For nearly twenty years, tucked away in a safety deposit box, a prized possession waited for its moment to shine. This treasure came in the form of a LeBron James 2003-04 Exquisite Collection Basketball Rookie Patch Autograph Parallel card, numbered #08/23. Acquired in 2004 for a steal on eBay, just under $3,000, its consignor had the foresight to keep it secure until the 20th anniversary of the product’s release. The Upper Deck Exquisite Collection, a milestone in basketball card history, featuring an exceptional rookie class that included not only LeBron James but also Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony, launched on June 4, 2004.
Amongst this legendary collection, LeBron’s rookie card from this set, particularly the #78 RPA (Rookie Patch Autograph), shines brightest. Available in two versions—the /99 Level 1 and a scarce parallel numbered to his jersey number 23—this card is exceptionally rare, with a mere 23 copies in existence. Surprisingly, since July 2020, only one other card from this series has been graded by Beckett.
The card that stole the show at the auction was graded BGS NM+ 7.5, with an Auto grade of 10 and notable sub-grades of Centering 9.5, Edges 7.5, Corners 7, and Surface 7.5. Rendered in blue against a white background, the card features a perfect, bold autograph accented by a two-color swatch. Its rarity, along with its ‘hobby fresh’ appeal and significance within the basketball card community, resulted in a jaw-dropping final bid of $351,029.
Another star of the auction was a 2003 Topps Chrome #111 LeBron James rookie card, specifically the black refractor variant. LeBron’s 2003 Topps Chrome rookie cards are legendary in NBA history due to their limited print runs and various refractor versions, including the unnumbered refractor, black refractor (/500), X-Fractor (/220), and gold refractor (/50).
The black refractor card in this auction, graded PSA GEM MINT 10, is exceptionally rare, with only 21 copies (4% of the print run) achieving this pristine grade as per the PSA population report. The black borders of the card make any imperfections glaringly obvious, adding to the challenge of obtaining a flawless grade. Numbered 326 out of 500, this specific card is a coveted piece for any elite LeBron James or NBA collector, fetching a remarkable final price of $126,725.
These astonishing results from the Leland’s Summer Classic Auction underscore the enduring significance and value of LeBron James’ rookie cards in the realm of sports memorabilia.
