Fanatics and Sotheby
Next month, an incredibly rare trading card featuring two basketball legends will be the highlight of Fanatics and Sotheby’s inaugural Holy Grails auction.
A signed card from Michael Jordan and Julius Erving will be among the items offered at the auction on September 24. According to a press release, the card has an estimated value of $1 million.
“As a one-of-a-kind item, the only one issued for this season and one of only two cards featuring these basketball legends ever issued for the Exquisite Collection, it occupies a unique position in sports memorabilia,” the press release states. “This rarity is further underscored by the fact that it is one of only eight existing autographs featuring two Exquisite Collection logo men featuring Michael Jordan.”
Jordan and Erving have been closely linked throughout NBA history. Erving was the first player ever to dunk from the free throw line in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, which inspired Jordan to do the same and led to the creation of his iconic logo.
The auction will take place in the Harlem Parish, a former church in New York City. Over 40 coveted trading cards featuring sports legends such as Tom Brady, LeBron James, Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente and others will be offered.
“From the beginning, our goal was to create an immersive auction experience the likes of which the trading card industry has never seen,” said Brahm Wachter, head of Modern Collectables at Sotheby’s, in the press release. “By choosing the iconic Harlem Parish as the venue and through bold, visual scenography and object presentations, we are redefining what the trading card industry means to collectors and enthusiasts. With this innovative approach, we are not only disrupting the industry, but also bringing cards into today’s modern world in a way that is truly unprecedented.”
