Building a Five-Card Kobe Bryant Collection For Only $150
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Kobe Bryant is one of the biggest names that has ever graced the game of basketball. His legacy transcends the NBA, with loyal followings all across the world including Asian countries such as China and the Philippines.
Not only is he one of the biggest names in the league, he's also got some of the most valuable sports cards that have ever been created. That doesn't mean there aren't any Kobe Bryant cards worth buying on a budget, as a matter of fact a lot of his most notable cards come as affordable to pretty much every collector.
Growing a sports card collection can get expensive quick, but even a $150 budget goes a long way. Here are five picks to jumpstart a Kobe Bryant collection within that budget.
2014-15 Panini Prizm Base - $20 Ungraded
A base card from modern Panini Prizm these days doesn't really excite anyone, but it's impossible to ignore just how beautiful the 2014-15 set was. Close-up shots of the players just made the card feel much more alive and worth collecting compared to most other iterations.
Kobe Bryant's entry in the set is equal parts amazing and worth the money. $20 dollars already gets you the card in its ungraded version, while an additional $20 would secure the same card in PSA 9. For this article's purposes, however, the $20 is what will be considered towards the total budget.
1996-97 Upper Deck - $25 Ungraded
Kobe Bryant rookie cards are must-buy in the collectibles world, and if you're gonna pick one up, why not get one of the most recognizable and best-looking ones too?
Kobe's 1996-97 Upper Deck RC features one of the best images that you'll ever see for a superstar's card worth only $25. It's an inexpensive addition to a collection where it would have no problems standing out.
2003 Bowman Rookies & Stars - $50 in PSA 9
Bowman isn't a brand that's typically associated with NBA cards these days, so the fact that a beautifully made Kobe Bryant card exists from the 2003 Rookies & Stars set might come as a surprise to some. Nonetheless, this piece could definitely be the highlight of any collection on a strict budget.
At $50 Kobe's 2003 Bowman card is the most expensive on this list, but for good reason. It's already graded a PSA 9 and the chosen image features not only the Mamba himself, but Kevin Garnett on defense in the background. Two 2020 HOF inductees and late-2000s rivals on the same card just add more than monetary value to a great card.
1996 Press Pass - $12 Ungraded
Before the Kobe Bryant that was carving through defenses in the NBA, there was that teenager from Lower Merion High School who outperformed both peers and opponents alike day after day. If there was ever a card to own from the Mamba's HS days, it's this one.
Kobe's 1996 Press Pass RC features a now-iconic shot of him celebrating a victory alongside Lower Merion teammates and supporters. A card like this only costs around $12 ungraded, the least expensive entry on this list.
1997-98 SPx #21 - Multiple Variants under $40
The SPx line had some really beautiful and unique-looking cards back in the day, and they definitely knew what they were doing with Kobe Bryant's early cards. His 1997-98 SPx #21 card is available in multiple variants, a number of which can be obtained for under $40.
The card featured above is a PSA 6 copy of his Bronze 1997 SPx card and recently sold for $35. The Sky variant goes for around the same price ungraded, and raw copies of the Silver version have sold for close to $30.
Joaqin is a journalist with a strong passion for the Hobby. He has published work for HLTV.org, Rappler.com, and DLSU Sports. A decade-long Pokémon TCG collector, he recently shifted into sports cards to collect Lakers, Dodgers and Chargers players with growing PCs of Shohei Ohtani and Justin Herbert.