LeBron James
2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection · #78
LeBron James #78 (Rookie Patch Autograph parallel /23, BGS 9.5/Auto 10): last verified sale $2,928,000 on Jun 28, 2026 (Goldin Auctions). Not enough verified sales in the last 90 days for a market price. Source: CardVolume, cardvolume.com/sports/basketball/2003-upper-deck-exquisite-collection-lebron-james-78/, as of Sep 27, 2026.
LeBron James #78 (Rookie Patch Autograph parallel /23, BGS 9): no verified sales on record. Source: CardVolume, cardvolume.com/sports/basketball/2003-upper-deck-exquisite-collection-lebron-james-78/, as of Sep 27, 2026.
LeBron James #78 (Rookie Patch Autograph /99, PSA Authentic): last verified sale $228,000 on Feb 8, 2023 (Goldin Auctions). Not enough verified sales in the last 90 days for a market price. Source: CardVolume, cardvolume.com/sports/basketball/2003-upper-deck-exquisite-collection-lebron-james-78/, as of Sep 27, 2026.
LeBron James #78 (Rookie Patch Autograph /99, BGS 9.5/Auto 10): no verified sales on record. Source: CardVolume, cardvolume.com/sports/basketball/2003-upper-deck-exquisite-collection-lebron-james-78/, as of Sep 27, 2026.
LeBron James #78 (Rookie Patch Autograph /99, SGC 9.5): last verified sale $444,000 on Apr 25, 2025 (Fanatics Collect). Not enough verified sales in the last 90 days for a market price. Source: CardVolume, cardvolume.com/sports/basketball/2003-upper-deck-exquisite-collection-lebron-james-78/, as of Sep 27, 2026.
LeBron James #78 (Rookie Patch Autograph parallel /23, BGS 8.5/Auto 10): no verified sales on record. Source: CardVolume, cardvolume.com/sports/basketball/2003-upper-deck-exquisite-collection-lebron-james-78/, as of Sep 27, 2026.
Values as of Sep 27, 2026 in USD. Market price = median of at least 5 qualifying sales of this exact version and grade in the last 90 days. Methodology
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.
Updated · Only verified or cross-checked sales count · How we verify · Data: Markdown, JSON
Sales history
| Date | Version | Grade | Price | Venue | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 28, 2026 | Rookie Patch Autograph parallel /23 | BGS 9.5/Auto 10 | $2,928,000 | Goldin Auctions auction Reported as a record for this grade | Verified | Open |
| Apr 25, 2025 | Rookie Patch Autograph /99 | SGC 9.5 | $444,000 incl. buyer's premium | Fanatics Collect auction Lot April PA Lot 1. Reported as a record for this grade | Verified | Open |
| Mar 29, 2025 | Rookie Patch Autograph /99 | BGS 9.5/Auto 10 | $1,159,000 incl. buyer's premium | Goldin Auctions auction | Reported | Open |
| Sep 29, 2023 | Rookie Patch Autograph parallel /23 | BGS 8.5/Auto 10 | $468,000 incl. buyer's premium | Heritage Auctions auction Lot 80905 | Reported | Open |
| Feb 8, 2023 | Rookie Patch Autograph /99 | PSA Authentic · cert 65425143 | $228,000 incl. buyer's premium | Goldin Auctions auction Lot 5. Reported as a record for this grade | Verified | Open |
| Nov 17, 2022 | Rookie Patch Autograph parallel /23 | BGS 8.5/Auto 10 | $885,000 incl. buyer's premium | Heritage Auctions auction Lot 56918 | Reported | Open |
| Oct 22, 2022 | Rookie Patch Autograph /99 | BGS 9.5/Auto 10 | $2,400,000 | Goldin Auctions auction Reported as a record for this grade | Excluded | Open |
| Feb 5, 2022 | Rookie Patch Autograph /99 | BGS 8.5 | $1,392,000 incl. buyer's premium | Goldin Auctions auction Source reports final cost through Goldin and BGS 8.5 with autograph 10. | Excluded | Open |
| Apr 26, 2021 | Rookie Patch Autograph parallel /23 | BGS 9 | $5,200,000 hammer, excl. premium | PWCC Marketplace private Private sale; ESPN reports BGS 9 with perfect 10 signature and /23 parallel. | Reported | Open |
Verified: an editor or automated check confirmed the figure on the source page. Cross-checked: an independent second research pass reopened the source and confirmed it. Reported: cited by research but not re-checked; never used in metrics. 2 sales were excluded (reasons on hover). Asking prices are never listed here.
Price chart
Rookie Patch Autograph parallel /23 · BGS 9.5/Auto 10
Fewer than two qualifying sales for BGS 9.5/Auto 10; no chart.
Rookie Patch Autograph parallel /23 · BGS 9
Fewer than two qualifying sales for BGS 9; no chart.
