When it comes to sports memorabilia, some fans will spend a whole lot of money to get that rookie card, signed ball, or jersey from their favorite players. But while collecting sports memorabilia may seem like a fun hobby, it can actually be an extremely lucrative investment.
Here are just some of the most valuable sports collectibles and what they’re going for today. You may want to check your attic after reading and find out if you have millions of dollars sitting in a box!
1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Baseball Card – $5.2 million
Mickey Mantle is known to every baseball fan in the world as one of the best players to ever live. He played in the MLB for 18 seasons from 1951-1968, and at that time, his playing cards were sold for about $0.01.
So if you, your father, or even your grandfather has one of his playing cards from 1952, you’re in luck because today, it’s worth a whopping $5.2 million.
Michael Jordan 1998 Jersey – $10.09 Million
The one and only Michael Jordan is considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He won several awards throughout his 15-season career, and even the jerseys he won when he lost are now worth millions.
In fact, a 1998 jersey he wore when losing a game to Utah just sold for more than $10 million.
Diego Maradona 1986 Hand of God Shirt – $9.28 million
Known to soccer fans around the world as “El Pipe de Oro,” Diego Maradona has fans from all generations.
In one particular game against England in the 1986 World Cup, Maradona scored a goal that is known around the world as the “Hand of God” goal. The shirt he was wearing when he scored that goal is now worth $9.28 million!
T206 Wagner Baseball Card – $6.6 million
In the early 1900s, baseball cards were in excess, but for some reason, only a few of the 1909-1911 Wagner American Tobacco cards were made, making them especially valuable today.
Some say it’s because Wagner didn’t want his name associated with tobacco, but no matter why it happened, a Tom Wagner T206 card is so rare that one recently sold for $6.6 million.
Kobe Bryant Jersey – $3.7 Million
To this day, sinking a shot of any kind is often called a “Kobe,” since the basketball star Kob Bryant was known for his incredible skills.
Sadly, Kobe died in a helicopter accident just a few years ago, and since his passing, his memorabilia has become exceptionally valuable. One of his signed rookie jerseys just went for $3.7 million at an auction.
Babe Ruth 1928-1930 Jersey – $5.64 million
Babe Ruth, or the great Bambino, is undoubtedly the most famous name in baseball. The star played for the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox, and the Atlanta Braves from 1914-1935.
And though his jerseys are hard to come by these days, one of his Yankees tops from the 1920s recently sold for more than $5.5 million.
LeBron James Autographed Rookie Card – $5.2 Million
LeBron James made this list twice! The basketball superstar’s rookie card is absolutely one of the most valuable items of memorabilia available today.
If you have a signed 2003 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Grade 9 LeBron James rookie card, you could get an incredible $5 million for it.
Autographed Tom Brady Rookie Card – $3.1 Million
Tom Brady, or the Greatest of All Time, as he is commonly known, is certainly one of if not the most famous quarterbacks in NFL history.
And while there are plenty of signed NFL playing cards going around, if you’ve got Tom Brady’s rookie card with his signature, you could get $3 million for it!
Original Olympic Games Manifesto – $8.8 Million
The Olympics have been played for thousands of years since the ancient Greeks performed their version of the games.
But in the late 1800s, the Olympics changed forever when Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee. Today, the original rule book that he and the committee created is worth an incredible $8.8 million, even though there are several versions of that same rule book online.
