Tom Brady's seventh Super Bowl victory only added to his legend. The rising sports memorabilia market is following suit.
An autographed Brady rookie card sold for $1.32 million, according to PWCC Marketplace, making it a record-breaking sale that reset the all-time high mark for a single football card.
The Brady card shows him in his Patriots uniform in his first NFL season (2000), flanked by a mock ticket stub listing basic information on Brady in what makes for a unique-looking card. The card is one of only 100 in existence, per PWCC, and received a grade of eight out of 10 for existing quality and a perfect 10 for autograph quality, skyrocketing its value.
The sale of the Brady card is just the latest in what has become a rejuvenated market, thanks to the proliferation of the hobby via social media.
Brady's value remains incredibly high in 2021, as well, prompting some to wonder about a potential extension signed at the ripe age of 43. He's currently entering the final year of a two-year, $50 million deal, but could help extend the Buccaneers' window of contention by signing an extension that lowers his immediate cap hit.
The reigning Super Bowl Most Valuable Player hasn't showed many signs, if any, of a detrimental effect brought on by age. He completed 65.7% of his passes for 4,633 yards and a 40-12 TD-INT ratio in 2020 and helped his new team catch fire down the stretch, riding its hot streak all the way to a blowout victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.
Tampa has some work to do to retain its title-winning team, but can count on Brady to be there in 2021. Card traders can count on his play boosting their collection's value for years to come.
