In recent years, the NBA fan base has seen a huge growth in the number of fans interacting with the sport. Young and exciting players are performing skills that were once not considered possible, and long-held records are being broken as players become stronger and more athletic.
Whilst the memorabilia of iconic historical basketball plays continues to be popular, young and exciting players have inspired a new generation of fans that are looking to get their hands on sporting memorabilia including their trading cards.
Since he made his NBA debut in 2018, Luka Doncic has become one of the most exciting players in the league. Coming from the international basketball scene, people were unsure how his skills would transfer to the NBA. Completing over 21 triple-doubles before 21, it’s safe to say his transfer went well.
Most Valuable Luka Doncic Rookie Cards (Round-up list)
Like any well-known iconic sports player, his rookie cards are the most valuable. As Doncic starts to cement his place as one of the NBA’s best players, the value of his rookie cards continues to rise.
Here are 11 of the most valuable Luka Doncic rookie cards currently valued or recently sold at auction.
| Number | Luka Doncic Rookie Card | Grade | Price |
| 1 | 2018-19 Luka Doncic Autographed National Treasures Logoman Card | Ungraded | $4,600,000 |
| 2 | 2018 National Treasures Luka Doncic RC #127 | PSA Gem Mint 10 | $780,000 |
| 3 | 2018 Panini Prizm Gold RC #280 | PSA Gem Mint 10 | $780,000 |
| 4 | 2018 Panini Flawless Vertical Gold #VPLDC | PSA Gem Mint 10 | $336,000 |
| 5 | 2018 Panini Contenders Optic Gold Shooting Luka Doncic RC #128 | PSA Gem Mint 10 | $264,000 |
| 6 | 2018-19 Panini Contenders Optic Gold Vinyl #128 | Beckett Gem Mint 9.5 | $240,000 |
| 7 | 2018 Donruss Optic Black Rookie Auto #177 | Beckett Mint 9 | $162,000 |
| 8 | 2018 Panini Flawless Star Swatch Signatures Green #2 | Beckett Gem Mint 9.5 | $133,200 |
| 9 | 2018-19 Panini Donruss Optic ‘Fast Break – Black’#177 | PSA Gem Mint 10 | $110,700 |
| 10 | 2018 National Treasures Rookie Logoman #RL-LD | Ungraded | $67,878 |
| 11 | 2018 Panini Prizm Choice Tiger Stripe #280 | PSA Gem Mint 10 | $66,000 |
1) 2018-19 Luka Doncic Autographed National Treasures Logoman Card
(Sold by private sale in February 2021)
- Price: $4,600,000
- Grade: Ungraded
- Card Number: 1/1
Taking the number 1 spot is the 2018-19 National Treasures Logoman Autograph card. What makes this card special is that it was originally pulled from a 2018-19 Panini National Treasures box during a live pack break. It was then sold to a collector for approximately $400,000 before becoming one of the most valuable basketball cards in the world.
The National Treasures Logoman card set consists of 1/1 cards that are hugely popular with collectors. Each card box contains 10 cards for big amounts on the resale market.
This card has ‘One of One’ printed in fancy writing. On the front of the card is Doncic in a blue Mavericks jersey, pointing towards his teammate. On the right-hand side of the card is a big game day jersey Logoman patch with a big blue autograph underneath, making the card highly sought after.
What makes this card even more interesting is that it’s ungraded. It sold in a private sale in February 2021 for $4,600,000 and is currently the third most expensive basketball card ever.
2) 2018 National Treasures Luka Doncic RC #127
(Sold by PWCC Marketplace Auction in December 2021)
- Price: $780,000
- Grade: PSA Gem Mint 10
- Card Number: 52/99
Next is another National Treasures card from Panini, but this one is from the base rookie patch autographs set. Each base autograph card was numbered to /99, with some rarer parallel versions released in much smaller numbers.
The National Treasures cards are known for being well presented with big jersey patches and autographs on the front. This card example is no different. On the front of the card is Doncic doing his trademark shooting technique in a blue Dallas Mavericks uniform.
The majority of the card is taken up by a huge game-day jersey rookie patch that’s cleverly color-coded with the card design. Underneath the card is a crisp blue signature and the words ‘Luka Doncic Dallas Mavericks’.
With 99 copies released by Panini, this card example is serial stamped 52/99. Both the autograph and card itself were graded by PSA as Gem Mint 10, with no other card examples existing of the same quality. It sold at a PWCC Marketplace Auction in December 2021 for $780,000.
3) 2018 Panini Prizm Gold RC #280
(Sold by Goldin Auctions)
- Price: $780,000
- Grade: PSA Gem Mint 10
- Card Number: 03/10
The 2018-19 Panini Prizm set consisted of 300 base cards with a large number of parallels. The gold parallels are some of the rarest, numbered to only /10.
The front of the card features Doncic in his trademark shooting pose surrounded by a thick gold border. It has the Panini Prizm and RC logos on either side at the top. The back of the card has some Luka stats from his time playing with Real Madrid in the Euro League before joining the NBA. It also has the serial stamp 3/10.
