1996 Hoops Kobe Bryant RC #281
- Sale Price: $234
- Sale Date: October 2023
- Auction House: PWCC Auctions
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Market Analysis: 1996 Hoops Kobe Bryant Rookie Card #281 PSA 10 GEM MINT
Supply: PSA has graded 8,363 of the 1996 Hoops Kobe Bryant rookies with 665 grading gem mint 10 and the remaining mint 9 or less.
The 1996 Hoops Kobe Bryant Rookie Card #281 PSA 10 GEM MINT has shown varied market performance in the past year. Key points include:
- Peak Sale: It hit a high of $444 in June 2022, showing strong collector interest.
- Other Notable Sales: A notable fluctuation was seen with prices like $372 in July 2023 and $300 in September 2022.
- Lowest Sale: The lowest point was $186 in December 2022.
Future Outlook: This card’s value is influenced by the low PSA 10 condition count. While it has experienced more fluctuation than the Upper Deck card, it remains a valuable piece for collectors. The market should stay active, with potential for both spikes and dips based on overall sports memorabilia trends.
1996 Upper Deck Kobe Bryant RC #58
- Sale Price: $264
- Sale Date: October 2023
- Auction House: PWCC Auctions
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Market Analysis: Kobe Bryant 1996 Upper Deck Rookie Card
Supply: PSA has graded 11,509 of the 1996 Upper Deck Kobe Bryant rookies with 1,268 grading gem mint 10 and the remaining mint 9 or less.
The 1996 Upper Deck Kobe Bryant Rookie Card #58 PSA 10 GEM MINT has shown consistent market strength in 2023. Here’s a brief overview:
- Peak Sale: It reached a high of $324 in May, indicating strong demand.
- Standard Value: The card mostly sold around $264, establishing a stable market value.
- Lowest Sale: The lowest recorded price was $250 and was sold at fixed price.
Future Outlook: Expect PSA 10 examples of Upper Deck RC to maintain its value due to the challenging grading. It’s a solid, stable investment in sports memorabilia, unlikely to see dramatic price shifts in the short term.
1996 Fleer Kobe Bryant RC #203
- Sale Price: $401
- Sale Date: September 2023
- Auction House: eBay
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Market Analysis: 1996 Fleer Kobe Bryant Rookie Card
Supply: PSA has graded 5,800 of the 1996 Fleer Kobe Bryant rookies with 380 grading gem mint 10 and the remaining mint 9 or less.
Kobe’s 1996 Fleer rookie card has significantly less PSA 10 examples on the market than some of his other cards. The reason is the Fleer cards have black full bleed borders and are very hard to find examples that a void of any chipping or edge wear. Let’s look in the sales data and see where the market value is on these.
- Peak Sale: Kobe’s highest recorded sale for a PSA 10 Fleer RC was $660 in July 2022.
- Consistent High Sales: Several sales have hovered around the $372 mark, as seen in December 2022.
- Other Notable Prices: The card also achieved $564 in June 2022 and $444 in September 2022, indicating strong interest at various points.
- Recent Sales: In more recent transactions, the card fetched $401 in September 2023 and dipped to $187.50 in November 2023, though this lower price was for an SGC 10 graded version, not PSA 10.
Future Outlook: While the 1996 Fleer Kobe RC may not consistently hit its peak prices, it’s likely to remain a high-value item for collectors, with potential for value spikes during key events or market shifts.
1996 Skybox Premium Kobe Bryant RC #203
- Sale Price: $408
- Sale Date: November 2023
- Auction House: PWCC Auctions
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Market Analysis: 1996 Skybox Premium Kobe Bryant Rookie Card
Supply: PSA has graded 6,855 of the 1996 Skybox Premium Kobe Bryant rookies with 725 grading gem mint 10 and the remaining mint 9 or less.
The 1996 Skybox Premium Kobe Bryant Rookie Card #203 PSA 10 GEM MINT has experienced a dynamic market presence over the past year. Here’s the breakdown:
- Peak Sale: A standout sale was the Skybox Premium Rubies parallel at $4,680 in October 2022 which is much rarer than the base rookie card.
