Renowned investor and media personality Kevin O’Leary said ultra-rare sports cards are emerging as a serious investment asset class after a Kobe Bryant-Michael Jordan card he bought for $12.93 million last year drew a $20 million bid.

"I found myself last August at 3:00 in the morning bidding on a dual Logoman Kobe Jordan auto," O'Leary said in a video shared on X.

“It was at $8 million when my wife went to bed, and she said, “If you buy that card tonight, don’t come to bed.”

"Today, it got bid $20 million for it. So tell me an asset class that does better than that that’s liquid."

I found myself last August at 3:00 in the morning bidding on a dual Logoman Kobe Jordan auto. It was at $8 million when my wife went to bed, and she said, "If you buy that card tonight, don't come to bed." And when, we woke up, I'd paid $12.93 million for it. Today, it got bid… pic.twitter.com/nLwqJahmCd

— Kevin O'Leary aka Mr. Wonderful (@kevinolearytv) May 20, 2026

The investor said his team analyzed 18 years of collectibles data and concluded that the market behaves similarly to fine art investing, where only the rarest pieces generate outsized returns.

Rare Assets Drive Gains

O'Leary compared high-end sports collectibles to works from artists like Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso.

"You just want the rarest of the rare," he said. "Everything else just stays relatively flat."

The card, a one-of-one Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographs card signed by Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, was purchased by O'Leary and partners in 2025 for a record $12.9 million.

O'Leary previously described the collectible as "no different than modern or contemporary art" and compared it to owning an original Pollock painting.

Collectibles Market Expands

The comments come as investor demand for trading cards and collectibles continues growing.

Rally co-founder Rob Petrozzo previously said O'Leary's purchases reflected a "rush to quality" in the collectibles market, with investors increasingly focusing on ultra-rare one-of-one cards.

Trading cards, especially Pokémon cards and rare sports memorabilia, have seen strong demand in recent years as more investors treat collectibles as alternative assets alongside stocks, crypto and fine art.

O'Leary said the category still has significant long-term potential.

"This asset class has a long way to go," he said.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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