Record NBA Card Sale
Cooper Flagg rookie card sells for a record eight million dollars at auction
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Key Points
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The sale ranked as the fifth-highest publicly known sports-card sale, according to Card Ladder, and surpassed the $7.25 million publicly sold T206 Honus Wagner card.
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Bidding surged from $3.5 million to $8.04 million in the auction’s final five hours.
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Flagg signed the card at Fanatics Fest in July before it was inserted into a pack for a fan to find.
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Flagg’s NBA debut came against the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 22, 2025; he recorded 10 points and 10 rebounds in a 125-92 loss.
Cooper Flagg's one-of-a-kind rookie card sold for $8.04 million at a Fanatics Collect auction, setting a record for any basketball card ever sold Reuters. The card features Flagg's autograph and a game-worn patch from his NBA debut with the Dallas Mavericks. Collector Jason Williams won the card after paying just $515 for a spot in a livestreamed box break.
The sale marks the fifth-highest price for any publicly sold sports card and surpasses the $7.25 million T206 Honus Wagner card Reuters. Bidding jumped from $3.5 million to $8.04 million in the auction's final five hours. The card earned perfect 10 grades for both the card itself and Flagg's autograph.
From Box Break to Record-Setting Sale
Jason Williams obtained the card through an unlikely path — a $515 spot in a livestreamed box break during a Fanatics Collect event Total Pro Sports. Flagg had signed the card at Fanatics Fest in July before it was inserted into a pack for fans to find. The combination of his signature and the game-worn patch made it a one-of-a-kind collectible.
Flagg's Dominant Rookie Year Drives Card Value
Flagg, the 2025 No. 1 draft pick from Duke, won NBA Rookie of the Year after averaging 21 points per game Reuters. His impressive performance immediately elevated demand for his rookie cards. The 125-92 loss to the Spurs on October 22, 2025 — his debut game — now holds historical significance for collectors.
Record Debut-Patch Cards for Multiple Prospects
Flagg's card wasn't the only debut-patch card to fetch millions at the same auction Reuters. Dylan Harper's debut-patch card sold for $2.88 million, while Kon Knueppel's went for $2.34 million. The auction demonstrated collector hunger for rookie cards tied to game-worn memorabilia and player autographs from the league's newest stars.
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