LeBron James has received an open invitation from a collector who spent more than two decades building one of the most extensive card collections dedicated to the NBA superstar.
The collector, known as BobMTrack, told Topps that he has long entertained the idea of eventually selling the collection to James himself. His holdings include more than 1,600 different James cards and over 115 one-of-one cards, putting the potential transaction in rare financial territory.
âIâve always half-jokingly said that, you know, I want to keep the collection together, so someday Iâll sell it to LeBron himself,â Bob said. âBut LeBron hasnât called me yet. Weâll see.â
Bob then delivered his message directly to James.
âEverythingâs for sale at a price,â he said. âSo if LeBron sees this ⦠he can call me.â
Bob did not publicly name his price or provide an appraisal of the complete collection. But its depth, scarcity and concentration of high-end James cards make it reasonable to view the holdings as a multimillion-dollar collection.
Individual James cards have previously commanded seven figures. A 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite rookie patch autograph numbered to 23 sold privately for $5.2 million in 2021. Another copy from that limited run sold for $1.845 million at auction in 2020, setting a record at the time.
Collector Built LeBron James Collection for More Than 20 Years
Bob began seriously collecting James when the future four-time NBA MVP entered the league in 2003.
He said three developments convinced him to concentrate on James: the belief that James would become a generational player, the increased use of serial-numbered cards and the growing importance of professional grading.
âKnowing all of that, I decided to go all in on LeBron,â Bob said.
His approach required persistence. Bob recalled searching for cards daily, including secretly bidding on one from his phone while making a presentation during a business meeting.
The result is what Bob called âthe most complete graded LeBron James card collection in the world.â Topps similarly described him as one of the hobbyâs most respected James supercollectors and reported that the cards are stored in vaults around the country.
During the Topps video, Bob displayed 23 cards in recognition of Jamesâ jersey number.
Among them was a 2003 Finest Gold card graded a perfect BGS 10 and numbered to 25. Bob also showed rare Exquisite rookie cards, one-of-one Prizm Black cards, printing plates and a Michael Jordan-James dual autograph patch card.
Rare James Card Could Be Collectionâs Most Valuable Piece
One card stood out even within the elite group: an Upper Deck Exquisite piece numbered 23 of 23 and graded BGS 9.5.
Bob described it as perhaps the most valuable card he owns. Its appeal comes from the combination of a low print run, a gem-mint grade and a serial number matching Jamesâ No. 23 jersey.
âThis oneâs numbered 23 out of 23,â Bob said. âCards that are numbered to his jersey number carry a special premium, so you hardly ever see these cards come up.â
Bob did not suggest that he was eager to break up the collection. His comments indicated the opposite: Selling to James would provide a way to preserve the group after more than two decades of work.
That possibility also gives the collection significance beyond its market value. The cards document Jamesâ career while tracing changes in the modern hobby, including the rise of grading, serial-numbered parallels, rookie patch autographs and one-of-one cards.
For now, Bob continues searching auction sites and eBay for missing pieces. The collection remains intact, and the invitation remains open.
James only needs to make the call.
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