No one knows the whereabouts of the Topps NOW 1/1 triple autograph card featuring LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant.
Not even Topps — but that’s by design.
As of Monday, the triple autograph, which has been the subject of a captivating chase featuring high-dollar bounties, a Topps NOW-record print run and stunning secondary-market prices for unopened packs, has yet to surface publicly.
Topps confirmed to cllct Monday the triple autograph, which is currently a redemption, was mailed to one purchaser of the base card, but has yet to be claimed through the company’s official website.
That’s all Topps knows, and that has been the plan all along.
According to Topps, independent audit firm KPMG, the same company that performed an examination of Fanatics’ packaging and distribution earlier this year, witnessed the selection and distribution process for the triple autograph to ensure it was random, anonymous and fair.
Once the purchase window closed, all individual orders for the nearly 590,000 base cards were randomized for a chance to receive one of the 1,688 sealed packs that contain short prints, parallels and possibly the triple autograph 1/1. Following confirmation that all packs were accounted for, orders were wrapped and mixed to avoid anyone knowing where parallels were placed or where they were going.
Topps confirmed to cllct that the selection process was performed during the week of Aug. 19 and the on-site process was performed the week of Aug. 26.
Interest has since surged as orders started landing in mailboxes, and without the card surfacing, secondary-market prices for sealed packs have exploded in price.
So far, sales for those sealed packs on eBay have reached as high as about $4,000, according to Terapeak, with more than 30 sales topping $1,000. One pack sold at auction Monday for $2,075 after 37 bids.
While it’s expected those prices will continue to rise as the chase for the triple autograph continues and the number of packs slowly diminishes, a number of collectors have expressed concern the hype for the card might be drawing out the process, with the autograph possibly trapped in a pack destined to be continuously passed around from flipper to flipper.
It’s also possible the redemption has been pulled, and the owner is working out next steps before claiming the card or selling the redemption itself.
Since the card was announced in early August, a number of high-dollar offers have been made, ranging from well-known collectors and auction houses to local card shops and even Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Sports Card Investor founder Geoff Wilson announced the first major bounty for the card, offering $100,000 and a “VIP experience” in Atlanta. Goldin CEO and founder Ken Goldin then offered $150,000 as a non-refundable cash advance that would see the card placed in an upcoming auction.
Wilson countered with a $250,000 irrevocable bid if the owner placed the card in Tuesday’s “Holy Grails” auction from Fanatics Collect and Sotheby’s, but that offer was quickly topped by hobby shop Grand Slam Collectibles, with an offer of $500,000 if the autographs all secured perfect grades from PSA or BGS.
To date, the highest offer has been from Antetokounmpo, who has said he’d double the next highest offer, making his current bid $1 million.
Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct.