For nearly two decades, a prized LeBron James rookie card had been stored away securely in a safety deposit box, waiting for the perfect moment to emerge. This particular gem was a 2003-04 Exquisite Collection Basketball Rookie Patch Autograph Parallel #08/23, obtained back in November 2004 for just under $3,000 via eBay. The savvy owner had the patience to keep it stashed until the 20th anniversary of the product’s launch. The Upper Deck Exquisite Collection, introduced on June 4, 2004, is renowned for housing a stellar rookie class that included LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Carmelo Anthony.
Amongst collectors, LeBron’s rookie card from this set, especially the #78 RPA (Rookie Patch Autograph), holds an iconic status. It comes in two forms—the more common /99 Level 1 and a rarer parallel numbered to his jersey number, 23. With a mere 23 copies in circulation, this card is exceptionally scarce. Since July 2020, only one other card from this series has been evaluated by Beckett.
The specific card up for grabs in this auction was graded BGS NM+ 7.5 with an Auto grade of 10, boasting sub-grades of Centering 9.5, Edges 7.5, Corners 7, and Surface 7.5. Its immaculate autograph in blue against a crisp white backdrop, coupled with a two-color swatch, added to its allure. This card’s significance within the basketball card community contributed to its remarkable closing bid of $351,029.
Another showstopper at the auction was a 2003 Topps Chrome #111 LeBron James rookie card, featuring a black refractor variant. LeBron’s 2003 Topps Chrome rookie cards are revered in NBA circles for their limited production runs and assortment of refractor versions, including the unnumbered refractor, black refractor (/500), X-Fractor (/220), and gold refractor (/50).
The black refractor card in this event, graded PSA GEM MINT 10, is notably rare, with only 21 copies (constituting 4% of the print run) achieving this pristine grade per the PSA population report. The black borders of the card accentuate any flaws, making a perfect grade a challenging feat. Numbered 326 out of 500, this specific card is an essential addition for any serious LeBron James or NBA memorabilia collector, fetching an impressive final price of $126,725.
The stellar results from the Leland’s Summer Classic Auction underscore the enduring esteem and value of LeBron James’ rookie cards within the realm of sports collectibles.
