The most expensive sports memorabilia ever sold has redefined what collectors are willing to pay for a piece of sporting history. Updated for 2026, here's where the market currently stands.
The most expensive athletes' sports memorabilia ever sold tells a story about more than money. A flannel jersey. A trading card. A championship belt. A set of six football shirts. At first glance, these are objects. But in the hands of the right athlete, at the right moment in history, they become something else entirely — physical proof that a moment happened, that a record was set, that a legend was real.
The market for the most expensive sports memorabilia has never been more serious, more global, or more expensive. These are the ten most valuable athletes' sports memorabilia items ever sold at auction, ranked from tenth to first.
Why Sports Memorabilia Commands These Prices
The simplest answer is a story. A jersey is fabric and thread until it's the jersey — the one worn on the night that defined a career, a season, or a sport. Once that connection is made and authenticated, the object becomes irreplaceable. No manufacturer can produce another. No amount of demand changes the supply.
But the story alone isn't enough. The items on this list all share something rarer: their story is universally recognised. You don't need to be a baseball obsessive to understand what “Called Shot” means. You don't need to follow basketball to know who wore number 23 in Chicago. That cross-cultural reach (the ability to move collectors, fans, and investors who operate in completely different worlds) is what separates a $500 signed photo from a $24 million jersey.
Every sale on this list is proof of the same truth: when rarity and legend converge in a single object, the market has no ceiling.
The Top 10 Athletes' Sports Memorabilia
10. Wayne Gretzky's Final Edmonton Oilers Jersey — $1.45 Million
NHL | Sports Jersey | Grey Flannel Auctions | June 2022
Wayne Gretzky is widely considered the greatest hockey player who ever lived — the only player to score more than 200 points in a season, a feat he achieved four times. His final Edmonton Oilers jersey, worn during the 1987–88 playoff run that saw the Oilers win their fourth Stanley Cup title, sold for $1.452 million with Grey Flannel Auctions — the most ever paid for a hockey jersey at the time. The jersey carries a detail that no amount of money can replicate: Gretzky had his champagne-soaked jersey doused after the Oilers clinched the Cup, leaving visible stains that remain on the jersey to this day.
Seventy-five days after wearing it, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings, meaning this was the last jersey he ever wore as an Oiler. For hockey collectors, it doesn't get more significant than that.
Fig 1: Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers 1988 Stanley Cup jersey — most expensive hockey jersey ever sold — Courtesy of ESPN
9. Stephen Curry 2009 National Treasures Rookie Card (1/1) — $5.9 Million
Basketball | Sports Card | Private Sale | July 2021
The sale that defined an era of modern sports card investing. This 2009–10 National Treasures Stephen Curry Logoman Autograph (a one-of-one card featuring an actual NBA logo patch physically cut from a jersey Curry wore in a real game, stitched directly into the card alongside his on-card signature) was the highest-selling basketball card ever when it sold in a private sale in 2021.
There is literally one in existence. It has since been surpassed by the Jordan–Bryant Dual Logoman, but as the most expensive basketball card of its era and the sale that first pushed the hobby into the multi-million dollar conversation,
Curry's remains a landmark in the history of sports memorabilia collecting. For a deeper dive into how tournament performance drives card values, see our guide on [how March Madness moves the card market].
Fig 2: Stephen Curry 2009 National Treasures Logoman Rookie Card — most expensive basketball rookie card private sale 2021 — Courtesy of Beckett
8. Muhammad Ali "Rumble in the Jungle" WBC Belt — $6.18 Million
Boxing | Boxing Belt | Heritage Auctions | July 2022
Muhammad Ali won this WBC heavyweight championship belt in 1974 with his victory over George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire (the fight where he famously employed his rope-a-dope tactic for the first time). The victory was Ali's return to the top after being stripped of his licence and his title for refusing induction into the US Army seven years earlier. The belt first entered the public domain in 1988 when the contents of Ali's late boxing coach, Drew "Bundini" Brown's storage lockers, were sold at auction.
