LeBron James has proved once again he is the king.
An auction of what was billed as the “world’s rarest and most valuable” LeBron James basketball trading card brought far more than the predicted $200,000 estimate.
By the time the auction ended Saturday, some 20 bids were submitted, driving the final price up to $318,500.
This was an auction for high rollers only, as the opening bid was $50,000.
The card is a one-of-a-kind autographed rookie card from Upper Deck’s 2003/04 Ultimate Collection series.
The card features a picture of a young James taking a shot and a swatch of the NBA logo from his game uniform. It was placed randomly into a pack of cards more than a decade ago.
New Jersey-based Goldin Auctions, which handled the sale, said the card “has resided with one individual’s private holdings for more than 10 years.”
Graded a “MINT 9” by Professional Sports Authenticator group, the card “reflects an untouched, impeccable appearance.”
The auction comes as the Cavs and James get ready to defend their NBA title.
James still has a way to go before he catches up to the collectible value of another marquee professional basketball player of a bygone era.
A mint 1948 Bowman #69 card of George Mikan — dubbed “Mr. Basketball” in his era — fetched $403,664 in 2015.
Craig Webb can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3547.