Aaron Judge Joins Michael Jordan in Elite $5 Million Club

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kevin Binoy | Last updated Mar 12, 2026 4:20 PM ET

Aaron Judge has just joined some extremely rare company in the booming world of sports collectibles. A rare card of the New York Yankees superstar recently sold for more than $5 million, placing him in an elite group of athletes whose trading cards have reached that jaw-dropping mark.

It’s a club that includes some of the biggest names in sports history, led by icons like Michael Jordan. The sale is the latest sign that the high-end collectibles market is still red hot, with collectors willing to spend enormous sums on rare pieces tied to legendary athletes. For Judge, it’s another reminder that his impact goes far beyond the baseball field.

Complete list of athletes to have a trading card sell for over $5,000,000:

1. Michael Jordan ($12.93M)
2. Kobe Bryant ($12.93M)
3. Mickey Mantle ($12.6M)
4. LeBron James ($10.0M)
5. Honus Wagner ($7.25M)
6. Babe Ruth ($7.2M)
7. Aaron Judge ($5.2M)

Who will join the list next? https://t.co/1iGq0sHsNM
— Fanatics Collect (@FanaticsCollect) March 12, 2026

The sports collectibles market continues to hit unbelievable heights, and Aaron Judge is the latest superstar to benefit from the surge. A 2013 Bowman Chrome Draft Superfractor autographed 1-of-1 card of the New York Yankees captain recently sold for $5.2 million, making it the most expensive modern-era baseball card ever sold.

Who Are the Other Big Names in This List?

With that sale, Judge officially joins a very exclusive club. Only seven athletes in history have seen one of their trading cards sell for more than $5 million, a list dominated by some of the most legendary names in sports.

Leading the way is Michael Jordan, whose card holds the top spot at $12.93 million. That same mark has also been reached by Kobe Bryant . Close behind them is baseball icon Mickey Mantle with a card that sold for $12.6 million, while LeBron James sits next with a $10 million sale.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge heads for the dugout between innings of a playoff game against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on Oct. 2, 2025.Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Historic baseball legends Honus Wagner and Babe Ruth follow with card sales of $7.25 million and $7.2 million, respectively. Judge now rounds out the list with his $5.2 million sale.

What makes Judge’s card especially fascinating is how dramatically its value has skyrocketed in just a few years. Earlier sales of the exact same card were a fraction of the current price, highlighting just how quickly the high-end sports card market has grown.

It’s a remarkable moment for the Yankees star, whose card now sits alongside some of the most iconic names the sports world has ever produced.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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