The Most Expensive Pieces of NFL Memorabilia Ever Sold Might Just Shock You

For as long as anyone can remember, the NFL has basically printed money. From ticket tales and concessions to broadcast deals and marketing partners, football is the most lucrative sport in memorabilia. And it shows no signs of slowing.

This, of course, is a testament to the value of live sports. It is also a nod to the scarcity of the NFL’s products. When each team plays only 17 regular-season games each year, every one is inherently important. You cannot say the same about the NBA (82 games), NHL (82 games) or MLB (162 games). Throw in a win-or-go-home format during the NFL playoffs, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for unending intrigue.

The rising number of people who bet on the NFL have only accelerated this interest—not to mention the lucrative business offshoots that come with it. One such industry that has been dramatically impacted: authenticated NFL memorabilia.

On some level, this feels counterintuitive. We live in an age where so much that’s physical is being deemphasized. Everything is digitized. Even sports trading cards have followed down a similar path with the introduction of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs).

And yet, NFL fans will always pine for tangible pieces of history. Whether it’s game-worn jerseys, autographed rookie cards, signed footballs or something else, the right kind of NFL memorabilia can function as an appreciating asset.

Look no further than the most expensive pieces of NFL memorabilia ever sold as proof. We are not talking about items in the thousands, or even in the hundreds of thousands. We are trafficking in millions. What’s more, where many sports see relics of greats from the distant past dominate valuations and purchases, the most expensive piece of NFL memorabilia ever sold actually belongs to an active star.

1. Patrick Mahomes Mahomes Autographed Rookie Card from 2017

Sold For: $4.3 million

The top spot belongs to the two-time league MVP and three-time Super Bowl champion quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs. This is equal parts surprising and not surprising.

On the one hand, Patrick Mahomes is already one of the greatest NFL players of all-time. On the other hand, his career is not yet over. It is not even close to over. Conventional wisdom suggests it would take some time away from the game for people to go $4.3 million worth of gaga over his rookie card.

It turns out that is not the case. This card was sold at auction back in 2021,

, and it went to a memorabilia dealer who planned to hold onto it. As ESPN’s Dan Hadjucky wrote at the time:

“The buyer betting on Mahomes is LJ's Card Shop of New Albany, Ohio, originally a digital store for single cards, boxes, cases and memorabilia which is opening a brick-and-mortar shop in the near future. ‘Our goal at LJ's has always been to build the best modern-day card collection,’ a store spokesperson said. ‘We're continually hunting for cards that add to our collection in a meaningful way, [and] the [card] Mahomes is truly a piece of art. We're honored.’ The Mahomes card will be on display at the NSCC before returning to the PWCC Vault for safekeeping. ‘I believe it's going in their long-term portfolio,’ PWCC director of business development Jesse Craig said. ‘[It] probably won't see the light of day for quite some time.’”

We cannot say for sure that the investment has paid off for LJ’s Card Shop. But Mahomes has won another league MVP and two Super Bowls since the sale. So it feels safe to say LJ’s Card Shop isn’t sweating the investment.

2. Tom Brady Contenders Championship Ticket Autograph Card from 2000 Playoffs

Sold For: $3.1 million

This is the piece of memorabilia that the Mahomes card edged out. Somewhat ironically, it also sold in 2021, about a month before the Mahomes card.

Thirty-two bids were placed during the online auction. The starting price was $750,000.

The question everybody asks: What makes this Tom Brady card so special compared to others? The answer is scarcity.

According to Rachel Schneider of AOL, “with only seven BGS MINT 9 examples in existence — and none graded higher — it’s the most valuable Brady card of all time.”

3. Justin Herbert’s Signed Rookie Card from 2020

Sold For: $1.8 million

Paint us all shades of absolutely flabbergasted for this one. This signed Justin Herbert rookie card was auctioned off back in September 2022. The root of its appeal is its one-of-a-kind make. There is no other card like it in existence.

Which…okay. That’s great. But the Los Angeles Chargers’ QB1 was only in the league for five years at the time of the sale, and he doesn’t have anywhere near the resume Mahomes has built up.

To wit: Herbert is now six seasons deep into his NFL career. During this time, has made the playoffs only twice, and he has yet to win a single postseason game.

Granted, this is not entirely on him. The 2020 Offensive Rookie of the Year has two top-10 MVP finishes to his name. It’s just that the Chargers have not done a bang-up job of building around him.

Still, knowing he is the focus of the third most expensive piece of NFL memorabilia ever sold is nothing if not…a little weird.

4. Joe Montana’s Game-Worn Jersey from Super Bowl XIX and Super Bowl XXIII

Sold For: $1.2 million

You are reading this correctly: Joe Montana wore this jersey for not one, but two Super Bowl victories. That’s a rare piece of history even if the jersey was coming from a third-stringer. The memorabilia in question reaches GOAT status when it was donned by one of the five best quarterbacks to ever grace the gridiron.

Montana’s San Francisco 49ers jersey was sold at auction back in March 2023. The original listing had 23 bids, and the exact cost wound up being $1,212,000.

Relative to the market, Montana’s appearance here makes sense. After all, he was the Tom Brady/Patrick Mahomes/Peyton Manning of the NFL before any of them ever played. With four Super Bowl victories, three Super Bowl MVPs and two league MVPs on his resume, he was always bound to land somewhere on this list.

5. Joe Montana’s Game-Worn Jersey from Super Bowl XXIV

Sold For: $750,000

Here comes Montana again!

This jersey was sold back in 2023 as well. Its listing had 26 bids, and it went for a flat $750,000.

While the crux of its appeal is rooted in Montana wearing it during a Super Bowl, the championship in question is also one of the most memorable games in NFL history.

The Niners stomped all over the Broncos, winning Super Bowl XXIV 55-10. To say Montana was mesmerizing throughout would be an understatement. He threw five touchdowns on 22-of-29 passing attempts. He also finished the game with a passer rating of nearly 148.

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