Who was Kobe Bryant?
Kobe Bryant was born in Philladolphia, Pennsylvania in 1978.
During his childhood, Kobe lived in Italy. That is because Italy is where his dad played professional basketball.
Kobe got the opportunity to come back to the U.S. and attended Lower Merion High School
Kobe dominated high school basketball. He won national player of the year several times.
He made the decision to skip college basketball and go straight to the pros.
With the 13th pick in the draft, the Charlotte Hornets selected Kobe. The hornets then traded their pick to the Los Angelos Lakers
Kobe Bryant became the second youngest player to play a game in NBA history
Although he might have been young, he definitely proved himself. He became an NBA all-star after only his second season.
After this, the rest was history. Kobe teamed up with Shaquille O’neal and won three straight championships (2000-2002). After this, there was a long break and then he won 2 straight championships (2009-2010).
Why are his cards so expensive?
Kobe Bryant is one of the best basketball players of all-time.
Some people consider him to be the G.O.A.T
Lakers fans around the world cherish Kobe Bryant.
When people shoot a paper basketball into a garbage can they often say “Kobe!”
Kobe remains cherished by many around the world and his legacy lives on.
Kobe Bryant is a part of the top 3 best shooting guards of all time
He averaged 25 points per game over his whole career.
Kobe Bryant unfortunately passed away in early 2020 from a helicopter accident
This did result in a premature spike in his card prices
Many love Kobe and may he rest in peace.
Most Valuable cards
Paper cards:
1996-97 Topps Kobe Bryant RC #138
This card depicts Kobe Bryant Driving to the basket
It is one of the few paper cards with a great value
Do not let the simplicity of this card fool you, it is an iconic card
1996 Fleer ultra Kobe Bryant RC #52
Kobe is also with a ball going for a layup with this card
It is a common card, but finding it in excellent condition is rare and can be worth a high value.
1996 Skybox Premium Kobe Bryant #55
The picture from this card looks like the Fleer ultra card.
The background is orange and this card looks awesome
1996 Fleer Kobe Bryant RC #203
This is a common card that used to have little value
Now, the value has increased and this is a cool card to have in your Kobe collection
Chrome cards:
1996-97 Topps Chrome Refractor Kobe Bryant RC #138
This card also comes in a normal Topps chrome version
The refractors are in 1 in every 12 packs
The picture looks identical to the normal Topps card
This card goes for a high premium. Especially in a PSA 10
1996 Bowman’s Best #R23 RC
This card is a chrome Kobe Bryant rookie card
There is a special X-fractor atomic version as well.
The X-fractor goes for a high premium due to its low population
As for the base card, the card is worth good amount and a great card for anyone who wants to spend less money
1996-97 E-X2000 Credentials Kobe Bryant RC #30 #/499
There is also a green version of this card that is not numbered
This version is worth less than the credentials version
The Credentials version is white and numbered to 499
It is rare and can fetch a great sum of money in a great condition
Auto cards:
2012-13 National Treasures Notable Nicknames Kobe Bryant #6 Autograph #/49
Can’t go wrong with autograph cards from this brand
This card has the word “Vino” written below and the signature and is out of 49.
2009-10 National Treasures Notable Nicknames Kobe Bryant Autograph (#KB1 #/99 or #KB2 #/35)
This card is unique due to its inscription
It has “Black Mamba” or “MVP” written on the top before the signature
Black Mamba signatures are out of 99 and MVP signatures are out of 35
Long-term potential
Kobe Bryant’s cards will always have value.
He is a basketball icon and will always have an awesome fanbase
90s and 2000s kids will always love Kobe and some consider him to be the best basketball player of all time
People will remember Kobe for his greatness and mental toughness.
People aspire to be like Kobe and adopt his Mamba Mentality.
Summary
People will always recognize Kobe Bryant as a generational talent
His cards have had a spike in value and they have continued to hold their value
Kobe Bryant may be gone, but never forgotten.
