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2003 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection LeBron James (Exquisite Rookie Patch Autographs-Level 1, Jersey Number) #78 BGS NM-MT+ 8....
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Sold on Nov 17, 2022 for:
$885,000.00
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Description
2003 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection LeBron James (Exquisite Rookie Patch Autographs-Level 1, Jersey Number) #78 BGS NM-MT+ 8.5, Auto 10 - #'d 18/23. Until LeBron James' free throw in the closing seconds of Game Seven of the 2016 NBA Finals rattled home to put the contest out of reach, the most important ball in Cleveland Cavaliers history was of the ping pong variety, bearing a printed number 1. With the basketball world holding its breath in anticipation, it popped to the top of the 2003 Draft lottery machine to ensure that the greatest young talent ever spawned from the playgrounds of Ohio would remain within state borders.Though he'd break hearts in Cleveland before returning to fill them with unprecedented joy, LeBron's ascension to the professional ranks was unquestionably the biggest sports story of 2003, sparking a marketing bonanza to rival that of Michael Jordan nearly two decades earlier. In the blink of an eye, the son of a struggling single mother in Akron became the hottest commodity on Madison Avenue.
The preternaturally gifted child now approaching the end of his Hall of Fame career, LeBron James continues to reign over the collectibles marketplace, and with good reason. In fact, one of this card's twenty-two siblings, a Beckett Mint 9 example numbered "07/23," holds the standing world record for the highest price ever paid for a basketball card at $5.2 million.
This spectacular specimen is numbered "18/23," recalling the age of LeBron James when he took his first steps onto an NBA court. Like the world record card, the blue sharpie signature of the icon on the rise rates a perfect 10, thus falling short only by a half-point in the assessment of the card itself. It should go without saying that this edition of twenty-three is the absolute pinnacle of LeBron rookies--the foil stamping is gold here, while it is silver on the edition of 99 that commands high six-figure prices on the rare occasion that it appears at auction. The creators also made sure to pick a patch that features all three colors of King James' rookie Cleveland Cavaliers jersey.
Graded BGS NM-MT+ 8.5 with subgrades: Centering 9.5, Corners 8.5, Edges 9, Surface 8.5 with a Beckett Auto 10. Limited edition - #18/23.
Auction Info
2022 November 17 - 19 Fall Sports Catalog Signature® Auction #50059 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
November, 2022
17th-19th
Thursday-Saturday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 17
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 5,231
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20% of the successful bid per lot.
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