The essential cards of 2003/04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Basketball

Upper Deck's 2003/04 Exquisite Collection Basketball was a leap forward in the hobby. The premium offering had a base set of only 78 cards, and each card was numbered to 225 or less. A loaded rookie class including LeBron James, combined with high-end cards of legends like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant have made this release one of the most sought-after in the entire hobby. Let's take a look at some of the best cards from an amazing set of basketball cards.

#78 LeBron James /99

2003-04 UD "Exquisite Collection" Exquisite Rookie Patch Autograph (RPA) #78 LeBron James Signed Patch Rookie Card (#23/99) | Card Ladder

LeBron was a hobby sensation from the very beginning, and has gone on to become one of the most collectible athletes in the history of sports. This particular premium LeBron James card, numbered 23/99, James' jersey number at the time, is the top sale from the set, fetching $2.4 million in 2021. All numbered parallels included, James' card has sold for at least $1 million on 14 separate occasions.

Number Piece Autographs #NP-KB

2003 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Kobe Bryant (Number Pieces Autographs) #NP-KB /8 | Heritage

While a fantastic rookie class headlined by James was a big part of the appeal of this set, cards of superstar Kobe Bryant from the set have also become key chase cards for collectors of the Los Angeles Lakers legend. This Patch Auto card sold for over $400,000 on Aug. 23, 2024. More recently, a Patch Auto numbered to 100 sold for $18,910 on June 28 of this year.

Limited Logos #MJ Michael Jordan

2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Limited Logos #LL-MJ Michael Jordan Signed Game-Used Patch Card /75 | Goldin

By the time this set was released, Michael Jordan had retired for the last time, but he was still his own planet when it came to the basketball hobby. Jordan's 2003/04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Basketball cards included a Limited Logos Patch card numbered to 75. Featuring a jersey patch from Jordan's time with the Chicago Bulls, the card most recently sold on June 14 for just over $170,000.

#74 Dwayne Wade

2003-04 UD "Exquisite Collection" Rookie Patch #74 Dwyane Wade Signed Patch Rookie Card /99 | Card Ladder

While the rookies that followed LeBron James, such as Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade never reached his hobby heights, their cards from this set are among the most important chases from their careers. Dwayne Wade's Patch Auto card numbered to 99 reached a high sale of $223,860 in 2021.