The One LeBron Card Worth Buying Right Now
2003 Topps Chrome #111 Rookie – PSA 10
Current price: $7,000
If you’re looking at LeBron cards and you don’t have $50,000 to drop on an Exquisite patch auto, this is the move.
The 2003 Topps Chrome #111 is LeBron’s flagship rookie. When people think “LeBron rookie card,” this is the image that comes to mind. It’s the most recognized, most traded, and most liquid LeBron card under ten grand.
Here’s why it’s undervalued: A PSA 10 Michael Jordan 1986 Fleer trades around $300,000. A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant 1996 Topps Chrome trades around $10,000. LeBron’s Chrome PSA 10 is sitting at $7,000.
LeBron just passed Kareem as the all-time scoring leader. He’s likely to finish top-five in assists. He’s won championships with three different franchises. The gap between his card prices and his actual accomplishments doesn’t make sense.
Population report shows roughly 2,400 PSA 10 copies. That’s not rare, but it’s also not flooding the market. Compare that to junk wax era cards with 10,000+ PSA 10s and you’re looking at real scarcity for a modern player.
The play here is simple: LeBron retires in the next 2-3 years. Hall of Fame induction follows. Documentaries get made. ESPN runs “The Last Dance” style coverage. Demand spikes.
Right now, you can buy the most iconic LeBron card for the price of a used car. When he’s five years retired and the next generation of collectors starts chasing his cards, $7,000 is going to look like a steal.
BUY if: You believe LeBron’s legacy will match Jordan’s in the long run
HOLD if: You already own one
SKIP if: You’re looking for short-term flips — this is a 5-10 year hold
The card is liquid, the brand is established, and the player’s career speaks for itself. That’s as close to a safe bet as you get in this hobby.
