{
 "id": "sports/basketball/2003-upper-deck-exquisite-collection-lebron-james-78",
 "url": "https://cardvolume.com/sports/basketball/2003-upper-deck-exquisite-collection-lebron-james-78/",
 "markdown_url": "https://cardvolume.com/sports/basketball/2003-upper-deck-exquisite-collection-lebron-james-78/index.md",
 "name": "LeBron James",
 "title": "2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection LeBron James #78",
 "category": "sports",
 "category_name": "Sports cards",
 "set": "2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection",
 "number": "#78",
 "year": 2003,
 "language": "English",
 "rarity": "serial-numbered rookie patch autograph",
 "artist": "Unknown",
 "publisher": "Upper Deck",
 "flagship": true,
 "updated": "2026-09-27",
 "as_of": "2026-09-27",
 "summary": "The 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection LeBron James #78 is a landmark modern basketball rookie patch autograph. Collectors search for it because the /99 base and /23 parallel combine rookie-year timing, autograph, patch, serial numbering, and Upper Deck Exquisite branding.",
 "key_facts": [
  "CardVolume lists 3 verified sales of the 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection LeBron James #78 as of September 27, 2026.",
  "No grade has the 5 verified sales in 90 days needed for a market price; the most recent verified sale was $2,928,000 for a Rookie Patch Autograph parallel /23 BGS 9.5/Auto 10 on June 28, 2026 at Goldin Auctions.",
  "The highest verified sale on record is $2,928,000 for a Rookie Patch Autograph parallel /23 BGS 9.5/Auto 10 on June 28, 2026 at Goldin Auctions."
 ],
 "versions": [
  {
   "key": "rpa-99",
   "label": "Rookie Patch Autograph /99",
   "how_to_identify": "Card #78 Exquisite Rookie Patch Autograph, serial numbered to 99; verify patch, autograph grade if present, and card grade."
  },
  {
   "key": "rpa-parallel-23",
   "label": "Rookie Patch Autograph parallel /23",
   "how_to_identify": "Parallel version numbered to LeBron James's jersey number, /23; keep separate from the base /99 and rainbow 1/1."
  }
 ],
 "grades": [
  {
   "version": "Rookie Patch Autograph parallel /23",
   "version_key": "rpa-parallel-23",
   "grader": "BGS",
   "grade": "9.5/Auto 10",
   "label": "BGS 9.5/Auto 10",
   "market_price_usd": null,
   "market_sales_n": 0,
   "market_window": null,
   "verified_sales": 1,
   "last_verified_sale": {
    "date": "2026-06-28",
    "price_usd": 2928000,
    "venue": "Goldin Auctions",
    "buyer_premium_included": null,
    "source_url": "https://www.auctionreport.com/lebron-james-rpa-nears-3-million-ohtanis-1-of-1-chrome-superfractor-tops-2-56-million-in-goldin-100-auction/"
   },
   "record_sale": {
    "date": "2026-06-28",
    "price_usd": 2928000,
    "venue": "Goldin Auctions",
    "buyer_premium_included": null,
    "source_url": "https://www.auctionreport.com/lebron-james-rpa-nears-3-million-ohtanis-1-of-1-chrome-superfractor-tops-2-56-million-in-goldin-100-auction/"
   },
   "population": null,
   "graded_market_value_usd": null
  },
  {
   "version": "Rookie Patch Autograph /99",
   "version_key": "rpa-99",
   "grader": "PSA",
   "grade": "Authentic",
   "label": "PSA Authentic",
   "market_price_usd": null,
   "market_sales_n": 0,
   "market_window": null,
   "verified_sales": 1,
   "last_verified_sale": {
    "date": "2023-02-08",
    "price_usd": 228000,
    "venue": "Goldin Auctions",
    "buyer_premium_included": true,
    "source_url": "https://www.psacard.com/cardfacts/basketball-cards/2003-upper-deck-exquisite-collection/lebron-james-autograph-patch-78/653835"
   },
   "record_sale": {
    "date": "2023-02-08",
    "price_usd": 228000,
    "venue": "Goldin Auctions",
    "buyer_premium_included": true,
    "source_url": "https://www.psacard.com/cardfacts/basketball-cards/2003-upper-deck-exquisite-collection/lebron-james-autograph-patch-78/653835"
   },
   "population": null,
   "graded_market_value_usd": null
  },
  {
   "version": "Rookie Patch Autograph /99",
   "version_key": "rpa-99",
   "grader": "SGC",
   "grade": "9.5",
   "label": "SGC 9.5",
   "market_price_usd": null,
   "market_sales_n": 0,
   "market_window": null,
   "verified_sales": 1,
   "last_verified_sale": {
    "date": "2025-04-25",
    "price_usd": 444000,
    "venue": "Fanatics Collect",
    "buyer_premium_included": true,
    "source_url": "https://www.fanaticscollect.com/premier/93551c0c-1010-11f0-94a3-0a58a9feac02"
   },
   "record_sale": {
    "date": "2025-04-25",
    "price_usd": 444000,
    "venue": "Fanatics Collect",
    "buyer_premium_included": true,
    "source_url": "https://www.fanaticscollect.com/premier/93551c0c-1010-11f0-94a3-0a58a9feac02"
