A rare 2012-13 Panini Prizm Gold Kobe Bryant card has reportedly sold for $1.11 million, providing another extraordinary example of the prices collectors are willing to pay for the Los Angeles Lakers legend.
Trading card marketplace Alt announced the seven-figure sale on October 9, revealing that the card, graded BGS 9.5, sold during its October 8 auction.
The result becomes even more remarkable when compared with another example of the same card, also graded BGS 9.5, that sold through Goldin for $156,000 on August 6, 2022.
That’s a difference of $954,000, or approximately 612%, in a little more than four years.
And while Bryant’s most valuable cards have commanded millions before, this particular sale highlights the extraordinary appeal of a basketball card product that debuted well after his rookie season.
Why Is Kobe Bryant’s 2012 Gold Prizm Card Worth $1.11 Million?
The card is a 2012-13 Panini Prizm Gold parallel, numbered to just 10 copies. The recently sold example carries a BGS Gem Mint 9.5 grade.
Its significance goes beyond the scarcity.
The 2012-13 release marked the beginning of Panini Prizm Basketball, a product that would become one of the most recognizable brands in modern sports card collecting.
Unlike later Prizm releases, which feature dozens of different parallels, the inaugural product had a relatively limited selection. Gold Prizms, numbered to 10, quickly established themselves among the product’s most desirable cards.
The first-year designation adds another layer of historical significance. Collectors are not simply buying a rare Kobe Bryant card. They’re buying one of the earliest examples of a parallel that helped define an entire era of basketball card collecting.
Kobe Bryant’s Gold Prizm Joins Growing List of Massive Sales
The $1.11 million result also follows another major sale involving a Bryant Gold Prizm.
On August 28, 2026, Fanatics Collect sold a 2015-16 Panini Prizm Gold Kobe Bryant card, numbered to 10 and graded PSA 10, for $264,000.
Although the cards come from different years and carry different grades, the two transactions show how seriously collectors value the Gold Prizm parallel across multiple releases.
Yet Bryant’s most valuable collectibles extend far beyond Panini Prizm.
In April 2026, the Los Angeles Times reported that Alt had purchased a 1997-98 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Green Bryant card for $3.15 million in a private transaction.
And in August 2025, a 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographs card featuring Bryant and Michael Jordan sold for $12.932 million through Heritage Auctions, establishing a record for a sports card at the time.
The latest Prizm result is not Bryant’s overall card record, but it represents another significant seven-figure transaction tied to his career.
What the Kobe Bryant Sale Means for 2012 Panini Prizm Collectors
Perhaps the most striking element of the sale is that the card is neither a rookie card nor an autograph.
Bryant entered the NBA in 1996, making the 2012-13 Prizm release a veteran-year issue from his later playing career.
Nevertheless, the combination of Bryant’s popularity, a 10-card print run, an exceptional grade and the historical importance of the inaugural Prizm release helped push the card into seven-figure territory.
For perspective, a 2012-13 Prizm Gold Kobe Bryant insert from the Most Valuable Players subset, graded PSA 10, sold for $75,000 through Fanatics Collect in June 2026. Both cards feature Bryant and a Gold Prizm finish, but they belong to different parts of the inaugural checklist.
That distinction matters. Not every first-year Gold Prizm carries the same market value, even with the same player and print run.
The newest Alt sale provides a compelling benchmark for the hobby’s highest-end collectors. It also serves as a reminder that the most desirable cards aren’t always the oldest or even the ones featuring a player’s rookie season.
Sometimes, they’re the cards that helped launch a collecting phenomenon.
Lakers Legend Kobe Bryant’s Card Sells for $1.11 Million After Stunning Price Jump