Essential Credentials parallel the base set cards except for having vibrant color backgrounds and limited serial numbers. One of them is the second-most expensive Kobe Bryant card: his PSA 10 Score Board Rookies Autograph. Sign up for NewsOne's email newsletter! These are easily identifiable with a unique die-cut pattern, gold foil background, and bevel and embossed Golden Touch letters. Upper Deck came out with a number of patch and auto cards inserted into Series 1 hobby boxes. 1996 Skybox E-X2000 Credentials and Base #30 Kobe Bryant, 1996 Flair Showcase Legacy Collection Row 0 & 1 #31 Kobe Bryant, 1996 Topps Chrome Refractor #138 Kobe Bryant, 1996 Finest Refractor w/ Coating #74 Kobe Bryant, 1996 Finest Refractor w/ Coating #269 Kobe Bryant, 1996 Bowmans Best Rookies #R23 Kobe Bryant Atomic Refractor, 1996 Skybox E-X2000 Star Date 2000 #3 Kobe Bryant, 1996 Skybox Premium Star Rubies #55 Kobe Bryant, 1996 Skybox Premium Star Rubies #203 Kobe Bryant, 1996 Fleer Ultra Platinum Medallion Kobe Bryant #P266, 1996 Fleer Ultra Platinum Medallion Kobe Bryant #P52, 1996 Skybox Premium New Editions #3 Kobe Bryant, Most Valuable Kobe Bryant Cards Rare Inserts (1997-2018), 1997 Skybox E-X2001 Essential Credentials Future #8 Kobe Bryant, 1997 Skybox E-X2001 Jambalaya #12JB Kobe Bryant, 1997 Flair Showcase Legacy Collection Row 0 #18 Kobe Bryant, 1997 Hoops High Voltage 500 Volts #1HV Kobe Bryant, 1997 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems #81 Kobe Bryant, 1997 Skybox Premium Star Rubies #23SR & #226SR Kobe Bryant, 1997 Ultra Platinum Medallion #1P & #252P Kobe Bryant, 2003 E-X Essential Credentials #9 Kobe Bryant, 2003 UD Exquisite Autograph Patches #AP-KB Kobe Bryant, 2003 UD Exquisite Limited Logos #LL-KB Kobe Bryant, 2004-05 UD Exquisite Collection Number Pieces Autographs #NP-KB Kobe Bryant, 2008-09 Topps Chrome Gold Refractor #24 Kobe Bryant, 2015-16 Panini Prizm Kobe Bryant #182 Prizms Gold, 1998-99 Fleer Brilliants 24kt Gold #70TG Kobe Bryant, 2000 Upper Deck Game Jersey Patch 2 #KB-PA Kobe Bryant, 2009 UD SP Game Used Logo Men #LOGO-KB Kobe Bryant, 2009 Playoff National Treasures Notable Nicknames #NN-KB Kobe Bryant, 2018 Panini Prizm Prizms Gold #15 Kobe Bryant, 2012 Panini Prizm Most Valuable Players Prizms Gold #3 Kobe Bryant, 2017 Panini Impeccable All-Stars Autographs #16 Kobe Bryant, 1998 Fleer Playmakers Theatre #3 Kobe Bryant, Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Cards Conclusion, Brilliant Blue (Veteran 1:3 packs, Rookies 1:6 packs), Brilliant Gold (sequentially numbered to 99), 24-Karat Gold (sequentially numbered to 24). Kobe Bryant was one of the greatest players to ever set foot on the court. 1996-97 Flair Showcase Row 2 Kobe Bryant Rookie Card #3. But he is a basketball icon and collectors will likely continue to value his cards and memorabilia. The 1996-97 Topps Chrome Refractors #138 Kobe Bryant Rookie Card, is just one of two in the entire world still in perfect condition. Five players remain correct: Michael Jordan, Grant Hill, Allen Iverson, Shawn Kemp, and Stephon Marbury. Only 10 of these Kobe Bryant cards are known to exist, with one graded 8.5 by the PSA selling in February 2022 for $2 million. Kobe Bryant Basketball Cards Kobe Bryant Basketball Cards Sort By Listings 1 - 100 of 4,616 1996 Edge - Key Kraze - Factory Set #3 Kobe Bryant [PSA 10 GEM MT] $27,531.10 2014-15 Panini Prestige - Distinctive Ink Signatures Premium #3 Kobe Bryant [BGS 8.5 NMMT+] #/25 $3,468.60 2013-14 Panini Prizm - [Base] - Orange Prizm #1 Compare prices below or click on the card you want for more values, historic prices, and card details. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much A similar LeBron James rookie card , one out of 99, was sold for $1.72 million by Goldin Auctions on Saturday night. 120 sold. It's one of the more interesting design concepts on this list and it screams mid-1990s. Skybox Premium emerged as a mid-tier brand, with the Star Rubies parallels being the main attraction. This sale coincided with a large spike in graded card sales across the hobby and sticks out as quite the anomaly compared to a sale in February of 2019 for $6,000. According to Goldin Auctions, the card qualified for black label recognition. Honestly, it doesnt get much rarer than that. The highest grade of the card is a Mint 9 (only 2), and only 11 have ever been graded by PSA. This article will cover the best Kobe Bryant rookie cards from the 90s. Due to the back having black, cards are often found with chipping on the edges, resulting in lower grades. 