Original sports photography continued to show real strength at auction, with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant leading a headline group of premium Type 1 photo sales in a major fall event. The top basketball results centered on one of Jordan’s most recognizable images and an early signed Bryant piece from the beginning of his Lakers career.
The standout sale was a signed Type 1 photo of Jordan’s famous foul-line dunk from the 1988 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, which brought $179,340. The image remains one of the defining visuals of Jordan’s career and one of the most recognizable photographs in modern basketball history.
Bryant also delivered a major result with a Sept. 29, 1996 signed and inscribed pre-rookie photo from one of his earliest Los Angeles Lakers photo shoots. That image sold for $65,011, setting a public-sale record for any Kobe Bryant photo.
Jordan’s iconic dunk image paced the basketball results
Few sports photographs carry the same immediate recognition as Jordan soaring from the foul line during the 1988 Dunk Contest. The signed Type 1 example that sold in this auction reached $179,340, making it one of the marquee lots of the event.
For more collector background, read 6 Iconic 1950s Football Card Sets That Still Define the Vintage Hobby.
The image matters to collectors for several reasons. It captures Jordan during the peak of his rise as both an NBA superstar and a global cultural figure. It also represents one of the most replayed and republished moments of the late 1980s basketball boom, giving the photograph cross-category appeal among Jordan collectors, photo specialists, and memorabilia buyers who focus on iconic sports imagery.
Signed original photos tied to signature moments tend to perform especially well when the image itself is instantly identifiable. In Jordan’s case, the foul-line dunk has long functioned as a cornerstone visual in the hobby, and that recognition clearly translated into bidding strength.
Jordan had two other notable photo sales in the event as well, showing that collector demand remains deep even beyond his biggest headline image.
Kobe Bryant pre-rookie photo sets a public-sale record
The other major basketball highlight came from Bryant, whose Sept. 29, 1996 signed and inscribed pre-rookie photo realized $65,011. The image came from one of Bryant’s earliest Lakers photo sessions and now stands as the highest publicly reported sale for a Kobe Bryant photo.
That result speaks to the importance of timing and narrative in the photo market. Early-career material tied to all-time great players often attracts aggressive competition, especially when it predates a player’s fully established rookie-year collecting window. For Bryant, a 1996 image from the earliest stage of his Lakers run carries added significance because it documents the beginning of a career that would become one of the defining stories in modern basketball.
The autograph and inscription also helped elevate the piece. Signed original photos can occupy a unique place in the memorabilia market, appealing to both photography collectors and autograph-focused buyers. When a piece also connects to a pivotal point in a player’s career, the pool of interested bidders can expand quickly.
Bryant remains one of the most heavily collected athletes in the hobby, and record-setting results for rare early material continue to show how strong the top end of that market can be.
Additional Michael Jordan photos also drew strong bids
Beyond the 1988 dunk image, two more Jordan photos posted impressive prices.
A Type 1 photo of Jordan’s famous “Tears of Triumph” moment from his first NBA championship sold for $25,648. The one-of-a-kind photo by Ken Levine shows Jordan holding the 1991 NBA title trophy while sharing an emotional moment with his father, James Jordan. For many collectors, this image is among the most meaningful of Jordan’s career because it captures a personal side of one of his greatest professional achievements.
A third Jordan item, a 1996 signed Type 1 original photo of a dunk at the United Center, sold for $29,890. While not as universally famous as the foul-line dunk or the championship celebration image, it still benefited from the enduring demand for signed original Jordan photography from the Bulls dynasty era.
Taken together, the three Jordan results show the range of collector interest in his photo market. There is room for ultra-iconic action imagery, emotional championship photography, and high-quality signed arena shots from the middle of his prime.
Why Type 1 photos continue to matter in the hobby
Type 1 photos occupy a specialized but increasingly important niche in sports collecting. In hobby terms, a Type 1 photo is generally understood as a first-generation photograph developed from the original negative within roughly two years of when the image was taken. That standard has helped create a more defined marketplace for vintage and modern original photography.
Collectors place a premium on Type 1 material because it sits close to the source of the image itself. In many cases, these photographs are not just rare collectibles. They are original historical artifacts tied directly to the creation of some of the hobby’s most enduring visuals.
