This Kobe Card Went From $156K to $1.1M… Here’s What It Means for the Hobby

A Kobe Bryant gold /10 BGS 9.5 sold for $156K at Goldin in 2022. It just sold again for $1.1 million. On this week’s Collector Nation, Ryan Alford and Bella break down why Hall of Famer cards climbing like this points to a healthy, maturing sports card market rather than a hype cycle. Download the Collector Nation app and read more at thecollectornation.com.

We also look at another Michael Jordan 1998 Finals jersey that sold privately for $14M just two weeks after the Game 3 jersey, and why private sales make “the last comp” so tricky. Then there’s Goldin’s Fall Vintage Elite auction, where a Babe Ruth card went for $976K, barely more than a Ty Cobb Type 1 photo. Plus: why grading is the #1 searched topic on our site, where the PSA backlog stands, and whether the value tier is coming back.

Finally, it’s *Five Up, Five Down* for NFL Week 5 using Collector Nation market data: Drake Maye, Bucky Irving, Jameis Winston, Puka Nacua and George Pickens are up, while Ashton Jeanty, Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Christian McCaffrey are cooling off. We also cover Fernando Mendoza’s debut 1/1 patch and the new Topps price hikes: Flagship Basketball up 55% and Cosmic Chrome up 48%.

*Topics Covered:*

• Kobe Bryant gold /10 BGS 9.5: $156K (2022) → $1.1M (2026)
• Why rising Hall of Famer prices mean market stability, not gambling
• Second MJ 1998 Finals jersey sells privately for $14M
• Private sales vs. open auctions: why “the last comp lies”
• Goldin Fall Vintage Elite: Babe Ruth card vs. Ty Cobb Type 1 photo
• Grading: the PSA backlog, the value tier, and cost per card
• Five Up, Five Down: NFL Week 5 card market movers
• Fernando Mendoza’s debut patch going into a Topps 1/1
• Topps Update Series markups over MSRP
• 2026 Topps Flagship Basketball (169.99)andCosmicChrome(489) price hikes
• Halloween special preview

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*🔗 Links Mentioned in This Episode*

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Collector Station
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Ryan Alford
Website: ryanalford.com
Instagram: instagram.com/ryanalford

⭐ Would you have held that Kobe card from 2022 to now? Tell us in the comments. . Download the Collector Nation app (iOS and Android) for real-time card alerts, and if you’re a verified creator, you can start earning.