Kobe 2003-04 Exquisite Emblems Patch Auto Sells

2003-04 Exquisite Kobe Bryant Emblems of Endorsements Sale: Why This $1,220,000 Patch Auto Matters

On December 7, 2025, Goldin sold a major Kobe Bryant grail: a 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Emblems of Endorsements #EM-KB Kobe Bryant Signed Game-Used Patch card, serial numbered 08/15, graded PSA NM-MT 8. The card realized $1,220,000.

For Kobe collectors and Exquisite fans, this sale checks several of the hobby’s most important boxes: early Exquisite, on-card autograph, game-used multi-color patch, ultra-low serial numbering, and a jersey-number copy. Below, we’ll break down what this card is, why it matters, and how this sale fits into the broader market.

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Card snapshot: what exactly sold?

Let’s start with the basics.

• Player: Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)
• Year: 2003-04
• Set: Upper Deck Exquisite Collection
• Insert: Emblems of Endorsements
• Card number: #EM-KB
• Serial numbering: 08/15 (jersey number match – Kobe wore #8 at this time)
• Autograph: On-card (signed directly on the card surface)
• Memorabilia: Game-used patch (multi-color)
• Grading company: PSA
• Grade: NM-MT 8
• Population: Pop 1 in PSA 8, with no higher PSA example noted in the title
• Auction house: Goldin
• Sale date: December 7, 2025 (UTC)
• Realized price: $1,220,000 USD

This is not a rookie card; Kobe’s true rookies date to 1996-97. But 2003-04 Exquisite is widely seen as a cornerstone product in high-end modern basketball. For many collectors, Kobe’s Exquisite patch autos are treated almost like “secondary rookies” in terms of importance and desirability.

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Why 2003-04 Exquisite is such a big deal

Upper Deck Exquisite Collection debuted in 2003-04 as a premium, limited, high-price-box basketball product. It introduced a mix of concepts that have shaped the modern high-end hobby:

• Very low print runs
• High-quality patch autographs
• Thick, premium card construction
• Rookie Patch Autos (RPA) that became central investment-level cards

Although 2003-04 Exquisite is best known for the LeBron James RPA, the set’s Kobe Bryant cards are a major pillar for high-end Kobe collectors. They combine scarcity, strong design, and the early-2000s premium era that many hobbyists consider a golden period for modern cards.

Within Exquisite, Emblems of Endorsements is one of the key autograph/patch inserts, focusing on superstar-level players with game-used patches and on-card signatures. With only 15 copies produced, the Kobe Bryant #EM-KB is firmly in the ultra-scarce category.

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What makes this particular copy special?

Several attributes separate this specific Goldin card from an average Kobe Exquisite patch auto.

1. Jersey number serial: 08/15

Kobe wore #8 during the 2003-04 season. In the hobby, when a card’s serial number matches the player’s jersey number, it’s called an “eBay 1/1” or jersey-number copy. While the term can be overused, for truly elite cards with tiny print runs, being the jersey number often commands meaningful premiums.

In a 15-copy run, you only get one jersey-number example. For serious player collectors and long-term Kobe-focused collections, this creates a strong “target card” within the run.

2. On-card autograph + game-used patch

• On-card auto: The signature is directly on the card, not on a sticker later applied. For high-end cards, on-card autos are strongly preferred.
• Game-used patch: The patch is from an actual game-worn jersey, not player-worn or event-worn. That distinction matters for many collectors, especially with retired legends.

The hobby tends to value combinations of on-card signatures and game-used multi-color patches more highly than single-color or player-worn material.

3. PSA 8 grade, Pop 1

“Pop report” refers to the population report: how many copies of a card have been graded at each grade by a grading company.

This card is graded PSA NM-MT 8, with a population of 1 in that grade according to the auction title. While Exquisite cards often have condition challenges (chipping, corners, edges on thick stock), a PSA 8 is generally considered strong for this era and type of card.

The pop 1 label emphasizes that, at least in PSA’s database to date, there is no direct duplicate of this exact grade. Even if there are raw (ungraded) or BGS/SGC-graded copies, a pop 1 PSA copy with the jersey-number serial adds a clear uniqueness factor.

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How does $1,220,000 compare to recent sales?

Because this is such a scarce card (15 total copies, only one jersey number), direct “comps” (comparable recent sales of the same card and similar grade) are extremely limited.

When collectors talk about comps, they mean recent, verified sale prices for the same or closely related card, used as reference points. For ultra-low print cards with strong unique features, comps often become more of a guide than a true price anchor.