That link becomes even more powerful when the image later appears on trading cards, in newspapers, in magazines, or in famous commemorative displays. An original Type 1 photo can function as the earliest physical form of a sports image that millions of fans already know.
The category has expanded well beyond traditional photo archives in recent years. Serious collectors now chase original images of marquee stars, key rookie-season shots, championship celebrations, and photographs used for notable trading cards. Auction results like these show that the market remains willing to pay top prices for elite examples with strong provenance, major player names, and unmistakable imagery.
Other notable photo sales from the auction
While Jordan and Bryant led the basketball conversation, several other original sports photos also posted significant results across football, baseball, golf, and sports history.
- A Sept. 10, 1989 Barry Sanders NFL debut photo sold for $10,370, establishing a record for a Barry Sanders photo.
- A 1957 Jim Brown photo used for his 1958 Topps rookie card sold for $146,400.
- A 1946 Jackie Robinson Montreal Royals Type 1 original photo from his minor league integration season brought $40,260.
- A May 12, 1955 Roberto Clemente rookie Type 1 original photo sold for $27,755.
- A 1930s Bobby Jones Type 1 original photo inscribed to fellow golfer Dick Metz sold for $25,132.
The Jim Brown result stands out in particular because of the tie to his 1958 Topps rookie card, a connection that often adds another layer of demand. Photos used to create important cards occupy a hybrid space between photo collecting and card collecting, which can drive prices well above what a comparable standalone image might bring.
The Jackie Robinson sale also reflects the strong market for images that document transformational moments in sports and social history. A 1946 Montreal Royals photo from Robinson’s minor league integration season carries historical weight that reaches well beyond baseball collecting alone.
What these sales say about the original photo market
The auction’s top results point to a few clear themes in today’s market for original sports photography.
First, truly iconic player imagery remains the engine of the category. Jordan’s 1988 dunk shot is more than an original photo. It is one of the signature visuals of the modern sports era. When a piece reaches that level of recognition, it can attract bidders from multiple collecting lanes at once.
Second, early-career material for all-time greats continues to carry major upside. Bryant’s pre-rookie Lakers image checked several boxes at once: star power, timing, autograph appeal, and scarcity. That combination helped push it to a record public result.
Third, collectors continue to reward photos with broader hobby significance, especially those linked to rookie cards, championship milestones, or landmark career moments. Jim Brown, Jackie Robinson, and Roberto Clemente each fit into that pattern in different ways.
Finally, originality still matters. In an era when many sports images are endlessly reproduced, the market keeps placing a premium on the earliest and most direct surviving photographic forms. For advanced collectors, that distinction is often what separates a meaningful artifact from a familiar picture.
Key sale prices from the fall photo event
- Michael Jordan signed Type 1 foul-line dunk photo, 1988 Dunk Contest: $179,340
- Kobe Bryant signed and inscribed pre-rookie photo, Sept. 29, 1996: $65,011
- Jim Brown 1957 photo used for 1958 Topps rookie card: $146,400
- Jackie Robinson 1946 Montreal Royals Type 1 photo: $40,260
- Michael Jordan signed 1996 United Center dunk Type 1 photo: $29,890
- Roberto Clemente rookie Type 1 photo, May 12, 1955: $27,755
- Michael Jordan “Tears of Triumph” Type 1 photo: $25,648
- Bobby Jones 1930s Type 1 inscribed photo: $25,132
- Barry Sanders NFL debut photo, Sept. 10, 1989: $10,370
Collector takeaway
For collectors tracking the original photo segment, this auction offered another reminder that elite images of legendary athletes are being valued as centerpiece memorabilia, not just supporting pieces to card collections. Jordan’s 1988 dunk photo led the way, Bryant set a public record for one of his photos, and historically important images tied to Jim Brown, Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente, Barry Sanders, and Bobby Jones added depth across multiple sports.
As the market continues to mature, the strongest prices are still being driven by a familiar formula: Hall of Fame names, unmistakable images, meaningful career timing, and true original-photo status. This group of results checked each of those boxes, with Jordan and Bryant standing at the center of the action.
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