It sold for $6.18 million at Heritage Auctions in July 2022 to Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, who called himself "proud to be the steward" of one of the most culturally significant objects in boxing history. After several hours of bidding between two determined buyers, Heritage's director of sports auctions said the battle was "worthy of the Rumble itself."
Fig 3: Muhammad Ali 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" WBC heavyweight championship belt — sold $6.18 million Heritage Auctions - Courtesy of Heritage Auctions
7. Kobe Bryant First NBA Jersey — $7 Million
NBA | Sports Jersey | Sotheby's | 2025
Few pieces of sports memorabilia carry the emotional weight of a debut. Sotheby's described Kobe Bryant's first NBA jersey as a "unicorn" rarely found on the market — after examining 130 jerseys purporting to have belonged to Bryant, only four were found to be authentic. This jersey was photo-matched and authenticated to Bryant's preseason debut on October 5, 1984, in Peoria, Illinois (his first appearance in a Bulls uniform before the world knew who he was).
Combined with the tragic significance of Bryant's death in January 2020, which made every authenticated Bryant autograph and game-worn item exponentially more significant, the jersey sold for $7.004 million — the most ever paid for a Kobe Bryant item and one of the most emotional sales in the history of sports memorabilia.
Fig 4: Kobe Bryant first NBA jersey — the most expensive Kobe Bryant memorabilia ever sold, 2025 - Courtesy of ESPN
6. Lionel Messi 2022 World Cup Match-Worn Shirts (Set of Six) — $7.8 Million
Football | Sports Jersey | Sotheby's | December 2023
Six of the shirts Lionel Messi wore during Argentina's historic 2022 World Cup campaign (including one from their victory over France in the final) sold for $7.8 million at Sotheby's New York.
Each shirt was worn during the first half of a different match, from the group stage through to the final. The only jersey missing from the set was from Argentina's final group stage match against Poland. The 2022 World Cup was the crowning moment of Messi's career — the one major trophy that had eluded the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner across five previous attempts.
A portion of the proceeds was donated to a children's hospital in Barcelona supported by the Leo Messi Foundation, adding a further layer of meaning to an already historic sale. It remains the most expensive Messi memorabilia and the most expensive football shirt collection ever sold at auction.
Fig 5: Lionel Messi 2022 World Cup match-worn shirts set — seoncd most expensive football memorabilia ever sold Sotheby's 2023" - Courtesy of Sotheby’s
5. Diego Maradona "Hand of God" Jersey — $9.3 Million
Football | Sports Jersey | Sotheby's | May 2022
On June 22, 1986, Diego Maradona scored two of the most famous goals in football history in a single World Cup quarter-final against England. The first — the controversial "Hand of God" goal — was a deliberate handball that Maradona described as scored "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God." The second, four minutes later, saw him dribble past five England players and the goalkeeper in what is widely considered the greatest goal ever scored.
The jersey he wore during that match sold for $9.3 million at Sotheby's in May 2022 — at the time, the most expensive game-worn jersey ever sold. It held that record until Jordan's Last Dance jersey surpassed it four months later. Few shirts in sport carry the narrative weight of both the most controversial and the most celebrated goals in the same game.
Fig 6: Diego Maradona 1986 World Cup Hand of God jersey — most expensive football shirt ever sold at auction - Courtesy of ESPN
4. Michael Jordan "Last Dance" Chicago Bulls Jersey — $10.1 Million
NBA | Sports Jersey | Sotheby's | September 2022
Jordan wore this Chicago Bulls jersey in Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz (scoring 33 points in 45 minutes as part of what became known as "The Last Dance". The culmination of a historic championship run that gave Jordan his sixth NBA title. Sotheby's pre-sale estimate was $3 to $5 million. Twenty bids drove it to more than double that figure. At $10.1 million, it became the most expensive game-worn jersey ever sold at auction, surpassing Maradona's Hand of God jersey, which had sold for $9.28 million earlier that year.
