LeBron James may be sidelined until at least mid-November due to sciatica, but the Los Angeles Lakers star’s popularity continues to be at an all-time high.
The 40-year-old James, who is in his 23rd season in the NBA, remains the most recognizable name in the sport. Further proof of that can be seen in how memorabilia and items related to him sell for astronomical prices. In fact, last August, a 2003-04 Exquisite Collection LeBron James Gold Rookie Patch Autograph sold for a staggering $4.25 million.
The deal for the item, numbered to 23 and graded a PSA 9 (meaning it’s in “superb condition”), was finalized in a private sale and confirmed by analytics and value estimation tool Card Ladder.
Now, another unique LeBron card just sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
At Goldin, a 2018 LeBron James Panini Kaboom! went up for auction. The item is numbered 1/10 and graded BGS 9.5 — meaning the card is in “Gem Mint” condition.
This LeBron James Kaboom card is up for auction at Goldin. The current bid is over $350,000, with more than five days remaining in the auction. pic.twitter.com/O3Hyyj0CgB
— Kit Espina (@KeithEspino22) October 27, 2025
The auction ended on Nov. 2, Sunday, with the card selling for $353,800. The bid was $290,000 but breached the $350K mark due to buyer’s premium. There were a total of 18 bids for the item, though it didn’t get any new bids in the last five days of the auction.
It’s not surprising that the the specific James card got a lot of attention. As the listing stated, it is a “True Gem+ example.”
“Among a total of seven copies of this piece recorded in Beckett’s census reporting, none have achieved a higher tier. Furthermore, this is one of only two examples to achieve the meritorious “True Gem+” designation,” the Goldin description reads.
Sure enough, the sale just set a benchmark for any future sales of a similar card. With James’ time in the NBA also numbered, his cards should only increase in value in the years to come.
