Kobe Bryant Introduction
While Kobe Bryant RC cards were valuable collector’s items, now with his untimely passing the cards have taken on added significance as a valuable collector’s item. There are numerous valuables within Kobe Bryant’s rookie card lineup, and let’s show you some of the most popular of the Black Mamba himself.
Top 10 Valuable Kobe Bryant Rookie Cards
1. 1996–97 Topps Basketball Kobe Bryant Rookie Card #138
⠂Estimated PSA 10 Value: $16,000
Undoubtedly one of the most sought-after rookie cards and is one of the most valuable. With an estimated PSA 10 value of $16,000 and an estimated BGS 10 value of $33,000, these are expensive cards but with the image depicting Kobe in his mercurial element, this card is the key to a legendary set that already features stars like Ray Allen and Allen Iverson. An invaluable addition to anyone’s collection.
2. 1996–97 Fleer Metal Kobe Bryant LA Lakers #181
⠂Estimated PSA 10 Value: $1,000
This one of Kobe getting ready to attempt his trademark jam has a PSA 10 value of $1,000, and the most impressive thing about this card is that it predates the Fleer Precious Metal Gems series, making this an anomaly in the Fleer collection. Nonetheless, while this Metal series is not as big as it could have been, it makes for a striking card and a great addition to the beginner collector.
Get Fleer Metal Kobe Bryant La Lakers Rookie Card on GemCard
3. 1996–97 Fleer SkyBox Kobe Bryant Z FORCE #142
⠂Estimated PSA 10 Value: $800
With an estimated PSA 10 value hovering around the $800 mark, this colorful budget card boasting the same gold foil logo as its Hoops counterpart, the gold provides an interesting image of Kobe Bryant at, arguably, his most awkward, a rarity in rookie card circles, making it a quirky addition to anyone’s collection. But the attraction for many collectors lies in the wild inserts in the set.
4. 1996 Ultra Platinum Medallion Kobe Bryant #P52
⠂Estimated PSA 10 Value: $3,500
Showing Kobe in his element, the design features the legend floating through the air with a striking text and font bearing the name of his beloved Lakers. The base version of the card, as well as the Platinum Medallion and Gold Medallion versions all use the same images that are distinguished by the text colors. With an estimated PSA 10 value of $3,500, the Ultra Platinum Medallion is an exciting addition to anyone’s collection.
5. 1996 Skybox E-X2000 Credentials Kobe Bryant #30
⠂Estimated PSA 10 Value: $13,000
While there were only a limited number of this collection, and while the collection numbered 499 cards, quite a large number, the high-quality designs make them stand out. Featuring a die-cut image of Kobe Bryant in action at his most focused, and featuring colored foil borders with an off-white color, these are definitely a collector’s item because they don’t come up very often at the top grade. This is due to the sensitivity of the condition but with an estimated PSA 10 value of $13,000, if you can find one in great condition, you have to leap on it.
6. 1996–97 SkyBox Premium Kobe Bryant #55
⠂Estimated PSA 10 Value: $1,000
Premium by name, premium by nature. The SkyBox Premium collection has a little bit more quality than the average card. The rubies parallel gets rid of the base gold foil and puts red in its place. Quite valuable for the beginner collector, you can get this PSA 10 Gem Mint card for around $1,000 if you are lucky. Showing Kobe’s iconic number 8 jersey with him looking over his shoulder ready to pounce mid-air, this shows the legend in full flight.
7. 1996 Flair Showcase Legacy Collection Row 2 Kobe Bryant #31
⠂Estimated PSA 10 Value: $3,000
Another valuable card from the Legacy collection. The estimated PSA 10 value hovers around the $3,000 mark, but the last time it was sold was for $2,500 so accounting for inflation, this may be a little bit rarer and will have boosted its price in the interim. This collection was broken into tiers of scarcity called “Row 0”, “Row 1,” and “Row 2” where each player had only one card per row. Because there are fewer row 2s than Row 1 or Row 0s graded at PSA 10, this makes them a little bit more valuable. The image is more striking than the traditional rookie card. Depicting Kobe in action on the right in full color, contrasting with a more stoic and focused version of Kobe on the left shows, it has a more artistic collector item than the usual.
8. 1996–97 KOBE BRYANT SP HOLOVIEWS #PC18
⠂Estimated PSA 10 Value: $1,850
With an estimated PSA 10 value of $1,850, this card was originally part of a 40 card set, but was only inserted into one of every 10 packs at random. Boasting a fantastic layout with the image of Kobe in the top right contrasted with a hologram of the legend on the bottom right makes it very appealing to the eye. While these are hard to come by in high-grade copies due to the sensitivity of the condition, it is a steal at its estimated value.
9. 1996 Finest Basketball Kobe Bryant #74
⠂Estimated PSA 10 Value: $2,000
If you are looking for the top grade version of the bronze-colored “Apprentices” collection, you have to go top dollar. The Finest collection came with refractor panels in 1996 and is incredibly striking in design as it depicts Kobe bursting through the cards on the way for one of his trademark jams. While it is a very 1990s looking collection, this gives it a retro charm, and for the estimated PSA 10 value of $2,000, it is quirky, yet invaluable in the right hands.
10. 1996 Flair Showcase Legacy Collection Row 0 Kobe Bryant #31
⠂Estimated PSA 10 Value: $5,000
We’ve already covered the 1996 Flair showcase legacy Row 2 and this Row 0 is the rarest of the three in this collection. With an estimated PSA 10 value of $5,000, the card depicts three versions of Kobe with designs similar to the base versions but using teal foil text on the front, and the black and white images on the back side makes the Row 0 collection a cut above. Rare, and incredibly stylish to boot.
Buy or Sell Kobe Bryant Rookie Cards on GemCard
If you are looking to buy or sell Kobe Bryant RC cards, GemCard is a great way to gather information from a multitude of marketplaces. It arms you with the information you need to purchase sports cards and basketball cards of high-quality. You get access to market information as well as the in-demand collector’s items. The secure marketplace gives you the opportunity to bid on high-quality items so you can add Kobe Bryant RC cards to your collection. Head over to https://www.gemcard.co/ and get started on your Kobe collection and pay tribute to the great man.
