It could be considered the Loch Ness Monster of the trading card hobby.
LeBron James’ 2003 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Logoman autographed 1-of-1 — James’ best card — has never surfaced in public.
The horizontal version of that card sold in 2016 for $312,000. However, the vertical example of this Superfractor has never been seen.
“It’s the ultimate chase card for LeBron,” said Jesse Craig, vice president of sales for PWCC Marketplace. “He didn’t have a 1-of-1 autograph Logoman in Exquisite, so this is the only vertical ’03 single Logoman signed by LeBron. It’s probably a $20 to $25 million card.”
So two full decades after Upper Deck released the rare James rookie, where could it be? Still sitting in an unopened pack somewhere?
Chances are, likely not.
“I’ve heard — this is the mystery of it all — it was pulled in China,” said Collectors CEO Nat Turner, who is also a big-time NBA card collector. “One of the dual Logomans from ’03 Exquisite, which I ended up getting, was in China. I’ve heard the Steph Curry 1-of-1 Superfractor might have been pulled years ago and is in China. No one has even been able to show me a picture of it. Like, who knows, you know.”
Yes, that James rookie could be hidden in a private collection — dust mounting on a sleeve or One Touch — overseas.
NBA cards are huge on the international market, and the elusive James 1-of-1 is a prime example of the sport’s popularity
