A piece of Allen Iverson history just sold for an eye-popping $701,500, shattering all previous records for memorabilia of the NBA legend. The ultra-rare basketball card from 1997 isn’t just special – it’s one of only three ever made.
The card that’s got collectors buzzing is a 1997 Skybox E-X 2001 Essential Credentials Now, showing AI in his Sixers jersey. It sparked a bidding war at Heritage Auctions, drawing 58 bids before the hammer fell.
Want to know how rare this is? The previous record for an Iverson card was just $79,200.
Heritage Auctions had predicted the card might fetch around $200,000. Instead, it went for more than three times that amount.
The card’s new owner remains anonymous, but they might already be fielding offers. Word is they could be willing to listen if someone comes in at $876,875 or higher.
What makes this card so special? For starters, it’s from Iverson’s rookie year, when he was lighting up the NBA. The back shows his impressive first-year stats, and the front captures him in that classic Sixers uniform that became synonymous with his career.
“This card represents a Hall of Fame guard who changed both the game and the culture of the NBA,” reads the auction description. The card’s bold design and limited run of just three copies made it a must-have for serious collectors.
Speaking of that rookie year – what a season it was. After being picked first overall by the Sixers in ’96, AI put up numbers that seem almost unreal: 23.5 points, 7.5 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. He ran away with Rookie of the Year honors.
He even dropped 50 points in a single game that season, shooting a blistering 53% from the floor against the Cavs.
The Answer, as he became known, went on to become one of basketball’s most iconic players. We’re talking 11 All-Star appearances, seven All-NBA selections, and two All-Star Game MVP awards. Oh, and he grabbed the regular season MVP in 2001.
By the time he hung up his sneakers, Iverson had played 914 games over 14 seasons, averaging an incredible 26.7 points per game. But numbers don’t tell the whole story – he changed how the game was played and how basketball culture evolved.
That’s why this card isn’t just a piece of cardboard – it’s a piece of basketball history.
