Rare Tim Duncan Rookie Card Sets All-Time Record

With the sports card market exploding in both popularity and value, it was Tim Duncan’s turn to break a record. His 1997 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Green rookie card, numbered to just 10 copies, sold for a whopping $228,000 at auction. It was his most expensive sports card sale in more than four years, and it just so happened to be the same card.

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The 1997 Metal Universe Tim Duncan Precious Metal Gems (PMG) Green /10 #66 BGS 8 (pop 3) achieved an all-time high when it sold for $228,000.00 (Aug 29, 2025) via Auction with Fanatics Premier. pic.twitter.com/QrA9HjSrsK
— Card Ladder (@CardLadder) August 30, 2025

While $228,000 is a huge number, it comes as no surprise to seasoned collectors. The sports card market has been on a historic run, with records being shattered across the board. The all-time most expensive sports card record was recently broken, major card shows are reporting their highest attendance ever, and Card Ladder just recorded its biggest month on record in August with over $400 million in tracked sports card sales.

A new monthly sales record for trading cards according to @CardLadder in August of $416.8M, far surpassing the previous record from the month before.

Card Ladder tracks pretty much every online platform with recorded transactions, and notably does not include offline/most… pic.twitter.com/TiHmfy5tNt
— Nat Turner (@natsturner) September 1, 2025

Now, unlike the bubble in the sports card market during COVID, when virtually all sports cards, even base cards, skyrocketed to unprecedented heights, there is a clear distinction with this boom. The iconic, rare, and popular cards are thriving, with the best of the best setting records, while the common, overprinted, and less desirable cards are largely staying put. Sure, there is still the occasional sale that makes you scratch your head and wonder how it happened, but by and large, collectors are becoming more educated and the market seems to be in a healthy place.

This Tim Duncan sale speaks not only to how prominent the Precious Metal Gems set is, but also to the trajectory of the hobby. New investments continue to pour into the market, records continue to be broken, and there is plenty to look forward to.