by joe |
Last Updated: March 3, 2022 Lebron James’ rookie season came with lots of hype. He was coming straight out of high school, and clearly already had the skills to immediately compete in the NBA.
After 4 Championship rings, 10 NBA finals appearances, and a slew of all-time NBA records, the value of Lebron James rookie cards have reached the top of the hobby.
Here is a list of 19 of of the best Lebron James rookie cards, including information about sales of the cards and PSA pop reports. While these are among the most expensive cards sold, there are base and parallel versions for some of the cards on this list which make them more attainable for those who can’t afford a 4-figure Lebron rookie card.
Best Lebron James rookie cards including serial numbered refractors and autos
2002 Topps Finest Refractor #178 Lebron James
On 1/31/2021 a PSA 10 sold for $85,200. Topps Finest released this card before Lebron James even started his career, but after he was selected #1 overall in the NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Gold parallel of this Finest refractor is Serial Numbered to 25 and has a PSA 10 population of 20.
You can also find standard refractor parallels serial numbered to 250.
Overall, the 2002 Topps Finest basketball set was pretty basic, with only the two refractors parallels and no insert sets.
2003 Bowman Chrome Rookies and Stars Refractors Gold #123 Lebron James
On 10/27/2021 a PSA 10 sold for $360,000. This clean designed set with horizontal name and team plates bordering the sides, featured a base chrome card, a refractor parallel numbered to 300, an X-fractor parallel numbered to 150, and the gold refractor as shown above serial numbered to 50.
This card has a PSA 10 population of 9, which is higher than I thought considering the rarity of the gold refractors.
Some sources on the web point to there being 10 NBA Rookie Gold Refractor Autos serial numbered each to 5, but I couldn’t find any evidence of one in existence for Lebron James.
2003 Fleer E-X Essential Credentials Now #102 Lebron James
On 7/26/2021 a PSA 8 sold for $37,200. This card may be my favorite non-auto design in the list. The 2003 Fleer E-X Essential Credentials inserts were all serial numbered in a very strange, progressive way, whereby the serial number was equal to the card number. In this case, Lebron’s was serial numbered to 102.
Had Lebron’s card been numbered lower, this may have been an ultra-rare card.
The card features a very cool acetate, semi-transparent finish and string cool colors with a great drop shadow effect.
The 2003 Fleer E-X Essential Credentials Now Lebron James has a PSA 10 population of 5. If one hit the market today, it would most likely fetch mid to high 6 figures.
2003 Topps Finest Refractors Gold #133 Lebron James
On 4/25/2017 a PSA 7 sold for $27,988. Despite Topps Finest releasing a Lebron James card in the previous year, this is also considered a rookie card as it came out during the second half of his first year on the court in the NBA.
The design is quite striking. The cards from this set had a base version, along with a Refractor parallel serial numbered to 250, the Gold Refractor to 25, and a Gold X-Fractor parallel as a true 1-of-1.
I couldn’t seem to dig up any evidence of who may own the Lebron Gold X-Fractor, but it definitely hasn’t been graded by PSA.
The Gold Refractor card has a PSA 10 population of 3.
2003 Fleer Avant Base #65 Lebron James
On 8/17/2021 a PSA 10 sold for $5,350. While definitely near the bottom of high-end Lebron rookie cards, it’s included in the list due to the uniqueness of the design, and scarcity of PSA 10s in the population.
It is Serial Numbered to 699, and there is also a Black and White parallel version serial numbered to just 199.
When you are used to looking at a sea of designs which are quite flashy with refractors and autos, this is a refreshing painterly-like design. It almost has the feeling of an old tobacco card.
This card has a PSA 10 population of 8.
2003 SP Authentic Signatures #LJ-A Lebron James
On 5/24/2021 a PSA 10 sold for $29,520. The 2003 SP Authentic set included a number of different inserts sets, including Authentic Signatures, Signatures Dual, and Signatures Triple.
Lebron was also featured on two of the Signatures Dual cards. One was with his fellow rookie and friend Carmelo Anthony and the other with Michael Jordan.
In addition the Lebron can be found on a Features Triple with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. It is serial numbered to just 15.
This 2003 SP Authentic Signatures #LJ-A Lebron James has a PSA 10 population of 28.
2003 SP Authentic SP Limited Autograph #148 Lebron James
On 9/21/2020 a PSA 10 sold for $221,400. The base version of this SP Authentic Autograph card as serial numbered to 500 (PSA 10 pop of 51), while the Limited parallels were serial numbered to 50 (PSA 10 pop of 9), while the Extra Limited was serial numbered to 1.
I did find this post on Blowout Card forums where the owner of the 1-of-1 posted a picture of the card graded in a PSA slab, but I couldn’t seem to find it in the PSA pop report.
2003 SP Authentic Famous Nicknames #FN-LJ-1 (2 & 3) Lebron James
On 6/29/2021 a PSA 10 sold for $107,010. Lebron James had three different parallels of the 2003 SP Authentic Famous Nicknames. #FN-LJ-1 featured “The King”, #FN-LJ-2 had “Bron”, and #FN-LJ-3 had the audacious “The Chosen One.”
Each one of them is serial numbered to 25 and carries Lebron’s signature, which makes them among the most valuable Lebron James rookie cards.
This card has a PSA 10 population of 10.
