A Serena Williams autographed rookie card from 2003 was sold for $44,280 on Sunday, breaking the record for any women’s sports card.
Previously, the record was held by a 1992 S.I. for Kids Mia Hamm rookie card that sold in late June for $34,440.
“People are accepting women’s trading cards as collectables,” Ken Goldin, executive chairman and founder of Goldin Auctions, told ESPN of the card. “We’ve seen that gradually increase over the past three years, with a heavy increase in the second half of 2020 up through 2021. On forum boards and social media, I see people looking for women’s sports cards.
“The effect you have with Serena is that there are a lot of people putting together GOAT collections. They want Pele, Ali, Jordan, Tiger, Brady … and they include Serena. I think that’s the single biggest impact that is lifting her cards above all other women athletes.”
Still, Goldin thinks that Serena’s cards have the potential to go higher, even after she retires.
“I believe it will [get crazier] for Serena,” said Goldin. “We’re gonna have new women’s tennis product come out, I think that’s a 100% lock. Serena — much like Jordan was included in Upper Deck basketball when they had the license for years after he retired — will be included in those products long after she’s retired.”
“As new companies, like Fanatics, start producing cards, their job is to broaden the customer base and go more international: Serena is very international. I could definitely see tremendous future growth for all of her collectables, not just her trading cards.”
