In the world of sports memorabilia, there are items and then there are keepsakes that command attention not just for their rarity, but for the deep emotional resonance they carry. Recently, a singular piece graced the auction stage, conjuring the spirits of two basketball legends. Its journey ended with the quiet closure of a gavel, as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant’s dual Logoman card left the nest of the Goldin Auctions, snug in the embrace of a fervent collector who shelled out a staggering $1,161,440 for its splendor.
Dubbed the 2009 Upper Deck Exquisite Dual Logoman Autograph card, this treasure trove of basketball accolades entered the realm of big spenders with pizzazz. The figures etched into this cardboard rectangle are none other than the game’s stalwarts, LeBron James and the late Kobe Bryant, their signatures intertwined with the iconic NBA Logoman patches. Though the card is graded a modest PSA 6.5—inevitable perhaps, given the years and its substantial construction—the nine-grade autographs elevate its stature immensely. One might call this a canvas where nostalgia and modern sports myth converge.
The backdrop to this frenzied bidding war is as palpable as the card’s historical significance. Kobe Bryant’s untimely departure in 2020 cast a bittersweet halo over memorabilia featuring his renowned signature. The sentimental value, married to the sports history enmeshed in that ink, transformed this card into something akin to a holy grail for collectors. In Goldin’s 2025 Spring Elite Auction, the card stood as a testament, with 11 bids echoing the awe and reverence it deserved.
For those keeping score, this extraordinary result doesn’t eclipse the almighty record for a LeBron/Kobe card. That distinction belongs to another Upper Deck Exquisite gem—the 2006 Triple Logoman, co-starring the legendary Michael Jordan. It fetched a respectable $1.68 million in an August 2022 auction, underscoring the perennial interest in memorabilia that entwines the legacies of NBA’s most iconic figures.
Goldin Auctions has a storied history with memorabilia from these basketball titans. Another remarkable dual Logoman autograph from the 2004–05 Upper Deck Exquisite collection found its worthy suitor for $840,000 in June 2023. The card, authenticated by PSA with a gem-like perfection grade for its autographs, served as a precursor to the hoopla that ensued this time around.
This latest sale not only fuels the growing lust for dual-signed Logoman cards but enshrines the indelible legacies of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Each piece that surfaces feeds into a narrative much larger than circles, jumps, or scores—it’s a story of heroes on courts and the lasting echoes of their brilliance.
Collectors, when setting their sights on a piece like this, are chasing more than asset appreciation or the glitter of ownership. They seek a connection to the mythos of what these figures represent—a relentless pursuit of greatness, moments that slaked a thirst for sports grandeur, and the effervescent comfort of being part of something timeless.
With Kobe Bryant autographs becoming as scarce as a perfect season, the feverish competition among collectors is understandable. The market dictates and responds, swirling in an intricate dance of supply, demand, and sentiment. Wallets will undoubtedly open, and open wide, in the wake of such illustrious offerings, driven by the knowledge that as time marches forward, the pool of available memorabilia only becomes more shallow.
That a small piece of cardboard, no matter how venerated, can command such a sum is both a testament to the industry’s vigor and a nod to the legacy of these athletes who left an indelible mark on the hardwood and beyond. As collectors clamor to secure their relics, one thing is certain: the lore of basketball’s pantheon will continue to captivate for generations, immortalized not just by statistics, but through palpable artifacts like this.
