LeBron James just added another line to the card market record book.
At Goldin Auctions during the Goldin 100, a 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection RPA /23 graded BGS 9.5 sold for $2,928,000 on June 28, 2026. That makes it the highest public sale ever for a LeBron James card, even though it does not top the biggest private transactions tied to his name.
The previous public benchmark belonged to another Exquisite Collection card: a 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite RPA /99 in a BGS 8.5 that brought $2.46 million at Goldin on October 25, 2021. That card had been the standard for LeBron’s public market, and most of his earlier top public sales also came from the Exquisite Collection RPA run.
Private sales have pushed the ceiling even higher. A similar /23 Exquisite RPA reportedly sold for $4.25 million in a PSA 9/Auto 10 in August of 2025, then for $5.2 million in a BGS 9 in April of 2026. Those figures still sit below the biggest LeBron card deal of all: the 2006-07 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Michael Jordan & LeBron James Dual Logoman Auto 1-of-1, which sold for $10 million in September of 2025.
That Jordan-LeBron Dual Logoman Auto is one of the biggest card sales ever, ranking fourth all-time and standing as the second-highest sale of a basketball card. The only basketball card sale above it is the Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant Dual Logoman Auto from the 2007-08 Exquisite Collection, which sold for $12,932,000 in a PSA 6.
Even with LeBron out of the NBA Playoffs and not chasing a championship, the market around him is still moving fast. Card Ladder has his market up 76.85% over the last two years. And with word that he may be reuniting with Anthony Davis in the Bay Area to team up with Steph Curry, collectors have another reason to keep watching.
On a night packed with records at Goldin, LeBron was right back where he usually is in this hobby: near the center of the conversation.
In Other News...
Cavs May Have Found The Cheap Bench Spark They Desperately Need
The Cavaliers are expected to lock in second-round pick Meleek Thomas on a standard NBA contract using the leagues second-round exception, a move that fits both the roster and the budget. Cleveland is carrying one of the NBAs most expensive rosters, so finding a young player who can contribute without adding meaningful cost has become more than a nice bonus for this front office.
What makes Thomas especially intriguing is the scoring punch he brings. The Cavs have been looking for a bench player who can supply offense in a hurry since Ty Jerome left, and Thomas appeal is tied to the belief that he can grow into that kind of spark. For a team trying to keep its core intact while squeezing value out of the margins, that possibility matters just as much as any splashy addition. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs May Have Their Cheapest Answer To A Familiar Wing Problem
The Cavaliers have some room to operate this summer after James Harden declined his player option, and that flexibility could matter as they look for cheaper ways to patch a familiar wing issue. One possible path is a low-cost swing at Brooklyns Ziaire Williams, a young forward who would give Cleveland more size and athleticism on the perimeter without forcing a major cap commitment.
Williams has drawn interest because of the kind of value teams chase when the margins get tight: defense, length and enough two-way upside to justify a deeper look. For Cleveland, the appeal is also tied to Kenny Atkinsons development system, which has helped young players take steps forward, and to the possibility of adding another wing option in case Dean Wade ends up elsewhere in free agency. [Read more 🡒]
Larry Nance Jr's Cavs Return Created A Tough Frontcourt Decision
Larry Nance Jr.s return to Cleveland was supposed to add a familiar, useful piece to the frontcourt, a low-cost veteran on a one-year minimum deal who could help steady a bench that always needs dependable size. Instead, his comeback season never really got rolling, and the Cavaliers spent much of the year trying to get a read on how much he could still offer after an injury-hampered stretch that kept him from settling in.
Now the frontcourt picture is even murkier. Nance and Thomas Bryant are both headed for unrestricted free agency, leaving Cleveland to sort through its big-man depth with no clear answer yet on which pieces fit best for next season. For a team that values versatility and experience in the middle, it is the kind of decision that can quietly shape the roster well beyond the margins. [Read more 🡒]
