The company’s investment fund has set price records at time of purchase for Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Giannis Antetokounmpo
NEW YORK, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Alt, the leading marketplace for high-end trading cards, has acquired a 1997 Kobe Bryant Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems (PMG) Green PSA 5 for $3.15 million through its dedicated investment fund, making it the highest price ever paid for a solo Kobe Bryant card at public or private sale. The sale surpasses a previously stated record of $2.4 million.
The card is from Kobe’s second NBA season, graded PSA 5, and is one of just ten green PMG parallels produced in the 1997 Metal Universe set. It is widely regarded as one of the most iconic basketball cards ever made. The acquisition was completed through a private transaction and will be securely stored in the Alt Vault in Delaware.
Alt launched its sports card fund in 2021, making it one of the earliest vehicles purpose-built to invest in elite cards as an alternative asset class, years before the recent wave of high-profile entrants into the space. With this acquisition, the fund has now secured record-setting cards at the time of purchase for four of the defining players of the modern NBA era: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“Growing up, the Kobe PMG Green was the card you dreamed about. It was on every collector’s wall, in every price guide, at the top of every wish list,” said Leore Avidar, Founder and CEO of Alt. “Acquiring it for our fund is personal, but it’s also a reflection of where this market has gone. The best cards in the world are now recognized as serious assets, and we’ve been building the infrastructure to support that belief since day one.”
The acquisition comes amid a surge of institutional and high-profile interest in sports cards as an asset class. The global sports memorabilia and trading card market is currently valued at roughly $14.9 billion and is projected to reach $52.1 billion by 2034, according to [CardBiz]. Record-setting sales have become a regular occurrence, with over a dozen cards crossing the $1 million threshold in 2026 alone.
Alt offers collectors the industry’s highest and fastest cash advances on their cards, a weekly auction that delivers consistent liquidity, secure vault storage, and a lending program that allows collectors to borrow against their collections without selling. The platform is powered by Alt Value, proprietary pricing technology used by collectors, auction houses, and institutional buyers to value cards across the market. Alt has built the financial infrastructure that treats trading cards the way serious assets deserve to be treated.
About Alt
Alt is the leading marketplace for high-end trading cards. Collectors use Alt to get the industry’s fastest cash advances, consign cards to weekly auctions, store their collections in a secure vault, and borrow against what they own. Powered by Alt Value, Alt’s proprietary pricing technology, the platform brings real financial infrastructure to the trading card market. Founded in 2020. In 2021, Alt launched a dedicated investment fund focused on acquiring the most culturally significant cards in the hobby.
Media Contact
Leore Avidar, CEO
leore@alt.xyz
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SOURCE Alt
