Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are two of the most iconic basketball players of all time. Recently, jerseys worn by these legends sold for millions of dollars at auctions. A Kobe Bryant jersey from his 2007-08 MVP season sold for a staggering $5.8 million, while a LeBron James jersey from the 2013 Finals fetched $3.6 million just a month prior.
These sales show the immense value of basketball memorabilia and how it continues to skyrocket. According to Aaron Rothschild, a memorabilia expert from Dutch Auctions, told The U.S. Sun that the sports world’s entry by highly respected auctioneers Sotheby’s has contributed to the rise in prices.
“Prices have skyrocketed. A large percentage of the most sought-after items are owned by private collectors who are watching the increase in values keenly”, he said. The expert also notes that the days of finding a gem at a flea market or garage sale are over.
There are many more of Kobe’s jerseys around the world
Rothschild estimates that there are about 200 Kobe Bryant shirts of varying worth around the United States and beyond. For those who own these shirts, how can they tell if it’s worth millions?
Rothschild explains that there are a few boxes to tick before getting too excited. “For Kobe, I would say the market is quite small for jerseys that have a good provenance, flawless paperwork as well as photo matching, which is key,” he says.
“They’re looking at the location of stitches, placement of numbers, placement of letters on the jersey, counting the number of holes in a mesh between different things – they’re literally getting down to millimeters to ensure this is the actual shirt worn during the event they’re claiming it to be from.”
Rothschild believes that there are only “under 50” Bryant jerseys in circulation which he would be confident about selling for his big-hitting clients.
“Kobe Bryant was a generous man. Of course, maybe someone was at a game, he saw a kid and gave him a jersey,” Rothschild said. “It’s happened, but what more frequently happened with the Lakers because they are such a popular team, is that well… they kept everything.”
The recent sales of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James jerseys prove that basketball memorabilia continues to hold immense value.