The 10 Most Expensive Pieces of NFL Memorabilia Ever Sold
From rare 1-of-1 rookie cards to, well, any and everything worn by Tom Brady, some pieces of NFL memorabilia have sold for eye-watering amounts at auction. (To be fair, many of them pale in comparison to their namesake’s salaries — Mahomes’ rookie card sold for 10% of his annual salary.) Want a glimpse at the items football fans are willing to spend big money on? Here are the most expensive pieces of NFL memorabilia ever sold at auction.
1. Patrick Mahomes 2017 Autographed NFL Rookie Card
Sold for: $4.3 million
This card sold for how many million?! Oh, it’s Patrick Mahomes. Yeah, that checks out. There isn’t a more talked-about name in the NFL since Tom Brady hung up his cleats, so we’re not surprised that this 1-of-1 autographed card is the most expensive football card ever sold at auction.
2. Tom Brady 2000 Playoff Contenders Championship Ticket Autograph Card
Sold for: $3.1 million
This autographed Tom Brady rookie card is one of the rarest and most sought-after pieces of NFL memorabilia. With only seven BGS MINT 9 examples in existence — and none graded higher — it’s the most valuable Brady card of all time.
3. Justin Herbert’s 2020 Signed Rookie Card
Sold for: $1.8 million
Justin Herbert has only been in the NFL for five years, but this signed rookie card with the flashy NFL badge is still worth more than a million bucks, thanks to its elite 1-of-1 status.
4. Joe Montana’s Super Bowl XIX and XXIII Game-Worn Jersey
Sold for: $1.2 million
Joe Montana ruled the roost before QBs like Brady, Manning, and Mahomes were household names. He wore this million-dollar jersey during both Super Bowl XIX and Super Bowl XXIII — two of Montana’s most legendary performances on the gridiron.
5. Joe Montana’s Super Bowl XXIV Game-Worn Jersey
Sold for: $720,000
This Montana jersey was worn during his record-setting Super Bowl XXIV performance, leading the 49ers to a crushing 55-10 victory over the Broncos. With direct provenance from his personal collection and photo-matched authentication, this is one of the most iconic pieces of football memorabilia.
6. Tom Brady’s 2021 Game-Worn Jersey
Sold for: $504,000
Sotheby’s “The GOAT Auction” showcased over 40 items from Tom Brady’s personal collection, generating more than $9 million in sales. Among the highlights was the jersey Brady wore in October 2021 when he broke Drew Brees’ all-time passing yardage record; the jersey sold for more than half a million dollars.
7. Tom Brady’s 2014 Game-Worn Jersey
Sold for: $420,000
This game-worn, autographed Tom Brady jersey is tied to five of his record-setting 286 career victories. Worn during multiple standout performances — including a rare five-touchdown game — this jersey saw Brady dominate on the field, leading the Patriots to their fourth Super Bowl title. Photo-matched to all five wins, with visible game wear and impeccable authentication, it’s one of the most legendary Brady collectibles ever sold.
8. Tom Brady’s Super Bowl XXXIX Nike Cleats
Sold for: $264,000
Yet another Brady-worn, big-ticket piece of NFL memorabilia, the “GOAT” wore these Nike cleats during Super Bowl XXXIX in 2004, when the Patriots beat the Philadelphia Eagles. Imagine paying nearly $300,000 for a pair of stinky shoes just because Tom Brady wore them.
9. Lawrence Taylor’s Super Bowl XXV Ring
Sold for: $230,000
Legendary L.T.’s Super Bowl ring sold for several trips to Disney World when it went for a whopping $230,000 at auction. Years later, Giants star Osi Umenyiora pledged to buy the ring if he reached 500,000 Twitter followers, but with just over 55,000 by the deadline, his campaign fell (dramatically) short.
10. Tom Brady’s 2021 Game-Used Tampa Bay Buccaneers Helmet
Sold for: $132,000
This game-worn helmet, matched to five key games in the 2021 season, saw Brady break franchise records and orchestrate edge-of-your-seat comebacks, making it yet another piece of Tom Brady-worn memorabilia worth a ridiculous amount of money.