBALL SEASON’S OCTOBER 18 TIPOFF, CHECK OUT RELATED ITEMS FROM THE HERITAGE ARCHIVES
THIS SIGNED JERSEY worn by Earvin “Magic” Johnson during the Los Angeles Lakers’ legendary 1980 NBA Finals win scored $1,500,000 in an August 2021 Heritage auction, making it one of the most valuable NBA jerseys of all time.
ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE Michael Jordan cards ever sold at auction – an autographed 1997 Upper Deck Game Jersey Jordan graded PSA NM 7 and Auto 8 – realized $1,440,000 in a February 2021 Heritage auction. It was the first Jordan card to shatter the million-dollar mark.
BEFORE KOBE BRYANT left the Staples Center floor for the last time as a Los Angeles Laker – on April 13, 2016 – the retiring legend autographed pieces of the court bearing the two numbers he wore for the team. The signed No. 24 remains with the Lakers. But the autographed No. 8 sold for $631,200 in an October 2020 Heritage auction.
BARACK OBAMA PLAYED in quite a few pickup basketball games around Washington, D.C., during his presidency. One of the most memorable of these contests was the one played to celebrate his 49th birthday. The ball from that 2010 game, signed by Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Carmelo Anthony and Obama himself, sold for $99,000 in a February 2022 Heritage auction.
THIS PAIR OF signed and photo-matched Air Jordan 1s worn by Michael Jordan during the Chicago Bulls’ 116-107 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on April 1, 1986, realized $675,000 in a February 2022 Heritage auction.
THE 2004 CHROME collection, which was actually released in February 2005, is widely regarded as one of Topps’ most iconic modern basketball sets given the look and the lineup. And this gem-mint-condition LeBron James Superfractor is the best of the best. As a result, the card sold for a whopping $720,000 in an October 2020 Heritage auction.
THE ONLY KNOWN full ticket from Michael Jordan’s October 1984 NBA debut sold for $468,000 in a February 2022 Heritage auction. The previous December, a stub from that season-opening game between the Chicago Bulls and the visiting Washington Bullets sold for $264,000.