   },
   "population": null,
   "graded_market_value_usd": null
  }
 ],
 "verified_sales": [
  {
   "date": "2026-06-28",
   "version": "Rookie Patch Autograph parallel /23",
   "grader": "BGS",
   "grade": "9.5/Auto 10",
   "price_usd": 2928000,
   "price": 2928000,
   "currency": "USD",
   "buyer_premium_included": null,
   "venue": "Goldin Auctions",
   "sale_type": "auction",
   "cert": null,
   "source_url": "https://www.auctionreport.com/lebron-james-rpa-nears-3-million-ohtanis-1-of-1-chrome-superfractor-tops-2-56-million-in-goldin-100-auction/",
   "status": "verified"
  },
  {
   "date": "2025-04-25",
   "version": "Rookie Patch Autograph /99",
   "grader": "SGC",
   "grade": "9.5",
   "price_usd": 444000,
   "price": 444000,
   "currency": "USD",
   "buyer_premium_included": true,
   "venue": "Fanatics Collect",
   "sale_type": "auction",
   "cert": null,
   "source_url": "https://www.fanaticscollect.com/premier/93551c0c-1010-11f0-94a3-0a58a9feac02",
   "status": "verified"
  },
  {
   "date": "2023-02-08",
   "version": "Rookie Patch Autograph /99",
   "grader": "PSA",
   "grade": "Authentic",
   "price_usd": 228000,
   "price": 228000,
   "currency": "USD",
   "buyer_premium_included": true,
   "venue": "Goldin Auctions",
   "sale_type": "auction",
   "cert": "65425143",
   "source_url": "https://www.psacard.com/cardfacts/basketball-cards/2003-upper-deck-exquisite-collection/lebron-james-autograph-patch-78/653835",
   "status": "verified"
  }
 ],
 "graded_market_value_usd": null,
 "faq": [
  {
   "q": "How much did the LeBron Exquisite RPA /23 sell for in 2021?",
   "a": "ESPN reported a $5,200,000 private sale for a BGS 9 /23 LeBron Exquisite RPA on 2021-04-26, with no buyer's premium reported for the private transaction [2].",
   "source_ids": [
    2
   ]
  },
  {
   "q": "How much did a LeBron Exquisite RPA /99 BGS 8.5 sell for at Goldin?",
   "a": "Bleacher Report reported that a BGS 8.5 /99 example closed at $1,392,000 through Goldin on 2022-02-05 [1].",
   "source_ids": [
    1
   ]
  },
  {
   "q": "How much did the 2025 Goldin LeBron Exquisite RPA sell for?",
   "a": "ESPN reported a $1,159,000 Goldin sale including buyer's premium for a /99 example graded BGS 9.5, but the opened lines did not provide an exact calendar sale date, so it is not entered as a formal sale record [3].",
   "source_ids": [
    3
   ]
  },
  {
   "q": "How many PSA 8 LeBron Exquisite #78 /99 cards exist?",
   "a": "PSA CardFacts displayed a PSA 8 population of 4 as opened on 2026-09-26, but the page did not expose a separate population snapshot date [6].",
   "source_ids": [
    6
   ]
  },
  {
   "q": "Is the /23 version the same as the /99 version?",
   "a": "No; the /23 is the jersey-number parallel, while the /99 is the base Exquisite Rookie Patch Autograph [2,3].",
   "source_ids": [
    2,
    3
   ]
  },
  {
   "q": "Do I need to track the autograph grade separately?",
   "a": "Yes; sources report separate autograph grades on major LeBron RPA sales, and that detail should stay attached to the comp [1,2].",
   "source_ids": [
    1,
    2
   ]
  }
 ],
 "sources": [
  {
   "title": "LeBron James Exquisite Rookie Cavaliers Jersey Patch Card Sells for $1.4M at Auction",
   "url": "https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10026011-lebron-james-exquisite-rookie-cavaliers-jersey-patch-card-sells-for-14m-at-auction",
   "publisher": "Bleacher Report"
  },
  {
   "title": "LeBron James rookie card sells for record $5.2 million",
   "url": "https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31342749/lebron-james-rookie-card-sells-record-52-million",
   "publisher": "ESPN"
  },
  {
   "title": "LeBron card sells for $1.159M; Caitlin Clark card sets record",
   "url": "https://www.espn.ph/espn/story/_/id/44462843/lebron-card-sells-1159m-caitlin-clark-card-sets-record",
   "publisher": "ESPN"
  },
  {
   "title": "PSA Cert Verification",
   "url": "https://www.psacard.com/cert",
   "publisher": "PSA"
  },
  {
   "title": "PSA Grading Standards",
   "url": "https://www.psacard.com/gradingstandards",
   "publisher": "PSA"
  },
  {
   "title": "2003 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection LeBron James Autograph Patch #78",
   "url": "https://www.psacard.com/cardfacts/basketball-cards/2003-upper-deck-exquisite-collection/lebron-james-autograph-patch-78/653835",
   "publisher": "PSA CardFacts"
  }
 ],
 "methodology": "https://cardvolume.com/methodology/",
 "cite_as": "2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection LeBron James #78. CardVolume, https://cardvolume.com/sports/basketball/2003-upper-deck-exquisite-collection-lebron-james-78/ (accessed 2026-09-27)."
}