This card example was graded by PSA as a Gem Mint 10, with only 3 other card examples given the same quality grade. It was sold at a Goldin auction for $780,000.
4) 2018 Panini Flawless Vertical Gold #VPLDC
(Sold by PWCC Marketplace in June 2022)
- Price: $336,000
- Grade: PSA Gem Mint 10
- Card Number: 02/10
The 2018 Panini Flawless set was released as a high-end card set that’s nicely designed and popular among higher-end collectors. Whilst the base cards were numbered /100, the parallels were produced in much more limited quantities.
This card example is a vertical gold parallel that’s serial stamped 02/10, with the set limited to only 10 copies. The front of the card features an excellent picture of Doncic stretching to dunk the ball with a game-day jersey patch next to it. The bottom of the card is signed by Doncic in blue ink. The back of the card features a certificate of authenticity from Panini that guarantees the game day patch and the autograph is real.
It was graded by PSA as Gem Mint 10, with no other example graded by PSA. It sold at a PWCC Marketplace Auction in June 2022 for $336,000.
5) 2018 Panini Contenders Optic Gold Shooting Luka Doncic RC #128
(Sold by PWCC Marketplace in September 2021)
- Price: $264,000
- Grade: PSA Gem Mint 10
- Card Number: #128
This card is again from Panini, but part of the Contenders Optic release. The Contenders Optic set contained 100 base cards with 30 rookie ticket autograph cards added. Out of these rookie cards, rarer premium gold parallels were released which were numbered to only 10 copies. This card example is serial stamped 03/10.
The front of the card shows Luka cleverly coming out of the card with the ball in hand. Next to the picture is a blue Mavericks rookie ticket that features a section, row, and seat number. The blue autograph underneath has been graded by PSA as a 10. The back of the card contains some of Doncic’s physical characteristics and an interesting fact about the start of his playing career.
It was graded by PSA as a Gem Mint 10. No other examples have been graded by PSA in the same quality, making this particular card example very rare and valuable.
6) 2018-19 Panini Contenders Optic Gold Vinyl #128
(Sold by Goldin Auctions
- Price: $240,000
- Grade: Beckett Gem Mint 9.5
- Card Number: 1/1
At number 6 is a Donic rookie card from the same Panini Contenders Optic set but this is a different parallel. It’s a gold vinyl parallel which, unlike the normal gold parallels, is the only example made with a 1/1 serial stamp.
The front features the same design as the gold optic card but is finished with a gold vinyl pattern, giving the card a striking appearance. The blue autograph that’s nicely placed under the Mavericks rookie ticket has been graded by Beckett as a 10.
The card itself was graded by Beckett as a Gem Mint 9.5, with no other cards known to be graded. It sold at a Goldin Auction for $240,000.
7) 2018 Donruss Optic Black Rookie Auto #177
(Sold by PWCC Marketplace in February 2022)
- Price: $162,000
- Grade: Beckett Mint 9
- Card Number: 1/1
Donruss remains a hugely popular card design among collectors, with cards continuing to fetch big prices. This is part of the Donruss Optic Rated Rookies Signatures set. The set contains 200 base cards alongside 50 rookie cards that have been stamped with the rated rookie logo.
Alongside the rated rookie cards, rare parallels were released in much smaller quantities. This particular card example is a rare black parallel that’s 1/1, meaning no other examples exist.
It features Doncic looking to throw the ball with one hand with his big blue signature underneath. The signature has been graded by Beckett as a 10 and the card is graded as a Mint 9, being the only one graded as a 1/1.
It sold at a PWCC Marketplace Auction in February 2022 for $162,000.
8) 2018 Panini Flawless Star Swatch Signatures Green #2
(Sold by Goldin Auctions)
- Price: $133,200
- Grade: Beckett Gem Mint 9.5
- Card Number: 4/5
At number 9 is another good-looking card design from Panini. The Flawless Star Swatch Signatures series horizontal cards were a 42-card inset in the normal 2019 Panini set. The set featured the top young NBA players at that time, with special parallels numbered in very low amounts.
This particular Luke Doncic rookie card is a rare emerald parallel from Panini who made only 5 copies, with this card example serial stamped 4/5. On the front of the card is Doncic in full stride, with the ‘Flawless’ writing above his head. The left of the card features a big Mavericks game-day jersey patch from his rookie year. Underneath the patch is a blue Doncic autograph, graded as a 10 by Beckett.
The card itself is graded as a Beckett Gem Mint 9.5, with only 2 other card examples graded in the same quality. It was sold at a Goldin Auction for $133,200.
9) 2018-19 Panini Donruss Optic ‘Fast Break – Black’ #177
(Sold by Goldin Auctions)
- Price: $110,700
- Grade: PSA Gem Mint 10
- Card Number: 1/1
This next Luka Doncic rookie card is from the same set as my number 8 card, but it’s a different parallel. It’s a ‘Fast Break’ black parallel that’s also one of a kind, numbered 1/1.
