Perhaps no type of card is as visually appealing as the logoman card. Indeed, some collectors consider these cards the gems of the hobby. As the name suggests, the logoman card features the NBA logo from a player’s jersey. In addition, an autograph sometimes accompanies the swatch of logo. Here’s what you need to know in our guide to logoman cards.
Most Logoman cards are all 1 of 1. After all, there’s only one NBA logo patch on each NBA jersey so you should anticipate them having a low print run. On top of that, keeping the logoman cards down to a 1 of 1 helps keep them feeling magical.
Because they’re so rare, they’re incredibly tough to pull. On top of that, the demand for logoman cards dramatically exceeds the demand for any non-logoman 1/1. Therefore, the cards are some of the rarest and most expensive.
The Upper Deck Exquisite logoman cards were the originals. See which ones are available on eBay.
It’s fair to say that Upper Deck Exquisite popularized the logoman cards in 2003, LeBron’s rookie year. They only made three total logoman cards that year, and each was “dual,” meaning they featured two players. Those cards featured Kobe Bryant/Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant/LeBron James, and LeBron James/Michael Jordan. Obviously, those cards have aged exceptionally well.
That kicked off the logoman craze. The next year, Upper Deck Exquisite expanded to produce forty more logoman cards (30 duals and 10 triples). Collectors went wild. Since that year, the cards have swept across sets and even switched manufacturers. Other laundry-tag cards, like this Dwyane Wade Noir card, features a design clearly inspired by the popular logoman (the difference here is that the logo is coming from the laundry tag and not the jersey itself).
Look for other Noir cards on eBay.
Since Upper Deck no longer makes NBA cards, now the leading brand that has stayed a go-to for logoman cards since Panini took over the NBA is National Treasures. The logoman is such a big part of the National Treasures brand. Indeed, the logoman cards are almost always featured prominently in the brand’s pre-release gallery.
A few other brands have released logoman cards: Noir, Flawless and Immaculate are the best examples.
That said, National Treasures is the best place to go for a big logoman hit. When people talk about a logoman, they usually speak about National Treasures.
Logoman cards are expensive. Honestly, this article is intended more as information and appreciation of the cards than investing advice for most readers.
Why? Because the best logoman cards sell for millions of dollars. Last March, this Luka Doncic logoman rookie sold for $4.6 million to set the modern sports card record, followed by the 1/1 Stephen Curry rookie selling for $5.9 million.
Go for it if you have that kind of money for sports cards. But for the rest of us, stay content to be impressed by the lovely pictures of these cards. I know I am!
It’s hard to compare the logoman value to other patch autographs simply because the logoman cards are infinitely more valuable. Consider this: a Ja Morant /25 RPA sells for $2,000. The Ja Morant logoman RPA from National Treasures is valued at over $1,000,000 (and was pulled at my local card shop!
All these cards are gems. Therefore, we are not numbering the cards to rate one over the other. Instead, this list is a collection of 10 of the top logoman cards ever. These are all multi-million-dollar cards that will appeal to different collectors – but they’re all magnificent.
The first of the original run of logoman from Exquisite that I’ll feature, this Kobe/MJ card was sure to be a success from the moment Upper Deck released it. Combining the Black Mamba and Air Jordan put this iconic card in rare air.
A rookie LeBron James and a young Kobe Bryant? Yes, please.
It is one of the first three logoman cards ever created and probably the best one. It features a rookie LeBron James and recently retired Michael Jordan. It’s impressive that Upper Deck was far-sighted enough to put a rookie on two of the first three logoman ever. And it is even more impressive that LeBron has passed even the highest expectations for his career.
JUST IN: @GoldinAuctions has brokered sale of this 2003-04 Upper Deck "Exquisite Collection" LeBron James/Michael Jordan Logoman Card (#1/1) for $900,000 in a recent private sale, breaking the record for a price paid for a modern sports card. Buyer wishes to remain anonymous. pic.twitter.com/HFeZVWyUgr
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 13, 2020
This autographed logoman repeated the same process as the previous year with the same astounding results. Of course, LeBron’s not a rookie on this card, but hey, both GOATs are on one card. That’s tough to beat.
This card was not autographed, but a triple featuring three of the best players in the game will always be a historically celebrated card.
The names speak for themselves.
This is the first mega-card Panini ever minted, and it got the ball rolling with the National Treasures logoman craze. This is the card that recently sold for $5.9 million, and it paved the way for many more logoman to come from Panini.
This Giannis rookie recently sold for $1.8 million, and Giannis has the looks of an all-time great. Note that Panini doesn’t do the double logoman cards Exquisite created, so most of the logoman from the best rookies in their draft classes could deserve a spot on this list.
Baby goat. The recent $4.6 million selling price speaks for itself.
Earlier this year, I wrote that Ja Morant would have a “come back to earth season,” and he was getting slightly too overhyped. Nope. I was dead wrong. He’s putting together a sneaky MVP campaign and leading a hungry young team. This card is just as bright as Ja’s future.
Tempting to leave this off, but I couldn’t. Maybe it’s FOMO, but Zion has looked like a top 10 player… when he plays. I don’t love how the last year has gone for Zion (or how he’s handled it), but I still believe he could be an all-timer if he can stay healthy.
The logoman cards are the crown gems of any collection they grace. While you might not ever own your own logoman, it’s essential to understand what they bring to the hobby. They are at the top of the modern card heap for a reason.
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