Kon Knueppel Red Refractor Auto /5 Sells for $20,740

2025-26 Topps Chrome Rookie Autographs Red Refractor #TCAR-KK Kon Knueppel Signed Rookie Card (#2/5) - PSA NM-MT 8, PSA/DNA GEM MT 10 - Pop 1 Sells for $20,740

On February 8, 2026, Goldin closed a notable ultra‑modern basketball auction: a 2025-26 Topps Chrome Rookie Autographs Red Refractor #TCAR-KK Kon Knueppel, serial numbered 2/5, sold for $20,740. The card is graded PSA NM-MT 8 with a PSA/DNA GEM MT 10 autograph and is currently a population 1 in that configuration.

For collectors who are tracking early Kon Knueppel cards or trying to understand how new‑era Topps Chrome basketball parallels are being valued, this sale offers a useful data point.

Card overview

Let’s break down what this card is and why it matters:

• Year / Product: 2025-26 Topps Chrome Basketball
• Card: Rookie Autographs Red Refractor
• Player: Kon Knueppel
• Card number: #TCAR-KK
• Rookie status: Rookie autograph from his first Topps Chrome release
• Parallel: Red Refractor, serial numbered 2/5 (only five copies produced)
• Autograph: On-card signed rookie auto
• Grading:
  • Card: PSA NM-MT 8 (Near Mint–Mint)
  • Autograph: PSA/DNA GEM MT 10 (top autograph grade)
• Population: Pop 1 – the only copy in the PSA population with this exact grade combo at the time of the sale

In modern chrome-based products, low-numbered color autographs like Gold (/50), Orange (/25), and Red (/5) form the core chase tier for many collectors. Red refractors, in particular, sit in what many hobbyists consider the “true high-end color” range short of 1/1s.

Market context and price positioning

The hammer price of $20,740 (Goldin, 02/08/26, UTC) places this card firmly in the higher tier of ultra-modern rookie autos for a developing player. To understand that number, it helps to put it into context with typical hobby patterns and what is generally observed for similar cards:

• Red /5 rookie autos in flagship chrome-style sets tend to price above most other numbered colors (except 1/1, and occasionally certain short-printed inserts). They often sit:
  • Above /25 and /50 autos
  • Below 1/1s, superfractors, or special case-hit autos
• Autograph grade GEM MT 10 is a plus. For many collectors, a flawless signature helps offset a slightly lower card grade (PSA 8 vs 9/10), especially on ultra-low serial parallels.
• Pop 1 status matters most for collectors focused on PSA registries or set/chase builders. In a print run of five, other copies may be ungraded, in other holders, or simply tucked away in PCs (personal collections), so any publicly available, slabbed copy can command attention.

Because this is a very specific combination of:

• Player (Kon Knueppel)
• Set (Topps Chrome Rookie Autographs)
• Parallel (Red Refractor /5)
• Grade (PSA 8, Auto 10)

there are usually not many exact, apples-to-apples “comps” (recent comparable sales) to reference. Sales data for closely related parallels (such as Gold or Orange autos, or ungraded Reds) can help outline a range, but the precise number here reflects:

1. The scarcity of a /5 rookie autograph
2. The demand for Knueppel within the current hobby cycle
3. The visibility and bidder base of a major auction house like Goldin

At this stage, the sale looks like a strong but not outlandish result for a pop‑1, /5, on‑card rookie auto in a key chromium release.

Why this card matters to collectors

1. Early, premium Kon Knueppel ink

For player collectors, this is one of the earliest and highest-tier pack‑pulled autographs available in a mainstream chrome release. That combination—rookie card, on-card auto, and low serial numbering—tends to anchor a player’s hobby portfolio if their career develops well.

Even for collectors not yet deep into Knueppel’s market, sales like this are useful reference points. They show how the hobby is currently valuing his upside relative to other young talents.

2. A key parallel in an important modern set

Topps Chrome has long been a central brand in the hobby. In basketball, as Topps continues to build out modern chrome offerings, the hierarchy of parallels is becoming more established:

• Base rookies: Entry-level, widely available
• Refractors & numbered color: Step-up chase cards
• Low-numbered color autos (/25, /10, /5, 1/1): Core high-end tier

This Red Refractor /5 falls into that last group and helps signal where collectors may be ranking Topps Chrome basketball rookie autos in the broader ultra-modern market.

3. Ultra-modern era dynamics

This card sits in the ultra-modern era, where:

• Print runs for base cards are generally higher, but
• True scarcity is found in short-printed parallels and low-numbered autos
• Grading is routine, making population ("pop") reports a central part of how rarity is evaluated

An NM-MT 8 grade would have been considered modest in earlier eras, but in ultra-modern low-serial parallels, collectors often prioritize:

• The fact the card is on-card signed
• The rarity of /5
• The perfect auto grade

That mix keeps a card like this relevant even without a gem-mint card grade.

How to read this sale as a collector or small seller

If you are a new or returning collector:

• This sale shows how much weight the hobby puts on the combination of rookie status, on-card auto, and very low serial numbering.
• The exact number is less important than understanding the hierarchy: base < numbered color < low-numbered autographs.

If you are an active hobbyist or small seller:

• Use this sale as a data point rather than a target. It’s one observed result under specific conditions:
  • Major auction house exposure (Goldin)
  • Pop 1, /5 parallel
  • PSA slab with GEM MT 10 auto
• When looking at your own cards, consider:
  • Edition size (/5 vs /25 vs /50, etc.)
  • Whether the auto is on-card vs sticker
  • Grading and autograph grades
  • Timing around player news, injuries, or breakout performances

Final thoughts

The $20,740 sale of the 2025-26 Topps Chrome Rookie Autographs Red Refractor #TCAR-KK Kon Knueppel (PSA 8, PSA/DNA 10, #2/5, Pop 1) at Goldin on 02/08/26 is a clear signal of how the market currently treats scarce, premium rookie ink in ultra-modern basketball.

It doesn’t guarantee anything about future prices, but it does offer a solid reference point: when you combine a recognized chrome brand, low serial numbering, an on-card rookie autograph, and a pop‑1 grade, the hobby is prepared to pay a meaningful premium.

For collectors building a Kon Knueppel PC, chasing Topps Chrome color, or simply following ultra-modern basketball trends, this is a sale worth bookmarking in your notes.