Lakers Kobe Bryant’s Ultra Rare PMG Card Sale Sets New Record
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There are grail cards in the basketball collectibles world, and then there's the iconic Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems (PMG). These are among the most recognizable and sought-after cards in the hobby, and a Kobe Bryant Emerald Green PMG just sold for $3.15 million on April 23, 2026.
According to a LinkedIn post by the alternative trading platform Alt, they acquired the PSA 5 Kobe PMG card through a private sale. As they mention in their post, this sale is the most expensive solo Kobe Bryant card ever sold. It's also the most expensive Precious Metal Gems card ever sold.
Compared to other recent Kobe sales, this feels like a steal for @altxyzofficial pic.twitter.com/6OZ7iBgFBz
— Adam Gray (@the27guy) April 23, 2026
Emerald Green Kobe Bryant 1997 Precious Metal Gems
This 1997 Kobe Bryant Emerald Green Precious Metal Gems is one of just 10 created, and the serial number on the back of this one reads "009/100". Don’t let the serial number fool you: while 100 PMGs were made per player, only the first 10 were produced in emerald green. The other 90 were designed with a ruby red color.
Many believe that this card is, hands down, one of the greatest Kobe Bryant cards ever created.
According to Alt founder and CEO Leore Avidar, "I'd argue this is the best Kobe Bryant card out there. They only made 10 of them, it shines, and it's the first year of basketball PMGs, which there's a collector base for. I've been trying to get one. It's always been my thing."
Downgraded from Beckett to PSA
According to the card sale database platform Card Ladder, this Kobe PMG used to have a BGS 7.5 grade, but at some point the owner decided to regrade it through PSA, which graded this card a 5 (out of a possible 10). These cards are notoriously difficult to grade in top condition, given the fragile nature of the metallic coating, which chips easily.
Despite the PSA downgrade, the price of this card has nearly doubled in just over four years. The prior sale of this card as a BGS 7.5 was $1.75 million back in February 2022.
All Time Highest-Selling PMGs
For now, Kobe Bryant owns the ultra-high-end PMG market. The three highest PMG sales all belong to the Lakers legend. However, Michael Jordan owns spots 4-10 in the top 10 list. Below are the top 5 selling PMGs of all time:
Date Sold | Price | Grade | Player | PMG Color |
|---|---|---|---|---|
April 23, 2026 | $3.15 M | PSA 5 | Kobe Bryant | Green |
Feb. 22, 2022 | $2.0 M | BGS 8.5 | Kobe Bryant | Green |
Feb. 25, 2022 | $1.75 M | BGS 7.5 | Kobe Bryant | Green |
Dec. 9, 2020 | $915 K | PSA Authentic | Michael Jordan | Green |
Dec. 6, 2025 | $651.3 K | BGS 8.5 | Michael Jordan | Red |
Michael Jordan has the highest-selling PMG in ruby red, which was a BGS 8.5 (39/100) that sold last year for $651.3K. The fact that Jordan has this top sale isn't surprising, given his supreme position in the basketball world and the color-matching elements with his Chicago Bulls jersey.
Precious Metal Gems, especially the emerald greens, remain true apex assets for high net worth collectors, blending rarity, history, and eye appeal in a way few cards can match. If this sale proves anything, it’s that the ceiling may still be higher than anyone expects.
Hopefully, the team at Alt resists the urge to bedazzle the slab with actual emeralds… unless they’re planning to sell to Kevin O'Leary.
And it should be said, there are still Kobe cards to collect at any budget.
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Conor is a life long sports card enthusiast who started collecting in the early ’90s, inspired by hometown heroes like Larry Bird, Paul Pierce, Tom Brady, and David Ortiz. Like many ’90s hoops fans, he also started building (and continues to build) a modest Michael Jordan collection.