It is one of only two Jordan game-worn NBA Finals jerseys to ever appear at auction. The 1998 Finals were the most watched in NBA history at the time, and Jordan's cultural dominance means this jersey sits at the intersection of sport, entertainment, and pop culture in a way few objects can claim.
Fig 7: Michael Jordan 1998 NBA Finals "Last Dance" jersey — most expensive game-worn jersey ever sold Sotheby's 2022 - Sotheby’s
3. Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps #311 Card (SGC 9.5) — $12.6 Million
Baseball | Sports Card | Heritage Auctions | August 2022
For several years, this was the benchmark against which every other sports collectible was measured. The 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle was graded SGC 9.5 (SGC, or Sportscard Guaranty Corporation, is one of the hobby's leading third-party grading authorities, and 9.5 sits just a hair below a perfect score on their ten-point scale), making it among the finest known copies in existence.
It sold for $12.6 million at Heritage Auctions in August 2022, setting a record for the most expensive baseball card ever sold at the time. That record was broken just two years later by the Babe Ruth Called Shot jersey — but the Mantle card remains the definitive benchmark for what a single trading card can achieve and the moment that convinced the world sports cards were a serious asset class.
Fig 8: Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps baseball card SGC 9.5 — most expensive baseball card ever sold Heritage Auctions 2022 - Courtesy of Heritage Auctions
2. 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Jordan-Bryant Dual Logoman — $12.93 Million
Basketball | Sports Card | Heritage Auctions | August 2025
The most expensive basketball card ever sold and one of the most significant pieces of sports memorabilia in existence. This 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection 1/1 features game-worn NBA Logoman patches (actual logo patches cut from real game-worn jerseys — from both Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant alongside dual on-card autographs from both players). Jordan's patch comes from his iconic 1996–97 championship season. What makes this card permanently irreplaceable is that Bryant passed away in January 2020, meaning the two will never sign another card together.
It sold for $12.932 million at Heritage Auctions in August 2025 to a syndicate including Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary, who has since said he believes it is worth $17 to $20 million. O'Leary wore it on a custom Tiffany-encrusted necklace to the 2026 Academy Awards — arguably the most public display any piece of sports memorabilia has ever received.
Fig 9: 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Jordan Bryant Dual Logoman — most expensive basketball card ever sold Heritage Auctions 2025 - Courtesy of Heritage Auctions
1. Babe Ruth "Called Shot" Jersey — $24.12 Million
Baseball | Sports Jersey | Heritage Auctions | August 2024
The most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever sold. The jersey Babe Ruth wore when he called his shot during Game 3 of the 1932 World Series was sold for a record-breaking $24.12 million after a bidding war that lasted over six hours. The sale set an all-time auction record for the most expensive sports collectible ever sold, nearly doubling the previous record held by the 1952 Mickey Mantle card.
The story behind the jersey is as extraordinary as the price. After his retirement, Ruth held on to the jersey, eventually gifting it to a golfing friend in Florida in the 1940s. It remained with that recipient's daughter until the 1990s, when it was purchased at auction for a six-figure sum.
Decades later, it sold for $24.12 million — the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia in history. Heritage's director of sports called it "the most significant piece of American sports memorabilia ever offered at auction," and the bidding proved him right. For more record-breaking collectibles sales across sport, film, and pop culture, see our full guide to the [most expensive pop culture collectibles ever sold].
Fig 10: Babe Ruth 1932 Called Shot World Series jersey — most expensive sports memorabilia ever sold Heritage Auctions 2024 - Courtesy of Heritage Auctions
Honourable Mention: The Original Olympic Games Manifesto — $8.8 Million
Historical Manuscript | Olympic Games Memorabilia | Sotheby's | December 2019
The original Olympic Games Manifesto (a 14-page handwritten document written in 1892 by Pierre de Coubertin outlining his vision for reviving the ancient Olympic Games), sold for $8.8 million at Sotheby's, more than eight times its pre-sale estimate of $1 million following a 12-minute bidding war.