Whilst it’s from the same set, the front of the card is different. It features Doncic bounding the ball whilst looking ahead of him. The card has a nice patterned hologram black background, being a black parallel version. The back of the card is the same as the other parallels, featuring Luka’s playing stats from the Euroleague.
It was graded by PSA as Gem Mint 10 and sold at a Goldin Auction for $110,700.
10) 2018 National Treasures Rookie Logoman #RL-LD
(Sold by PWCC Marketplace in December 2020)
- Price: $67,878
- Grade: Ungraded
- Card Number: 5/5
Next is another ungraded Luka Doncic rookie card. This one’s from the Panini National Treasures Logoman collection. The front of the card is nicely designed, showing an action shot of Luka against a washed-out crowd background. The right of the card features a big, highly sought-after Logoman patch, which gives this card most of its value.
The back of the card states that the Logoman card has been worn by Doncic and is guaranteed by Panini. It’s one of only five cards produced and is serial stamped 5/5 on the front.
This ungraded card version sold at a PWCC Marketplace Auction in December 2020 for $67,878.
11) 2018 Panini Prizm Choice Tiger Stripe #280
(Sold by PWCC Marketplace in February 2021)
- Price: $66,000
- Grade: PSA Gem Mint 10
- Card Number: #280
Last on my list for the most valuable Luka Doncic rookie cards is the Panini Prizm Choice Tiger Strip #280 rookie, out of the same set as my number 3 card. The Prizm card series contained 300 base cards, with a large amount of common and rare parallels produced alongside them. The tiger stripe rookie parallels were limited to 88 copies.
This is the Prizm Choice ‘Tiger Stripe’ parallel, unique due to it featuring a picture of Doncic on both sides. The front of the card is bordered with thick orange tiger stripes, giving it a rather striking appeal.
Out of 48 graded by PSA, only 21 have been given the same Gem Mint 10 grading. Whilst this is higher than some of Doncic’s other cards, it remains a popular choice among collectors. It sold at a PWCC Marketplace Auction in October 2021 for $66,000.
Why are Luka Doncic Rookie Cards so Expensive?
Luka Doncic is a Slovenian professional basketball player who currently plays for the Dallas Mavericks and the Slovenian national team. After playing in the Euroleague, he transferred to the NBA. He is a 3-time NBA All-Star and continues to excite fans with his playing style and personality.
During his first year, he took the NBA by storm winning the Rookie of the year award and being selected for the All-NBA rookie first team. As his popularity continues to grow, so does the value of his sports cards.
His rookie cards produced in 2018 are the most valuable, with rare and unique ones going for huge figures. His most expensive rookie card is the third most expensive basketball card ever sold, with prices continuing to rise as the NBA fan base grows bigger.
Also Read: 13 Most Valuable Rookie Cards (1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 Was Sold For $12,600,000)
Buyers Guide – Should I Invest in Luka Doncic Rookie Cards?
Short term
Since picking up multiple titles and awards in the Euro league, Doncic has made a seamless transition to the NBA. He has become one of the league’s most exciting and popular players with his expressive playing style and team presence.
With his Mavericks team coming very close to making the 2022 NBA finals, it seems like only a matter of time before he picks up more accolades and solidifies himself as one of the greatest NBA young stars.
With this, you would think that his cards will only keep going up in value as he gets better. Therefore, it might be worthwhile holding on to his rookie cards if you want to make more money.
Long Term
Doncic is only 23, which means he has a lot of playing years ahead of him. With a list of awards already at such a young age, he’s yet to reach his prime. With probable NBA championships and many other titles to come, his sports memorabilia will likely continue to rise as investors become more interested.
Whilst it’s still too early to say, Doncic looks bound to become a future NBA Hall of Famer. His commanding playing style and ability to inspire younger NBA fans make him a good bet if you want to hold onto his rookie cards longer term.
Conclusion – Most Valuable Luka Doncic Rookie Cards
Luka Doncic’s rookie cards continue to fetch huge prices at auction as collectors and fans look to get their hands on some of his best sports memorabilia.
His 2018-19 Luka Doncic Autographed National Treasures Logoman Card is his most expensive rookie card sold to date, selling privately for $4,600,000 in February 2021. It’s also the third most expensive basketball card ever sold.
FAQs
Which card company produced most of Doncic’s rookie cards?
Most of his rare and valuable rookie cards are produced by Panini, an Italian company founded in 1961. Panini also bought the Donruss card brand in 2009. Panini continues to dominate the sports card market as they remain a collector favorite. Their Chrome and autograph rookie cards tend to be the rarest and most valuable.
What did Luka average during his rookie year?
In his 2018-19 rookie season, he averaged 21.1 points, 6 assists, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game. He played 72 games and won the rookie of the year award.
What records does Luka Doncic hold?
Doncic became the youngest player to score 45 points and 10 rebounds in a playoff game since Kobe Bryant. He also has the most 40-point playoff games from an NBA player aged 23 or under.
Also Read:
