The Most Expensive Sports Memorabilia Of All Time, Ranked
From Brunson's Knicks jersey to Babe Ruth's "Called Shot" fit, sports memorabilia has become a multimillion-dollar game of nostalgia.
Black News 
Jalen Brunson’s Game 1 NBA Finals jersey is the latest reminder that sports memorabilia is no longer just about nostalgia. It is big business. The jersey, worn during Brunson’s Finals debut for the Knicks, opened at Sotheby’s as part of its 2026 NBA Finals auction and quickly became one of the most talked-about items in the hobby, with early bidding already pushing it into historic Knicks territory.
That makes sense when you think about what the jersey represents. Brunson did not just have another good playoff moment; he became the face of New York’s long-awaited return to basketball glory. In the memorabilia world, that kind of story matters. Collectors are not only paying for fabric, stitching, sweat or a signature. They are paying for a physical piece of a moment they believe will live forever.
That is why the sports memorabilia market can get so wild. A jersey worn in the right game, a pair of sneakers tied to the right championship, or a document connected to the birth of an entire global movement can suddenly become worth more than mansions. The more iconic the athlete, the rarer the item and the stronger the story behind it, the higher the price climbs.
Brunson’s jersey is not quite in the all-time top 10 yet, but it fits perfectly into the bigger conversation. From Baby Ruth and Michael Jordan to Diego Maradona, Muhammad Ali, Lionel Messi and Kobe Bryant, the most expensive sports memorabilia ever sold shows how much fans and collectors are willing to pay to own a piece of greatness. Here are the highest-selling pieces of sports memorabilia of all time, ranked.
1. Babe Ruth “Called Shot” Jersey — $24.12 Million
The king of sports memorabilia is Babe Ruth’s jersey, believed to be from the 1932 World Series, the game tied to his legendary “Called Shot” home run. Heritage Auctions sold the jersey for $24.12 million, making it the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever sold. The item has also sparked debate over photo-matching and provenance, but none of that stopped it from shattering the record.
2. Michael Jordan “Last Dance” Game 1 NBA Finals Jersey — $10.1 Million
Michael Jordan’s Game 1 jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals sold for $10.1 million at Sotheby’s. The jersey is tied to Jordan’s final championship run with the Chicago Bulls, the season later immortalized in The Last Dance. For basketball collectors, it is one of the cleanest combinations possible: Jordan, the Finals, the Bulls dynasty and the final chapter of an era.
3. Diego Maradona “Hand of God” World Cup Jersey — $9.28 Million
Diego Maradona’s jersey from Argentina’s 1986 World Cup quarterfinal win over England sold for $9.28 million. That game included both the infamous “Hand of God” goal and the “Goal of the Century,” making the shirt one of the most important soccer artifacts ever made available. Few items are connected to two moments that are famous in the same game.
4. Original Olympic Manifesto — $8.8 Million
This is not a jersey, sneaker or ball, but it may be the most historically important item on the list. Pierre de Coubertin’s handwritten manifesto laid out the idea of reviving the modern Olympic Games. It sold at Sotheby’s for more than $8.8 million in 2019, setting a record at the time for sports memorabilia.
5. Michael Jordan “Dynasty Collection” Sneakers — $8.032 Million
The “Dynasty Collection” is a set of six single Air Jordan sneakers, each worn by Michael Jordan during one of his six NBA Finals-clinching games. Sotheby’s described it as the most significant collection of Air Jordan sneakers ever brought to market, and it sold for more than $8 million. For sneakerheads and basketball fans, it is basically a wearable timeline of Jordan’s entire championship legacy.
6. Lionel Messi 2022 World Cup Jersey Set — $7.8 Million
Lionel Messi finally winning the World Cup in 2022 was one of those sports moments that felt bigger than the sport itself. A set of six Messi-worn jerseys from that tournament sold for $7.8 million, including shirts from the group stage, knockout rounds and final. For soccer collectors, it is hard to top memorabilia connected to Messi completing the one mission that had followed him his entire career.
7. Kobe Bryant’s First NBA Jersey — $7.004 Million
Kobe Bryant’s first NBA jersey sold for just over $7 million at Sotheby’s in 2025. The jersey was connected to his rookie beginnings, including his first NBA media day, preseason debut and early regular-season games. It is the kind of item that captures the very start of a career that eventually became legendary.
8. Muhammad Ali “Rumble in the Jungle” Championship Belt — $6.18 Million
Muhammad Ali’s WBC heavyweight championship belt from the “Rumble in the Jungle” era sold for $6.18 million through Heritage Auctions. The belt is tied to Ali’s historic win over George Foreman, one of the most famous fights in boxing history. Heritage called it one of the most important boxing awards ever offered publicly, and the sale price backed that up.
9. Kobe Bryant 2007-08 MVP Season Jersey — $5.85 Million
Another Kobe Bryant jersey lands on the list, this one from his 2007-08 MVP season. The jersey was worn in at least 25 games, which is a heavy amount of use for a modern game-worn item. It also appeared in the famous image of Kobe popping his Lakers jersey during the playoffs, adding another layer of cultural value to the price.
10. Babe Ruth Yankees Road Jersey — $5.64 Million
Before the “Called Shot” jersey reset the entire market, another Babe Ruth jersey held the record. His Yankees road jersey, dated around 1928-30, sold for $5.64 million in 2019. Ruth jerseys are especially valuable because only a handful are known to exist, making almost any authentic one a major event when it reaches auction.