2. No More Secrets Puzzle Game, Kobe Bryant vs. Shareef Abdur-Rahim One on One #361, 1996 Score Board Basketball Rookies (Basketball), 1996 Skybox E-X2000 Star Date 2000 (Basketball), 1996 Upper Deck Rookie Exclusives (Basketball), 1997 Metal Universe Championship (Basketball), 1996 Flair Showcase Class of '96 (Basketball), 1996 Collector's Choice Lakers Team Set (Basketball), 1996 Stadium Club Members Only 55 (Basketball), 1996 Topps Chrome Youthquake (Basketball). Examples of this card that have been graded in PSA 10 condition have been selling for between $14,000 and $17,000 over the past few years. Card Number: 91. With similar pricing as a base card, its really a matter of preference for design on these two cards. The imagery on this card is one of the more exciting of Bryant's rookies as it shows him going up for a reverse slam. The Row 2 or "Style" Legacy Collection parallel is another extremely valuable card from that set. He has had nearly 500 basketball cards made, according to the card graders at PSA, and among them are some of the most valuable trading cards ever. Lastly, the 15-card set is loaded with collectible players, including Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson, Shaquille ONeal, and Scottie Pippen. Jambalaya inserts feature 15 of the NBAs most prolific dunkers in 97 and have one of the most recognizable designs of any basketball card. On 4/6/2021 a PSA 9 sold for $157,200. This leaves them with higher overall mint percentages if you look at the PSA pop reports. Each card parallels the base set and has a serial number of 50 on the back. With 1996 being the inaugural year of Topps Chrome, this card is sometimes referred to as Kobes flagship rookie. 1996-97 Topps Chrome Kobe Bryant Rookie Card #138 When it comes to value, the 1996-97 Topps Chrome Kobe Bryant rookie card is in a class of itself. His rookie card is one of the rarest in existence and one of only two on earth in black label pristine condition, which is the highest possible obtainable grade, said Ken Goldin, founder of Goldin Auctions. The auction house called the quality of the card a condition assessment of unsurpassable magnitude, scoring 10s in every tested category. 2018-19 Panini Revolution Shake Milton #146 Rookie Card RC PSA 10 Gem Mint. Intimidation Nation inserts are found in 1:360 packs of 1998 Skybox Premium hobby boxes or one per case. Shop the 1997 Essential Credential Kobe Bryant card on eBay, Shop the 1997 Precious Metal Gems Kobe Bryant card on eBay, Shop the 1997 Precious Metal Gems Kobe Bryant cards on eBay, Go Out on a Limb with These NBA Championship Picks, Players who have made the biggest impressions in the NBA bubble. $999.99. Mystery Sports Card Packs! If you are a Lakers fan, the coloring and prominent Lakers logo make this a great collectible. This card also has a semi-transparent acetate material, which can cause chipping of the coloring along the edges making it near impossible to pull a mint condition card even from a pack. Kobe Bryant 1998-99 Topps Stadium Club Royal Court Holo Foil Insert #RC4. The card has only been graded by PSA 13 times, with 7 of them being graded a PSA 10. While it is unknown just how many Star Rubies were printed, a safe estimate is between 100 and 250 according to some hobby discussion. PSA graded 18 of Kobes Platinum Medallion cards, with one grading gem mint 10, six mint 9, six NM-MT 8, and the remaining PSA 7 or less. Fleer did something unique with this set that has not been replicated since. The card was made by Panini, the Italian card developer who got their start making soccer stickers. Player: Kobe Bryant . Kobe Bryant. The value of Kobes High Voltage 500 card is between $6,700 $13,650, depending on the condition. Moreover, will a pull rate of 1:720 packs, they are some of the rarest and more challenging inserts to pull. Theres an example on eBay currently listed for $500,000, which if it sells, would become the most expensive version of this card ever. Because there are many Hall of Fame players in the set, prices can get competitive due to collectors wanting to complete the set. However, it should give you some idea of the wide range of Kobe Bryant cards worth money that have been produced over the years along with some less expensive parallel versions of each that are more attainable to basketball card collectors looking to add Kobe cards to their portfolio. On 11/20/2021 a PSA 10 sold for $25,100. The Gold