For context, hobby watchers have tracked:

• High-end Kobe Exquisite patch autos in other key inserts and parallels selling in the mid-six figures to seven figures, depending on patch quality, numbering, and autograph strength.
• Kobe’s top-tier cards (notably 1996-97 rookies, rare parallels, and premium Exquisite autos) routinely commanding stronger prices since his Hall of Fame induction and continued global legacy growth.

Within that landscape, $1,220,000 places this Emblems of Endorsements card clearly in the “true grail” tier for Kobe collectors. It aligns with the upper end of established high-end Kobe markets rather than being an outlier from thin volume trading at the low or high extremes.

Because the jersey-number designation and pop 1 PSA grade are essentially one-of-one attributes within the 15-card run, it’s more useful to view this sale as setting a reference point rather than easily comparable to another exact EM-KB sale.

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Collector significance: why this card matters

Several layers of significance overlap here:

1. Kobe Bryant’s enduring legacy

Kobe’s status as a global icon, five-time NBA champion, Hall of Famer, and one of the most internationally recognized players fuels long-term demand for his premium cards. His tragic passing in 2020 shifted many of his key cards from speculative targets to long-term keepsakes for serious collections.

2. Early-2000s premium era

The 2003-04 season falls into what many call the “modern” or early “ultra-modern” high-end era of basketball cards, distinct from the 1990s “insert boom” and the later 2018+ ultra-modern explosion. Scarcity in this window tends to be more organic—fewer parallel floods and a more focused premium product line.

3. Exquisite as a foundational set

For high-end collectors, Exquisite is often viewed in the same historical category that 1986-87 Fleer holds for Jordan rookies: a foundational pillar that defines an era. Owning a premium Exquisite Kobe patch auto is often seen as part of building a “complete” high-end Kobe PC (personal collection).

4. Jersey number, patch quality, and narrative

A jersey-numbered Kobe Exquisite patch auto with a strong patch and on-card autograph checks off many narrative boxes. Story matters: when collectors talk about cards at this level, they often emphasize details such as jersey numbers, patch breaks, ink quality, and visual appeal.

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What this sale might signal to collectors

Without making predictions or financial calls, we can still draw a few observations:

• Grail-level scarcity still commands premium results. Even amid changing market cycles, truly elite, low-print, on-card auto + game-used patch cards of inner-circle legends continue to see strong engagement from deep-pocketed collectors.
• Exquisite remains a core high-end target. This sale reinforces the idea that 2003-04 Exquisite hasn’t lost its status as a central focus for long-term, high-end basketball collections.
• Unique attributes matter more as prices rise. At this level, being the jersey-number copy and a pop 1 PSA 8 isn’t a minor detail—it’s a primary part of the card’s identity and price justification.

For returning collectors or newer hobbyists, this sale highlights how much nuance can be packed into one card: set history, serial numbering, autograph type, memorabilia source, and grade rarity.

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Takeaways for different types of collectors

If you’re a newer Kobe or high-end basketball collector:

• Study 2003-04 Exquisite. Understanding this set’s structure—base, RPAs, inserts like Emblems of Endorsements—will help you contextualize not just Kobe cards, but also LeBron, Wade, and other stars.
• Learn the vocabulary: “on-card auto,” “game-used patch,” “pop report,” and “jersey-numbered” are all terms that shape how collectors value and talk about cards.

If you’re a mid-range collector or small seller:

• Use sales like this as a reference, not a blueprint. You don’t need a seven-figure card to apply the same thinking: condition, rarity, player relevance, and card story are just as important on a smaller scale.
• Pay attention to how auction houses position high-end cards—photography, detailed descriptions, and emphasis on provenance and uniqueness can all inform how you present your own listings.

If you’re a long-time Kobe or Exquisite collector:

• This sale reinforces the view that core Exquisite Kobe patch autos, especially those with special attributes, remain central to advanced collections.
• With only 15 copies of this card and just one jersey-number example, this auction effectively removes one of the most desirable EM-KB copies from open circulation for the foreseeable future.

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Closing thoughts

The 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Emblems of Endorsements #EM-KB Kobe Bryant Signed Game-Used Patch card #08/15, graded PSA 8 (pop 1), selling for $1,220,000 at Goldin on December 7, 2025, is more than a headline number.

It’s a snapshot of how the hobby values the intersection of player legacy, set history, true scarcity, and nuanced attributes like jersey-numbering. For anyone interested in understanding the top of the modern basketball market, this card is a clear, data-backed example of what collectors prioritize when they chase a true grail.

At figoca, we track these landmark results not as predictions, but as context—helping collectors of all levels read the signals the market is sending about the cards that define an era.