(Reuters) – A flawless Kobe Bryant rookie card, considered “one of the rarest in existence,” according to Goldin Auctions, has sold to an unknown buyer for $ 1.795 million.
The Topps trading card is one of only two in the world considered to be in “pristine black label condition,” says the auction house, and is the most expensive Kobe Bryant card ever sold.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) champion died just over a year ago in a helicopter crash alongside his daughter and seven others at the age of 41, shocking the sports world and sending Los Angeles Lakers star fans in mourning.
“The fact that it sold for the final auction price of $ 1.795 million, always the record for any Kobe Bryant card, speaks to how beloved it was worldwide,” said Goldin Auctions founder Ken Goldin.
The 18-time NBA All-Star retired from the league in 2016 after one of the most decorated careers in basketball history, and is the NBA’s fourth all-time leading scorer.
Basketball rookie cards, often sought after by collectors, are trading cards that are the first to feature an athlete once they reach the professional ranks.