parallel of this Most Valuable Players insert were serial numbered to 10. The design of this Kobe rookie is also exciting as it features the young legend floating gracefully through the air for a layup accompanied by electrifying text and font. PSA graded 49 of Kobes Star Power Supreme inserts with eleven grading gem mint 10, twelve mint 9, seventeen NM-MT 8, and the remaining PSA 7 or less. Since there is so much going on with the parallels, here is a good resource by Beckett to look up all the different parallels in the set. Guaranteed Value! But what if there are millions stuffed away in that box? . The Ultra Stars insert was rare enough on its own, and this Gold parallel is even more rare at a staggering 1 out of 28,000 packs. This card will run you anywhere from $150-$1,850. On 2/26/2021 a PSA 8 sold for $13,650. Panini basketball cards have been around since the Panini brothers started their company in Milan, selling millions of soccer stickers. If one ever came up for auction, it would easily reach 6-figures, perhaps 7-figures. 2004 Exquisite may not be quite as popular as the inaugural 2003 set, but it still commands huge prices with some of the more rare auto and patch cards from the all-time greats. On 5/21/2019 a PSA 9 copy sold for just over $1,700. I used to love watching him and Shaq play together during that dominant Lakers run. The Flair Showcase card was a multi-image card with a side portrait blending with an action shot of the late star. 2023 Cable News Network. It's straightforward but modern-looking enough to give it some great pop overall. Set# 182 is the Prizm Kobe Bryant Gold card, one of the most recent cards that you can buy, being released for Bryants 2015-2016 season. Both were part of Golding auctions. Huge Chasers! The red Kobe PMG has only been graded 16 times and the green just twice. Golden Touch die-cut inserts are found in 1:360 packs from series 2 boxes. This insert set features 15 players and joining Kobe are Michael Jordan, Shaquille ONeal, Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan, and Scottie Pippen. Topps Finest featured two different Kobe rookies. The card known as the UD Trilogy Trimarks 2 Lebron James/Kobe Bryant/Michael Jordan Signed Card was released in a very limited set of 10 cards. Price: $36,000. While it has a PSA 10 population of 63, which is higher than some other cards on the list, the popularity of the iconic Topps Chrome brand skyrockets the cards demand and value. Due to a manufacturing error, Fleer produced 15 of the 20 Supernatural cards with an incorrect front logo, resulting in five cards with serial numbers out of 40 rather than 250. The Playmakers Theatre inserts are gaining more momentum in the hobby recently for a few reasons. Another giveaway feature is the green and red foil background split between the word Jambalaya in cursive. Kobe Bryants 1996 rookie season was a historic time in the basketball card hobby, as Topps Chrome emerged as a top tier brand, and many other sets created refractors, die cuts, and rare serial numbered inserts and parallels. Because of the foil-type finish, they are often found with soft corners and edge wear, resulting in a lower grade. According to Newatlas.com, the card is now valued at more than 1.7 million dollars. The death of Kobe Bryant January 26, 2020, was heart-breaking, traumatic, and still to this day hard to believe. Sure, the price may seem too high for most people but the fact that it's the Mamba's final Kaboom card. The #203 Star Ruby card has a PSA 10 population of 18. Having the coolest cards from some of your favorite athletes was like a badge of honor in the streets. As such, it has a PSA 10 population of 0. Like the rest of the card market, the Kobe Bryant card market is down from the record high sales of 2021 and early 2022. Its more desirable than even a Kobe Bryant rookie card or a Kobe Bryant autograph. Not only are these highly elusive, but they are also challenging to grade. 1996-97 Topps Kobe Bryant Rookie Card #138. A Bryant rookie card sold for $1.795 million at auction on Saturday night, giving it the distinction of one of the most valuable basketball cards (and the most expensive Bryant card). On 5/24/2021 a PSA 10 sold for $57,600. The Precious Metal Gems inserts of the 90s have emerged as the most iconic insert set of the decade and perhaps of all time. During a Golding Elite auction, a BGS MINT 9 with BGS 10 Auto sold for $105,780. Again, these parallels are easily distinguished from the base versions based on the teal coloration of the front text. If you somehow have a Kobe Bryant basketball card in your possession, hold on to it tightly. This card came from a 1997 set containing 123 cards, many of which feature coveted athletes. You can find him on Instagram and Twitter. PSA graded eleven of his #23 and thirteen of his #226. PSA graded seven of Kobes 97 Metal Championship PMGs, with none grading gem mint 10, two mint 9, three NM-MT 8, and two NM 7. 