Cooper Flagg Rookie Debut Patch Auto Sells for $8.04 Million

Cooper Flagg Rookie Debut Patch Auto Sets Record at $8.04 Million

Cooper Flagg has already produced one of the most valuable basketball cards ever, and he did it before his second NBA season even began. His Topps Rookie Debut Patch Auto sold for $8.04 million in the September Premier Auction at Fanatics Collect, making it the most expensive card featuring a single NBA player.

The card was listed in the Sept. 10-24 auction and drew 83 bids. The final day brought a dramatic surge, with the price rising from $3.5 million at 9 p.m. Thursday to $8.04 million by 2 a.m. Friday.

Where the Flagg Card Ranks Among NBA Card Sales

The sale places Flagg’s card third on the all-time list for NBA cards. Only two cards have sold for more: the 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Michael Jordan/Kobe Bryant Dual Logoman Autographs card at $12.9 million and the 2006-07 Upper Deck Exquisite Michael Jordan/LeBron James Dual Logoman Auto at $10 million.

Steph Curry’s 2009-10 Panini National Treasures Rookie Logoman Auto remains fourth at $5.9 million.

Topps Debut Patch Record Falls Again

Flagg’s card also became the most expensive Topps Debut Patch card, passing Paul Skenes’ MLB Debut Patch Auto, which sold for $1.1 million. The result extends the rapid rise of the Debut Patch chase, which Topps introduced with MLB cards in 2021.

Two more cards from the 2025-26 NBA Rookie class also reached major milestones. Dylan Harper’s Rookie Patch Auto sold for $2.88 million, while Kon Knueppel’s Debut Rookie Patch Auto reached $2.34 million. Those three sales are now the highest for Debut Patch Auto cards since the concept launched.

How the Rookie Debut Patches Were Made

The 2025-26 NBA Rookie class was the first group to wear Rookie Debut patches on their first NBA jerseys. After each player’s first NBA game, the patch was removed and embedded into a 1/1 Topps Chrome autograph card.

That format helped create a one-card chase with direct connection to a player’s first game, and Flagg’s example became the headline sale from the group.

Related coverage includes Cooper Flagg Rookie Debut Patch Auto Reaches $8.04M.

How the Card Was Pulled

Collector Jason Williams pulled the Cooper Flagg card during a box break at a card shop in Rhode Island. Williams reportedly turned down multiple million-dollar offers before consigning the card to Fanatics Collect for the September auction.

The sale adds another major entry to the growing list of record-setting modern basketball cards and gives the 2025-26 rookie class an immediate place in hobby history.