The Most Expensive Pieces of Sports Memorabilia Ever Sold

If you're a sports fan, you know the passion sports lovers experience for a specific sport, team, and favorite players. Beyond tuning in or showing up to games in person, there's a huge market for sports fans to purchase items such as jerseys, athletic equipment, and just about any type of sports memorabilia.

With that said, you may wonder how much the big-ticket items could cost you. In this article, we'll delve into some of the most expensive sports memorabilia from the world of sports.

Original Rules of Basketball Typescript (1891)

James Naismith, the founder of basketball, wrote out all of the game's rules in the late 1800s. While most basketball fans search out team-issued NBA apparel, one Kansas University alumni went a step further to purchase the original rules of basketball.

These pieces of paper, which James Naismith signed and dated, found a new home at Kansas University after fetching 4.3 million dollars at an auction in New York. The historical document was purchased by KU alum David Booth, making it one of the most valuable sports autographs and a contender for the most expensive sports memorabilia.

Babe Ruth's 1920 Yankee Jersey

Sporting your favorite baseball hat is a popular way to show team pride, but this next item takes that sentiment a bit further. Babe Ruth's 1920 Yankee Jersey is one of the most expensive jerseys, as it was the first this world-famous player wore. The lucky owner of this piece paid 4.415 million dollars for this item.

However, most baseball fans would agree this isn't just a random item that is one of the most expensive sports memorabilia; this is a piece of history! The jersey's previous home was in the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum in Baltimore, MD.

Lebron James's Rookie Card: Most Valuable Sports Autograph

In addition to championship wins and records set, Lebron James can add one more victory to his list: the most expensive basketball card. His signed 2003 card sold recently for a record-breaking 5.2 million dollars. This makes Lebron James's signed card one of the most valuable sports autographs of all time!

Babe Ruth's 1928-1930 Jersey

Before his retirement in 1935, Ruth won several world series championships and set huge records. His name is known worldwide as a legend in baseball. Given his legendary status, it's no wonder his name is associated with the most expensive sports memorabilia not once but twice on this list!

In 2019, Babe Ruth's 1928-1930 jersey sold for 5.64 million dollars in New York, giving Ruth another one of the most expensive jerseys in sports memorabilia.

Honus Wagner Baseball Card

If you haven't heard of Honus Wagner, you're not alone. However, extreme fans of baseball and baseball history will recognize Wagner as a shortstop that played for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1897-1917. During his baseball career, Honus Wagner solidified his place in history as one of the best players of all time.

It's no surprise that, given his reputation, his baseball card would be among the most expensive sports memorabilia. In 2022, the card sold for 7.25 million dollars. Are you surprised that even at 7.25 million dollars, this is not even the most expensive baseball card on our list?

Olympic Games Manifesto (1892)

Written by Frenchman Pierre Coubertin in 1882, this original document laid out the aristocrat's vision for a revival of the ancient Olympic games. He originally presented these documents to the French Athletics Association, and two years later, the first Olympic games were held in Athens, Greece.

The French manifesto described a world unified by athletic excellence. This historical artifact was sold in 2019 for 8.8 million dollars, adding it to the list of the most expensive sports memorabilia.

Diego Maradona's 1986 Jersey

With a huge global fanbase, it's no surprise that a soccer jersey ranks near the top of this list. This famous jersey was worn by Maradona in 1986 when he played for Argentina against England in the world cup.

He famously scored the "Hand of God" goal against England during the quarterfinals. It was the English goalie, Peter Shilton, who coined the name of this now-famous goal. Argentina beat England in the game 2-1.

The jersey sold in May of 2022 at Sotheby's in London for 9.28 million dollars, breaking the record for the most expensive sports memorabilia in soccer!

Michael Jordan's 1998 Finals Jersey

Because so many credit Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player of all time, any sports memorabilia surrounding that name is sure to cost a pretty penny. It may come as no surprise that Jordan's 1998 Finals jersey makes an appearance on this list. You may recognize this jersey from the Netflix documentary "The Last Dance."

This piece received 20 bids before officially selling for 10.091 million dollars. This makes Jordan's 1998 finals jersey the most expensive jersey to date. Beyond sealing his fate as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Air Jordan lives on as a huge brand today, letting fans get in on the action without having to purchase some of the most expensive sports memorabilia.

Mickey Mantle Baseball Card: Most Expensive Sports Memorabilia Ever Sold

You've made it to the end of the list, folks! Are you surprised the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia to date is a baseball card? That's right, a 1952 image of Mickey Mantle with a bat over his shoulder splashed onto a paper sold for a record 12.6 million dollars. This new record makes the 1952 Mickey Mantle the most expensive baseball card.

This baseball card received a grade of 9.5, making it the best-known condition of the 1952 Topps version of the card. The card was sold at the Heritage Auction in August of 2022 and earned the top spot for the most expensive sports memorabilia.

Another card may break the record for the most expensive baseball card in the future, but for now, Mantle has the top spot.

Shop Your Favorite Sports Apparel

Most of us don't have the budget for those big ticket items and expensive sports memorabilia. Thankfully, there are other ways to celebrate our favorite teams and players. Shop by league, brand, product, and department at LockerRoom Direct. As the top online seller of team-issued athletic gear and apparel.

Just in case you need one more reason to shop your favorite team's gear, all proceeds from Locker Room Direct go towards our work with the nonprofit Uncommon Sports Group. Don’t hesitate to get your favorite team’s gear today by contacting our team.