The manuscript went missing during the World Wars and was only tracked down in the 1990s by a French collector who scoured flea markets across Europe and the US before locating it from a collector in Switzerland.
It is the only known copy of the speech Coubertin delivered at the Sorbonne in 1892 — the document that directly led to the first modern Olympics in Athens in 1896. At the time of sale, it was the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever sold, a record it held until the Babe Ruth jersey surpassed it five years later.
Fig 11: Original Olympic Games Manifesto 1892 Pierre de Coubertin — most expensive sports document ever sold Sotheby's 2019 - Courtesy of Sotheby’s
The Bigger Picture
Look at the names on this list, and something becomes clear almost immediately. Ruth. Jordan. Ali. Maradona. Messi. Gretzky. Bryant. Mantle. These aren't just athletes — they are cultural landmarks. The objects connected to them don't appreciate because collectors are sentimental. They appreciate them because the stories attached to them are genuinely irreplaceable, and the number of people who care about those stories only grows over time.
What's also striking is how global this list has become. Baseball, basketball, boxing, football — four different sports, four different continents of origin, one shared language: the moment that stopped the world. “The Called Shot”. “The Hand of God”. “The Last Dance”. “The Rumble in the Jungle” — These weren't just sporting events. They were cultural events that happened to take place on a court, a field, or in a ring.
And the market is still finding its ceiling. The most expensive sports memorabilia record has been broken multiple times in just the last three years. The Babe Ruth jersey sold for three times the previous record. The Jordan-Bryant card sold for nearly double what anyone expected. Collectors who understood early that the right object at the right moment could transcend sport have been rewarded accordingly.
Whether you own a signed card or a championship belt, the principle is the same: what matters most is the story it carries and whether the world still cares about that story. Looking at this list, the world very much does.
Whether you're just starting the hobby or already on your way to building a serious collection, Collectibles.com provides the digital tools to easily organize, manage, value, and showcase everything you own — all at your fingertips.
Download our IOS App
Download our Android App
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever sold? The most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever sold is Babe Ruth's 1932 "Called Shot" World Series jersey, which sold for $24.12 million at Heritage Auctions in August 2024 — setting a record for any sports collectible.
What is the most expensive jersey ever sold? Babe Ruth's 1932 Called Shot jersey holds the record at $24.12 million. The most expensive game-worn basketball jersey ever sold is Michael Jordan's 1998 NBA Finals Last Dance jersey, which sold for $10.1 million at Sotheby's in September 2022. The most expensive football shirt ever sold is Diego Maradona's Hand of God jersey from the 1986 World Cup, which sold for $9.3 million at Sotheby's in May 2022.
What is the most expensive baseball card ever sold? The most expensive baseball card ever sold is the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle graded SGC 9.5, which sold for $12.6 million at Heritage Auctions in August 2022.
What is the most expensive basketball card ever sold? The most expensive basketball card ever sold is the 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman featuring Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, which sold for $12.932 million at Heritage Auctions in August 2025.
Where is the best place to buy and sell sports memorabilia? Heritage Auctions handles the majority of high-value sports memorabilia sales and has brokered many of the records on this list. Sotheby's is also a major player, particularly for international sports, including football and boxing. For tracking, managing, and valuing your own collection, Collectibles.com is purpose-built for collectors at every level.
Is sports memorabilia a good investment? This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Always do your own research and consult a qualified adviser before making purchasing decisions based on collectibles market data.
Disclaimer: All content on Collectibles.com and shared publicly is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, financial, tax, or legal advice. Collectibles.com and its partners are not registered investment advisors. Investing in collectibles carries a high risk of loss, including total loss of principal, and is speculative and unsuitable for many investors. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Always consult qualified professionals before making decisions. No recommendations or solicitations are intended.