Rookie Patch Autograph /99 · PSA Authentic
Fewer than two qualifying sales for PSA Authentic; no chart.
Rookie Patch Autograph /99 · BGS 9.5/Auto 10
Fewer than two qualifying sales for BGS 9.5/Auto 10; no chart.
Rookie Patch Autograph /99 · SGC 9.5
Fewer than two qualifying sales for SGC 9.5; no chart.
Rookie Patch Autograph parallel /23 · BGS 8.5/Auto 10
Fewer than two qualifying sales for BGS 8.5/Auto 10; no chart.
Graded population
| Version | Grader | Grade | Count | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rookie Patch Autograph /99 | PSA | 8 | 4 | Sep 26, 2026 | Open |
| Rookie Patch Autograph /99 | PSA | 7 | 1 | Sep 26, 2026 | Open |
Population counts copies graded by one company in one grade. It is not a print run and it grows with every submission. Why population is not print run
Grading math for this card
Prefilled with the latest qualifying sale for each grade where one exists. Replace any value with your own. We never suggest what grade your copy will get.
Formula from Grading: condition, uncertainty, and economics: grading pays only if your honest chance of the high grade exceeds (raw net + cost − other-outcome net) ÷ (high-grade net − other-outcome net). The 13% fee is an editable assumption, not a quoted tariff.
About LeBron James
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.
Why this card matters
Verified factUpper Deck Exquisite introduced a premium basketball format that later collectors associate with rookie patch autographs. ESPN reported that the 2003 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection includes base Rookie Patch Autographs numbered to 99, jersey-number parallels, and a rainbow 1/1. The LeBron #78 is searched because it is his rookie-year Exquisite patch autograph, but the /99 and /23 versions must remain separate because the serial-numbered supply pools are different. [1][2][3]
Identifying the exact version
AnalysisRecord the card as 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection #78 LeBron James, then identify whether it is the /99 base RPA or the /23 parallel. Add grader, card grade, autograph grade, serial number, and patch description. A BGS 9 with autograph 10 /23 private sale is not the same comp as a BGS 8.5 /99 auction sale. Patch quality may affect buyer interest, but it should be described rather than converted into an unsourced multiplier. [1][2]
What moves the price between versions and grades
AnalysisThe largest observable differences come from serial-numbered variant, card grade, autograph grade, and patch appearance. ESPN reported a $5.2 million private sale for a BGS 9 /23 example in 2021, while Bleacher Report reported a $1.392 million Goldin auction result for a BGS 8.5 /99 in 2022. Those are both Exquisite LeBron RPAs, but they answer different comp questions because /23 and /99 are separate versions. [1][2][3]
Authenticity checks
Verified factCompare against official references; use multiple checks; avoid destructive tests; copied cert numbers exist. For this card, confirm serial numbering, patch window, autograph placement, Upper Deck branding, slab label, and any separate autograph grade. Cert lookup should be matched to actual front and back images, because PSA warns that valid cert numbers can be copied onto counterfeit inserts. For BGS slabs, use the same principle: database details do not replace physical comparison. [4][5]
Telling the versions apart
| Version | How to identify it |
|---|---|
| Rookie Patch Autograph /99 | Card #78 Exquisite Rookie Patch Autograph, serial numbered to 99; verify patch, autograph grade if present, and card grade. |
| Rookie Patch Autograph parallel /23 | Parallel version numbered to LeBron James's jersey number, /23; keep separate from the base /99 and rainbow 1/1. |
What people get wrong about this card
Based on the claims our guides decline to adopt: Risk and strategy · Case studies and corrections
Frequently asked questions
How much did the LeBron Exquisite RPA /23 sell for in 2021?
How much did a LeBron Exquisite RPA /99 BGS 8.5 sell for at Goldin?
How much did the 2025 Goldin LeBron Exquisite RPA sell for?
How many PSA 8 LeBron Exquisite #78 /99 cards exist?
Is the /23 version the same as the /99 version?
Sources
- LeBron James Exquisite Rookie Cavaliers Jersey Patch Card Sells for $1.4M at Auction — Bleacher Report (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
- LeBron James rookie card sells for record $5.2 million — ESPN (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
- LeBron card sells for $1.159M; Caitlin Clark card sets record — ESPN (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
- PSA Cert Verification — PSA (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
- PSA Grading Standards — PSA (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
- 2003 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection LeBron James Autograph Patch #78 — PSA CardFacts (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
Not yet established
- Exact sale date for the $1.159 million 2025 Goldin sale was not visible in the opened source lines.
- BGS population counts were not established from an opened source page.
- No official Upper Deck product-page supply statement was saved in this pass.
Research: Codex research pass (live web) · automated source checks · independent cross-check · generated Sep 26, 2026 · reviewed by CardVolume editorial (owner-approved) on Sep 27, 2026 · updated Sep 27, 2026. Found an error? Report it.