- Regular Card Sales: For the base rookie, the highest recent sale was $408 in November 2023. Other notable sales include $348 in October 2022 and $540 in June 2022.
- Steady Value: The card consistently fetched above $300 in most sales, with prices like $324 in September 2023 and $312 in January 2023.
Future Outlook: This card, particularly in its rarer variants like the Rubies edition, shows potential for high peaks in value. The base card should maintain a solid market position above $300, influenced by Kobe Bryant’s lasting legacy and the card’s gem mint condition grade.
#11
1996 Bowman’s Best Kobe Bryant Rookie Card
#R23 graded PSA 10
Recently sold for $797
1996 Bowman’s Best Set
Like Topps Chrome and Topps Finest, Bowman’s Best cards have a chromium finish. There are also rarer refractor parallels and even Atomic refractors, exclusive to Bowman’s Best products.
Due to rarity, Kobe rookie refractors and Atomic refractors sell for big money regardless of condition. His base Bowman’s Best rookie is the next best thing and far more affordable. So collectors are always on the lookout for the best examples.
For budget collectors, this is a terrific Kobe Bryant rookie card to buy. Especially considering how much the price has come down.
PSA Population Report
PSA graded 8,722 Bowman’s Best Kobe Bryant rookie cards to date. Of those submitted, 1,370 graded gem mint 10. 5,745 graded mint 9 and 1,282 graded near-mint 8.
Previous Sales
The value for a PSA 10 Bowman’s Best Kobe Bryant rookie card has fluctuated between $100 and $7,500 over the past two years. With such a variety in price, it’s challenging to say the value.
However, there have been numerous sales of a PSA 10 selling for over $2,000, including three times in 2020 and practically all of 2021.
#10
1996 Finest Kobe Bryant Rookie Card
#74 graded PSA 10
Recently sold for $860
1996 Finest Coating
1996 Finest is unique in many ways. Like Topps Chrome, they have a chromium finish that can scratch easily. To prevent any damage to the surface, Topps added a protective coating to each card. Most of the cards have the layer still intact; however, some were peeled away.
So the question is, are the cards with the coating still intact more valuable since they are more original. The answer is, not really. PSA 10 examples with the coating sell for around the same price as the examples with the layer removed.
Series Two Gold Rookie #269
There is a rarer and more valuable Kobe Bryant rookie card from the series two set. It is gold and has far less graded with 194. There is a refractor parallel for this card which fetches enormous prices. Base set #74 is considered Kobe Bryant’s true rookie from the set.
PSA Population Report
PSA graded 12,180 Kobe Bryant Finest rookies with and without the protective layer. Cards with the coating have 1,710 PSA 10s in supply and cards without the coating have less with 942 PSA 10s in supply.
Previous Sales
PSA 10 examples without the protective layer have sold for as much as $6,000. During the hobby explosion height in 2021, prices consistently reached over $2,000. With a recent auction of a PSA 10 example ending at $860, prices are currently much more affordable.
#9
1996 Skybox Z-Force Kobe Bryant Rookie Card
#142 graded PSA 10
Recently sold for $885
1996 Skybox Z-Force
With bright fluorescent colors, graphics of the universe, gold foil, and cropped-out player photos, Skybox Z-Force is the perfect example of a 90s basketball card set. However, being printed in 1996 and 1997, Z-Force was a short-lived set. Many popular basketball card inserts are from this set, including the Big Men on Court, Zebut, and Slam Cam.
One interesting design note is how Skybox used the same gold rookie logo stamp on their Z-Force rookies as they did on the Hoops rookie cards. They are stamped in the exact location as well.
PSA Population Report
3,488 Z-Force Kobe Bryant rookie cards have made their way to PSA. A mere 221 managed to make it into a PSA 10 case of those submitted. Like the Hoops cards, Z-Force has sensitive cardstock making it challenging to grade.
Previous Sales
Unlike previous cards on the list, Kobe’s Z-Force rookie doesn’t have many PSA 10s available. Therefore the auction prices aren’t populated like the other graphs.