2003 SP Signature Edition INKcredible INKscriptions #II-LJ Lebron James
On 7/30/2020 a PSA 10 sold for $105,700. This signature edition insert set has a similar design and feel as Famous Nicknames, but with slightly more interesting design features, like the large semi-transparent ink splash typography as a backdrop.
These cards are also serial numbered to 25 and have a PSA 10 population of 4.
2003 SPx (Signed Jersey) #151 Lebron James
On 8/25/2020 a PSA 10 sold for $28,600. This SPx insert Lebron James not only featured his autograph, but also a piece of game-worn jersey.
Because it is serial numbered to 750, and quite frankly the design is pretty ugly with the faux torn paper design, it doesn’t command as high a price in the market as some of his other more-limited edition rookie autos.
It has a PSA 10 population of 49.
2003 Topps Chrome Refractors (Black, X-Fractor, Gold) #111 Lebron James
On 7/12/2021 a PSA 10 sold for $233,700. Lebrons base Topps Chrome rookie card has over 2,000 PSA 10s in the population, but these refractor parallels are much more limited.
The base refractor was not serial numbered, but definitely more rare as indicated by the pop report of just 642. The black refractor was serial numbered to 500, and there are 21 PSA 10s in the pop report. The X-Fractor was numbered to 220 and the gold to just 99.
Many collectors will refer to the 2003 Topps Chrome Lebron James rookie as his flagship, which essentially means its the most sought after by the widest range of collectors. This likely has to do with Topps Chrome being the most popular brand in the 90s and 2000s.
2003 Topps Contemporary Collection Gold #1 Lebron James
On 1/18/2022 a PSA 10 sold for $17,357. This was quite the ambitious project that Topps came out with. Click here to read through the huge list of inserts and parallels that were released in the Topps Contemporary Collection hobby boxes of 2003-2004 seasonb.
This gold base design parallel is serial numbered to just 25, while there was also a red parallel version numbered to 225.
The gold parallel has a PSA 10 population of 16.
I feel this is overall an underappreciated set. Despite the fact that this is not a particularly exciting design and I can see how the Topps Chrome rookie is more popular, there is such a great variety of inserts in this set with tons of hall of fame players.
2003 Topps Pristine Refractors Gold #101 Lebron James
On 1/31/2021 a PSA 10 sold for $75,000. Based on the name, I would imagine Topps intended this to be a higher-end product than chrome, but maybe not.
Besides the base cards, Topps Pristine had refractor parallels serial numbered to 149, and the gold refractor parallel shown above serial numbered to 99, which has a PSA 10 population of 5.
2003 Exquisite Collection Limited Logos #LL-LJ Lebron James
On 1/22/2020 a PSA 10 sold for $124,211. Yes, this is fact one of the many cards from the same set where one of Lebron’s more limited rookie patch auto card sold for a record $5.2 million.
The 2003 Exquisite Collection cards released by Upper Deck was a revolutionary approach to the sports card market. Upper deck decided that creating a high end product with a very limited print scope would prove to provide a great value to collectors.
And they were right.
Today, other companies have followed suit and created limited, high quality patch and auto cards which are still among the most sought-after cards in the market.
This particular insert series had cards serial numbered to 75.
Other players featured in this subset include Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Dwayne Wade, and Kevin Garnett.
This card has a PSA 10 population of just 3.
2003 Exquisite Collection Noble Nameplates #NN-LJ Lebron James
On 5/26/2020 a PSA AUTHENTIC sold for $73,200. The Noble Nameplates subset is serial numbered to 25. The designs of cards from the Exquisite Collection do follow similar theme with certain what appear to be paint brush strokes coupled with sharp logos and clean lettering.
This design my personal favorite, because of the balance between the action photo and the patch.
Lebron’s Noble Nameplate has a PSA 10 population of 0.
2003 Exquisite Collection Number Piece Autographs #NP-LJ Lebron James
On 5/26/2020 a PSA AUTHENTIC sold for $124,230. Not by chance, this Number Piece Auto is Serial Numbered to 23. Because LeBron came into the league wearing the same jersey number as Michael Jordan, I would image some collector would get try and hold both Jordan and James in their collection.
However, it would cost a pretty penny to do so. Many of the cards from this Exquisite Collection series are bound to go up in value given the record sale of Lebron’s RPA.
2003 Exquisite Collection Patches Autographs #AP-LJ Lebron James
On 5/24/2021 a PSA 10 sold for $98,400. I think it’s interesting that Upper Deck decided to go with a horizontal format for some of the cards in the Exquisite Collection, although I think it simply speaks to the competence of the designers behind this iconic collection.
I also don’t think it hurts that Lebron James did turn out to be one of the greatest players of all time, perhaps somewhat living up to the audacious nickname of “The Chosen One.”
This particular patch auto is serial numbered to 100 and has a PSA 10 population of 3.
Summary of the best Lebron James rookie cards
Going forward, it will be interesting to see which cards in this list will emerge as more valuable than others, which all depends on the demand and awareness within the basketball card market.
Based on what I’ve seen in the marketplace and talked about by collectors, his Topps Chrome rookie will continue to be the most sought after flagship rookie card, and the iconic Upper Deck Exquisite Collection RPA cards will like remain at the top of the hobby for Lebron James holy grail seekers.