Luka Doncic 2018 NT RPA /99 BGS 9.5 sells for $122K

The 2018-19 Panini National Treasures Rookie Patch Autograph #127 Luka Doncic is one of the defining modern basketball cards, and a recent sale at Goldin on 12/07/25 put another important data point on the board for collectors.

This particular copy is a Rookie Patch Autograph (often shortened to RPA), serial-numbered 48/99, graded BGS GEM MINT 9.5 with a Beckett 10 autograph. It features an on-card signature from Luka and a multi-color Dallas Mavericks patch, all from Panini’s high-end National Treasures release.

At Goldin, this card realized $122,000, adding to an already well-documented sales history for Luka’s premier rookie issue.

Card overview: why this RPA matters

Let’s break down the exact card:

• Player: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
• Year: 2018-19
• Set: Panini National Treasures
• Card number: #127
• Type: Rookie Patch Autograph (RPA), serial-numbered /99
• Serial: #48/99
• Rookie status: This is Luka’s flagship high-end rookie auto-patch in National Treasures
• Autograph: On-card (signed directly on the card), Beckett 10
• Patch: Multi-color Mavericks jersey patch
• Grade: BGS GEM MINT 9.5 (subgrades typically drive premiums in this grade band)

Within modern basketball, the National Treasures RPA /99 is often treated as the core “grail-level” rookie for top stars—similar in status to Exquisite RPAs from the mid-2000s. For Luka, card #127 /99 is widely considered his main high-end rookie for long-term collectors.

Market context: how $122,000 fits in

A few notes on how this $122,000 result at Goldin on 12/07/25 fits into the broader market picture:

• Card tier: The National Treasures RPA /99 is a centerpiece-level card, not a mass-market base rookie. It sits above Prizm Silvers and most other chromium rookies in terms of hobby prestige.
• Grade: BGS 9.5 with a 10 auto is a top-tier but not absolute top-pop grade (above that, you might see BGS 10 Pristine examples, if they exist). Within the modern hobby, a strong 9.5 is generally considered a “gem-level” card.
• Recent sales ranges: Recent public sales for this specific Luka NT RPA /99 in high grade have clustered in a broad band, with realized prices commonly in the low six-figure range. Premiums tend to be tied to:
  • Patch quality (3-color and strong designs usually sell stronger than 1-color)
  • Subgrade configuration on BGS 9.5s (quad 9.5 or better often carries a premium)
  • Auction timing versus major NBA news cycles

In that context, $122,000 is broadly consistent with other recent sales of strong copies. It does not read as a clear outlier on the high or low end, but rather as a solid, data-point sale for a gem-level example.

(It’s worth emphasizing that individual results can move a lot based on patch eye appeal, centering, and when the sale lands relative to Luka’s on-court narrative.)

Comparing to related Luka rookies

To understand why this particular card carries such attention, it helps to look at the broader Luka rookie landscape:

• Prizm Silver Rookie: More liquid and more widely known by new collectors, but printed in significantly higher quantities than an RPA /99. PSA 10s of Prizm Silver are important, but they sit on a different tier from a low-numbered National Treasures RPA.
• Other National Treasures parallels: Lower-serial parallels (like Gold /10 or Logoman 1/1) tend to command much higher prices when they appear, sometimes setting record sales because of their extreme scarcity.
• Other premium brands: Immaculate, Flawless, and high-end on-card autos all matter for Luka’s rookie market, but National Treasures /99 usually sits at or near the top in terms of hobby prestige.

This makes the 2018-19 National Treasures Luka RPA /99 a reference point for his entire market. Even when collectors mostly buy and sell lower-tier cards, they often watch this RPA to gauge where high-end sentiment is.

Why collectors care about this specific issue

A few factors combine to make this card particularly important:

1. Era and status
   This is an ultra-modern card (late-2010s), from the flagship premium basketball product of the Panini era. National Treasures has built a long track record as the go-to RPA brand.

2. On-card autograph and patch
   On-card signatures (where the player signs directly on the card) are usually preferred over sticker autos. The addition of a multi-color patch from a Mavericks jersey elevates it above standard autographs.

3. Low serial number (/99)
   A run of 99 copies sounds like a lot compared to 1/1s, but for a global star like Luka—and given the depth of the basketball collector base—it’s still genuinely scarce. When you further filter by grade and patch quality, the pool of top-tier examples is even smaller.

4. Central rookie narrative
   For many modern stars, there is a short list of rookie cards that define their legacy in the hobby. For Luka, National Treasures RPA /99 is almost always on that short list.

BGS GEM MINT 9.5, Beckett 10: why the grade matters

A quick grading breakdown for newer collectors:

• BGS (Beckett Grading Services): A major third-party grading company. They use subgrades (centering, corners, edges, surface) that roll up into an overall grade.
• GEM MINT 9.5: Indicates a near-flawless card with only very minor manufacturing or handling touches. For most modern high-end cards, this is the sweet spot for collectors who want both quality and accessibility relative to elusive 10s.
• Beckett 10 auto: Confirms the autograph itself is clean, bold, and free of major issues like streaking, bubbling, or fading.

When you combine a key rookie issue with a gem-level grade and a 10 auto, you get a configuration that many collectors treat as a long-term centerpiece.

Recent hobby context around Luka

In the last few seasons, Luka has continued to put up elite box-score numbers while driving deep playoff runs and generating global interest. That ongoing performance, combined with his age and style of play, keeps his cards in focus.

From a market behavior standpoint:

• Peaks: Big playoff performances, awards, or deep runs can correspond to short-term spikes in demand for Luka’s key rookies.
• Pullbacks: Off-seasons or stretches of quiet news can see softer bidding, especially at the very high end.

This $122,000 sale at Goldin on 12/07/25 fits into a longer narrative rather than standing as a runaway outlier. It’s another example of how the market continues to value Luka’s flagship RPA /99 in the six-figure band, even as broader hobby conditions ebb and flow.

What this sale tells collectors and small sellers

For collectors and small sellers, a single auction result is just one data point—but it still offers useful signals:

• Confirmed demand at six figures: For a strong BGS 9.5 /99 with a 10 auto, buyers remain willing to compete in the low six-figure range.
• Grade and eye appeal still drive spreads: Two cards with identical grades can finish at different numbers depending on patch quality and subgrades. Photos and detailed descriptions matter.
• Comps as a tool, not a prediction: “Comps” (comparable recent sales) are a way to understand the current price environment, not a guarantee of future results. This $122,000 sale is a helpful benchmark, not a promise.

If you’re holding a Luka rookie portfolio, tracking sales of this specific National Treasures RPA /99 can help anchor your expectations for the rest of his cards. If you’re a newer collector, watching how this card trades over time is a good way to learn how the high-end segment of the basketball market behaves.

Final thoughts

The sale of the 2018-19 Panini National Treasures Rookie Patch Autograph #127 Luka Doncic (serial #48/99), BGS GEM MINT 9.5 with a Beckett 10 auto, for $122,000 at Goldin on 12/07/25 underscores the ongoing importance of this card in the modern hobby.

It remains one of Luka’s defining rookies and a key reference point whenever collectors talk about the health of his market—and, more broadly, about what ultra-modern basketball grails are doing at the top end.

As always, it’s best to treat sales like this as part of a bigger pattern. Watch multiple auctions across different houses, look at grade and patch differences, and view each result as one piece of a longer-term story rather than a standalone signal.