We can see an all-time high of $4,000 in March of 2021 and many sales over $2,000, which appears to be a trend for Kobe Bryant PSA 10 graded rookie cards. Since the hype in the hobby has cooled, prices have come back to under $1,000.
#8
1996 Skybox E-X2000 Kobe Bryant Rookie Card
#30 graded PSA 9
Recently sold for $1,450
1996 Skybox E-X2000
Skybox E-X2000 has always been a popular set amongst basketball card collectors. It was printed, unlike any other set at the time. Base cards feature cutouts of players over a clear vinyl that shows clouds in the sky when held up to the light. Furthermore, shiny foil borders and gold stamped text gave them more of a premium feel.
E-X2000 was a hobby-only product and was one of the more expensive products during the late 90s. There were various chase cards, including the serial numbered Credentials parallels. Other chase cards include A-Cut-Above die-cut and Stardate inserts.
PSA Population Report
PSA graded 4,992 Kobe Bryant E-X2000 rookie cards to date. Of those submitted, a mere 24 were graded to be in gem mint conditions. Only 24 shows how difficult E-X2000 cards are to grade. Not many many were found in mint condition either with only 769.
Previous Sales
In 2019, PSA 9 examples were selling for $200, which was considered a lot back then. Since then, prices have settled to under $2,000. The highest selling price for a PSA 9 Kobe Bryant E-X2000 rookie was set in February of 2021 when one sold at best offer for $11,999.
PSA 10 examples rarely surface, which is why I included a PSA 9 on this list. The last PSA 10 was sold by Heritage Auctions in October of 2021 for $9,200.
#7
1996 Topps Kobe Bryant Rookie Card
#138 graded PSA 10
Recently sold for $1,524
PSA Population Report
With 28,392 Topps Kobe Bryant rookie cards submitted to PSA, it’s safe to say they are not rare by any means. Of that monstrous number, 3,659 graded PSA 10, proving PSA 10s are not scarce either.
Previous Sales
With a much higher population than the other cards on this list, one might ask how Kobe’s Topps rookies sell for more. The answer is simple; it’s brand recognition.
Every Kobe Bryant collector around the globe wants a Topps PSA 10 Kobe Bryant rookie card because everyone knows Topps. Along with Fleer, Donruss, and Upper Deck, Topps paved the way for modern-day sports cards. It should be no surprise that the 1996 Topps Kobe Bryant rookie card selling prices beat the previous cards on this list.
Despite having a higher PSA population. It is simply the rookie card that the majority wants and, when found in gem mint condition, can be pretty expensive.
#6
1996 Metal Kobe Bryant Rookie Card
#137 graded PSA 10
Recently sold for $1,575
1996 Fleer Metal
Fleer Metal was a unique set from the 90s. With metallic designs, and insert names such as Steel Slammin and Metal Edge, the entire set evolved around being metal.
Fleer Metal was a very popular set in the 90s producing some of the most expensive and collectible insert cards of all time with the Precious Metal Gems parallels in the ’97 and ’98 products.
Two Kobe Rookies to Choose From
There are two Kobe Bryant rookie cards in this set including #137 (Fresh Foundation) and base set #181. When found in PSA 10 condition, the Fresh Foundation (#137) rookie card sells for more. However, in PSA 9 conditions, his base set (#181) sells for more than the Fresh Foundation. There is a considerable difference in the amount submitted to PSA.
PSA Population Report
The Fresh Foundation Kobe rookie has 2,749 showing in PSA’s population. With 130 graded gem mint 10, they are rare. 6,866 base set #181 Kobe rookies submitted with 586 grading gem mint 10. So, the Fresh Foundation rookie has fewer PSA 10s than the base set rookie, which could explain their selling for more.
Previous Sales
Prices have exceeded $2,500 fifteen times over the last year, and with an all-time high of $10,000, the current price of $1,500 seems like a deal.
