In one of the strongest sales months since the pandemic boom, the hobby featured a trio of $1 million sales and a variety of athletes and auction houses make the top 10 sales list of March.
Only one name appears on the list more than once: Shohei Ohtani.
1. LeBron James 2003 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection RPA /99 $1,159,000
For the second time this year, a LeBron James card crossed the $1 million threshold, after a multi-year drought. This particular RPA saw its value boosted by its tri-color patch, but the price still bodes well for the overall LeBron market.
2. Paul Skenes Topps Chrome Update 2024 Rookie Debut Patch Autograph 1/1 $1,110,000
What more is there to say about the much-discussed Paul Skenes RDPA? Skenes now sits behind only Babe Ruth and “Slow” Joe Doyle on the list of pitchers with the most expensive card sales in history.
This record sale helps Topps provide a nearly irrefutable argument in favor of the success of its debut patch. Skenes is now second on the list of active MLB players with the most expensive card sales, behind only Mike Trout.
3. Shohei Ohtani 2024 Topps 50/50 Dynasty Black Autographed Relic 1/1 $1,067,500
Honestly, it’s somewhat surprising it took this long to see Ohtani notch a $1 million sale. But it’s still a landmark, and lifts Ohtani to third-place on the list of active MLB player card sales.
4. Victor Wembanyama 2023 National Treasures Rookie Logoman 1/1 $528,000
Yet another big sale for a Wembanyama card since the announcement he would be sidelined for the remainder of the season with a blood clot. The second-most expensive sale for the young star, the card lacks an autograph and has a disclaimer saying the patch is not associated with a specific player, game, or event, yet clearly that didn’t bother one high-rolling collector.
5. 1980 Topps Larry Bird/Magic Johnson Rookie PSA 10 $432,000
Among just 24 PSA 10 examples of the Larry Bird-Magic Johnson dual rookie card, each of whom appear on either side of Julius Erving on the three-panel card, this sale is actually the lowest price paid for a PSA 10 since 2018.
6. Caitlin Clark 2024 Panini Prizm Signatures Gold Vinyl 1/1 $366,000
After a long reign as the standalone leader for most expensive female sports card, Serena Williams has been surpassed by Caitlin Clark. The Indiana Fever superstar further cemented her status as one of the faces of the hobby.
7. Shohei Ohtani 2018 Bowman Rookie Autographs Orange Refractor /25 PSA 10 $341,600 (https://goldin.co/item/2018-bowman-chrome-rookie-autographs-orange-refractor-bcra-so-shohei-o88zhy)
Ohtani’s second appearance on the list, this sale is a record for the card in a PSA 10 and the first sale since one fetched $156,000 in February 2022.
8. Michael Jordan UD3 Season Ticket Autograph PSA 9/10 $324,000
It’s rare to see Jordan’s name so far down on this list, but this was a top-heavy month. This sale marked a record for the card in any grade, topping the previous high by nearly $100,000.
9. Derek Jeter 1993 SP Foil PSA 10 $324,000
The notoriously condition-sensitive Jeter rookie is one of the most beloved baseball cards of its era, and prices for the PSA 10 (population of 22) are on the way back up after sinking to $204,000 in 2022.
10. Ty Cobb T206 Hindu Red (Red Portrait) PSA 4 $317,200
A rare card-back — just six exist in the PSA census — T206 collectors continue to covet big names in unique or rarely seen combinations.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture.