The NFT and NBA Top Shot craze blazed forward last month. Moments have been selling for outrageous totals, and this month we saw the 12th sale for over $100,000 in the history of the Top Shot marketplace. This month, the biggest sale is an unusual outlier that has been raising eyebrows.
Editor’s note: It’s not an Anthony Davis moment.
With these moments being pulled from packs that cost between $9 and $230, sellers are making an outrageous return. The Jury is still out on whether Top Shot moments or NFT’s in general will retain (or grow) value over time, but there’s no doubt that collectors are making huge profits.
Yes, you can ‘just watch the highlight on YouTube’ – but it sure won’t net you five or six figures! Let’s take a look at the top five highest-value transactions that took place during the month of April:
5. LeBron James
Sold for: $39,999
Serial: Rare #9/275LE
Set: Throwdowns
Series: 1
Hang time with The King! Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James throws down the showtime two-handed reverse windmill slam against Western Conference foes the Houston Rockets on February 6, 2020.
Collectible Details via NBA Top Shot
4. LeBron James
Sold for: $40,000
Serial: Legendary #3/99LE
Set: Holo Icon
Series: 2
The sheer power LeBron James can generate downhill toward the bucket has stifled defenses for nearly two decades. The Los Angeles Lakers forward pushes the ball up the floor in the final seconds of a quarter before unleashing a thundering assault on the rim that no mere mortal would possibly want a part of. The 36-year-old finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in the February 14, 2021 showdown against the Denver Nuggets.
Collectible Details via NBA Top Shot
3. LeBron James
Sold for: $49,950
Serial: Legendary #46/79LE
Set: 2020 NBA Finals
Series: 1
With authority! Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James explodes to the rim for a massive slam over the defense of the Miami Heat late in the third quarter of Game 6 of the NBA Finals on October 11, 2020. James notched a stellar triple double in Game 6 with 28 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists on the way to winning his fourth career championship and number 17 for the Los Angeles Lakers franchise.
Collectible Details via NBA Top Shot
2. Luka Dončić
Sold for: $95,000
Serial: Legendary #33/49LE
Set: Cosmic
Series: 1
Dallas Mavericks breakout star Luka Dončić brings the ball up the court, splits the defense, and drives to the rack for the ferocious one-handed slam against the Denver Nuggets on March 11, 2020.
Collectible Details via NBA Top Shot
1. Fred VanVleet
Sold for: $140,190.00
Serial: Common #11511/15000LE
Set: Base Set
Series: 2
You can’t put a price on a quick release. Fred VanVleet sizes up his defender on the perimeter then hits him with a pull up triple off the dribble. VanVleet finished with 25 points and seven assists as his Toronto Raptors sunk the New York Knicks on December 31, 2020.
Collectible Details via NBA Top Shot
The Fred VanVleet moment selling for such an astonishing amount is certainly different than what we’ve seen so far. Nine of the top ten all-time sales have been part of a limited release, feature a particularly low serial number, or both.
The seller (GPK_Junkie) bought the moment for just $19, then flipped it three hours later for the price of $140,190. There is only one of instance of this moment selling, and that was for $10 a week before these transactions occurred. The only notable feature of this moment is the serial number, 11511 – a number that perhaps bears an importance, but not one I can put my finger on.
I wouldn’t bank on seeing a 737,742.11% ROI after only holding the moment for a few hours – there’s something strange going on with this sale. (If I don’t post another blog for a while, I’ve uncovered a money laundering scheme and have been whacked.)
Beyond this outlier sale from April, we’re seeing the larger trend continue of these moments selling for crazy ROI.
Stay tuned to our Top Shot Blog for more information on upcoming pack drops, updates, and notable transactions!
New to Top Shot? Check out our Beginner’s Guide: What is NBA Top Shot?
Michael Burns
Founder of HoopSocial. Girl Dad. WNBA stan. Syracuse Orange and Charlotte Hornets fan. Sarcasm is my native tongue. You can follow me on Twitter at @mike_hoopsocial.