#5
1996 Ultra Kobe Bryant Rookie Card
#52 graded PSA 10
Recently sold for $2,125
1996 Ultra
Fleer Ultra was a popular set in the 90s for many reasons. There were both retail and hobby boxes for most years in basketball, baseball, and football products. The prices were cheaper and there were some very nice chase cards including the Gold and Platinum Medallion parallels. Platinum Medallion cards were ultra-rare and tough to pull.
Challenging Set to Grade
One of the major reasons a Fleer Ultra Kobe Bryant rookie card will sell for a large amount is because it was graded gem mint condition. Fleer Ultra cards have a gloss on them that will act like glue to the cards on top and underneath after sitting in a pack for years, known as ‘bricking’. When the pack is opened and the cards are pulled from one another they stick together damaging the other cards.
If you’ve ever opened a 90s product today, you know exactly what bricking is. It is because of this that the PSA 10 population will not grow much higher than what it already is. Making the current supply somewhat fixed.
PSA Population Report
PSA graded 6,615 Fleer Ultra Kobe Bryant rookie cards. Of those submitted, only 332 graded gem mint 10, 5% of the population. PSA 9s are also relatively low, with 2,430 in population.
Previous Sales
Since breaking $2,000 in July of 2021, PSA 10 Kobe Bryant Ultra rookies have gone as high as $12,999 and as low as $1,582. On average, they sell for just over $2,000. With a low supply of 332, could we see prices over 10K again?
#4
1996 Flair Showcase Row 2 Kobe Bryant Rookie Card
#31 graded PSA 10
Recently sold for $3,600
1996 Flair Showcase
Flair Showcase is a premium basketball, baseball, and football product with a thicker cardstock, thick glossy finish, gold foil font, and hefty price tag. Like modern-day Panini Select, Showcase had a three-tiered system with different rarities.
Row 2 is the most common and considered the ‘true set.’ Row 1 is parallel to Row 2 and short prints, and Row 0 is super short prints. Row 0 is far more valuable because they are rarer. However, due to the thick glossy coating, Flair Showcase cards were susceptible to scratching on the surface, making them difficult to find in gem mint conditions.
Challenging Set to Grade
Flair showcase cards have sensitive surfaces that are easily scratched if one is not inserted into a penny sleeve immediately after being opened from the pack. The surface more than likely received a scratch. Scratched surfaces reduce the chances of grading gem mint conditions, so there are few PSA 10s.
PSA Population Report
PSA graded 1,491 Kobe Bryant Row 2 rookie cards so far. Surprisingly, of those submitted, 61 graded gem mint condition. Having just 61 PSA 10s graded is ultra-rare. The majority of cards submitted graded near-mint to mint with 656.
Previous Sales
PSA 10 Row 2 Kobe rookie cards have sold for as little as $100 and as much as $15,700. It is difficult to determine the current market value with a meager supply of 61 PSA 10 examples. The most recent PSA 10 example was sold at auction by Goldin Auctions in May of 2021 for $3,600.
#3
1996 SP Holoviews Kobe Bryant Rookie Card
#PC18 graded PSA 10
Recently sold for $7,322
1996 Upper Deck SP Holoviews
1996 Upper SP base cards have never been astonishing. The card in the set to get is the Holoviews. In the 96′ SP product, Holoviews were inserted 1:10 packs and had 40 cards in the set including Hall of Famers like Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal.
Holoviews were unique because they featured designs and 3D technology that could compete in today’s products. Moreover, they are some of Kobe Bryant’s rarer rookie cards to collect and one of his more difficult cards to grade.
PSA Population Report
PSA graded 123 Kobe Bryant Holoviews rookie cards to date. Of the examples submitted, eight were graded gem mint 10. Having only eight examples in the world confirms it is one of his rarest rookie cards in a PSA 10 case.
Previous Sales
The most recent SP Holoviews Kobe RC graded PSA 10 sold by PWCC Auctions for $7,322. PSA 9s sell for $500 – $700. Consider looking for both BGS and SGC graded examples for a more affordable option.
