Lewis Hamilton Relic Surpasses Previous Record for Non-Rookie F1 Card
Formula 1 has been around for nearly 80 years, with the first-ever championship season kicking off in 1950. There have been only 35 unique drivers to be crowned as the World Drivers' Champion in 76 years of F1, and atop that list is none other than Sir Lewis Hamilton himself.
Hamilton won the Drivers' Championship for the first time in 2008, his sophomore year, which was followed by six more from 2014-2020 to tie Michael Schumacher's record of seven. Following more than a decade driving under the Mercedes banner, Hamilton became part of one of the biggest transfers in all of sport when it was announced that he would race for Ferrari starting in 2025.
While solid results have been hard to come by, there's been no short of fanfare when it comes to Lewis Hamilton even in what's recognized as the twilight of his career. That can easily be seen in his collectibles, as his 2025 Topps Dynasty Zipper Relic Auto /5 just became the most expensive non-rookie F1 card in history.
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This Race-Worn Zipper Relic card, which has the words 'Forza Ferrari' inscribed above Hamilton's signature, just sold at auction for $69,580.26. A 2021 Topps Chrome Red Refractor Auto /5, which was also signed by Hamilton, previously held the record at $57,144.00.
The only other F1 cards to sell for more also belong to the seven-time WDC himself.
Unlike other major sporting leagues such as the NBA or MLB, there was never any consistency when it came to F1 drivers' cards until 2020. That season, the first-ever set of Topps F1 cards came out, and since then it's been a yearly staple in the collectible manufacturing company's lineup.
These are viewed as the 'rookie cards' for most drivers regardless of when they debuted, alongside any product that was made and released during said driver's true rookie year.
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Lewis Hamilton's Zipper Relic Auto may have the record for largest sale of a non-rookie F1 card, but its value still pales in comparison to the true titans of the motorsport collectible hobby. His 2020 Topps Chrome Superfractor in a PSA 7 grade sold for $900,000, and there honestly might never be a card that comes close to that kind of value again.
It's easy to understand why Lewis Hamilton's cards go for so much, even reaching levels that no other current driver can match. He's one-of-one both on and off the track, the winningest driver in history, and the only man to break the 100-win mark. Quite simply, the best there is.
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.