1996-97 Fleer Metal Kobe Bryant Cyber Metal Rookie RC #5. This card really hits the trifecta of collecting. Since then, the value and collectability of his cards have only skyrocketed. A Michael Jordan PSA 10 example sold at auction in 2021 for a staggering $186,960. The last PSA 10 version of this card sold for around $2,500 in 2014 so I'm guessing it would go for much more in today's market. He is a professional photographer, dog lover, gamer, and has quite the green thumb. The LeBron card is one out of a limited edition of 23. Click below to sign up for a Gold Membership now for immediate access to historical basketball card values. He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. The Essential Credentials Future is Serial Numbered to 94, while the Essential Credentials Now is numbered to just 9. The lone PSA 10 would probably eclipse $100k. The refractor parallels of Kobes rookie fetch much higher values, particularly in Gem Mint condition. These Ultra Stars will continue to be one of the top collectible insert sets of the mid 90s, as the set also features Michael Jordan and Kobes teammate Shaquille ONeal. Some things to look out for when grading is centering and damage on the backside edges and corners. The "Credentials" parallels were numbered to 499 and featured die cut images of the players along with off-white colored foil borders. The game used market is less indexable than cards and often full of one-of-a-kind items like this jersey that are nearly impossible to price before a sale. High Voltage 500 are parallel cards to the regular High Voltage inserts, which are in roughly one per hobby box. Flair Showcase followed up their 1996 designs with a similar in-action gameplay look, but lacking the large portrait. PSA graded eleven of his #23 and thirteen of his #226. He will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the greatest NBA players of all time. Login. On eBay, the cards are listed at $360-$900. If youre looking for an ultimate challenge, consider hunting down the 1/1 Masterpiece edition. There are so many Kobe Bryant rookies but the ones on this list are his most valuable. Bryant tragically died in 2020 in a helicopter crash. One of his rarest cards, the 1997-98 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Emerald, sold for $2 million in 2022, breaking the record for the most expensive basketball card in the world. The card features a great action shot of a young Kobe driving past a defender looking to score. There are only 10 of each issue in existence. But his death left a void that a lot of his fans tried to fill with memorabilia. Stay posted for any cards that surface on eBay for auction because any PMG card is valuable regardless of the player. Fleer did an excellent job creating a memorable and collectible insert card with the Star Power Supreme. The red background parallels were serial numbered to 90 and the greens to only 10. PSA graded thirteen of Kobes Essential Credential cards, with none grading gem mint 10, two mint 9, five NM-MT 8, four NM 7, one PSA 6.5, and one authentic. All Rights Reserved. The Finest Gold Refractor Kobe Bryant Rookie Card that sold at a Goldin auction was in pristine condition, graded by the BGS a 10 in all facets except the surface, which received a 9.5. Fewer than 250 of these cards are known to exist, or about 1 in every 5,000 packs of cards. The Credentials parallel is serial numbered to 499 and has a PSA 10 population of just 4, pushing the value of the card to the top of Kobes rookies. PSA graded just 21 of the Kobe High Voltage 500 inserts, with one grading gem mint 10, five near-mint-mint 8, eight near-mint 7, and the remaining PSA 6 or less. A PSA 9 example sold at auction on eBay in September 2022 for $1,375. You own: 0 / 100 items The cards feature laser cut technology with pinhole-sized cutouts tracing the players silhouette. This unique Kobe rookie card has foiled glossy borders. He also specializes in SEO and evergreen content. Exquisite Collection Limited Logos Kobe Bryant.