#2
1996 Topps Chrome Kobe Bryant Rookie Card
#138 graded PSA 10
Recently sold for $7,613
1996 Topps Chrome Set
Topps Chrome is the most popular and collected set from the 90s in basketball, baseball, and football cards. 1996 was the first year Topps Chrome was released, and it matched Topps Flagship set design but had a chromium finish. Topps Chrome was initially released as a retail product and turned to hobby due to its popularity.
Due to being a retail product, there are quite a few printed. However, centering and surface scratching make Topps Chrome cards challenging to grade. Furthermore, due to the oxidization from packs, greening took place on many cards turning the players green. Cards with greening don’t significantly impact value, but cards without any greening have been known to sell for a premium.
PSA Population Report
PSA graded 6,144 Kobe Bryant Topps Chrome rookie cards to date. Of those submitted, 833 graded gem mint 10, 4,101 mint 9, and 988 near-mint to mint 8. Having just 833 gem mint 10 examples graded is low for such a popular card. Prices have been to the moon and back on Kobe’s Chrome rookies.
Previous Sales
With $1,000 prices in 2019, PSA 10 Topps Chrome Kobe rookies have never been low. Topps Chrome is his best rookie card to get from any base set. In April of 2021, a PSA 10 example, with no greening, sold at the best offer for $59,999! The last auction in February of 2022 sold for $7,610.
#1
1996 Topps Chrome Kobe Bryant Rookie Card (Refractor)
#138 graded PSA 10
Recently sold for $137,760
1996 Topps Chrome Refractors
The number one most collectible and most valuable Kobe Bryant rookie card is his 1996 Topps Chrome refractor parallel #138. When found in PSA 10 condition, Kobe’s Topps Chrome refractor is considered his Holy Grail rookie. PSA 10 examples sold as low as $2,714 in 2010 to the all-time high of $500,000 in February 2021.
PSA Population Report
It’s not just the Kobe Bryant refractor that holds value in this set. Because 1996 is the first year of Topps Chrome, nearly every refractor card in this set is valuable, primarily when found in PSA 10 cases.
PSA Population Report
PSA graded 418 Kobe Bryant rookie refractors. Of those submitted, just 63 were graded gem mint 10. 63 is incredibly low and plays a massive role in the high selling prices. 287 refractors are in rotation and currently sell between $24,000 and $30,000.
A Kobe Bryant Topps Chrome rookie refractor is tremendously valuable and popular no matter what condition or case.
Previous Sales
With $1,000 prices in 2019, PSA 10 Topps Chrome Kobe rookies have never been low. Topps Chrome is his best rookie card to get from any base set. In April of 2021, a PSA 10 example, with no greening, sold at the best offer for $59,999! The last auction in February of 2022 sold for $7,610.
Conclusion
When it comes to collecting and investing in Kobe Bryant rookie cards, there are hundreds of base cards, parallels, and inserts to consider. This list consists of his top fifteen rookie cards from the major sets. Cards that have not been graded by a third-party grading company will not fetch these prices.
Write in the comments below and let me know what Kobe Bryant rookie card you think should be on this list.
From a young age, Matt dove deep into sports card valuation, turning to esteemed price guides like Beckett and Tuff Stuff. Eventually he extended to Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, and Yu-Gi-Oh!. With a vision to sustain and nurture the hobby he loved, Matt established the ‘Graded Card Investor’ YouTube channel and website. He aims to foster a healthy community and offer invaluable insights to those entering the world of sports cards and TCGs. His depth of understanding, from the card market’s 2020 pinnacle to its 1990s valleys, is consistently fortified by meticulous research.
Come on, David. You know I know the Jambalaya! It’s one of the G.O.A.T. Inserts! 🙌 This list focuses on Kobe’s rookie cards. If you want to see his highest selling basketball cards, check out this article, sir: https://gradedcardinvestor.com/kobe-bryant-basketball-cards/
So you are someone who collects sports cards right why no mention of the Kobe Bryant jambalaya card then when you know that a PSA 10 sells for upwards of $95,000. But it’s okay though if you have never heard of the card before then I can definitely see why you haven’t mentioned it!