Patrick Mahomes rookie card sells at auction for $173K three years after a rarer version went for a record $4.3m

Sports memorabilia enthusiasts apparently think Patrick Mahomes II has a future in the NFL.

As if his three Super Bowl wins, two MVP awards, and $477 million contract weren’t enough, the Kansas City Chiefs QB’s rookie card was sold for a gargantuan $173,000 at auction.

As revealed by Goldin Auctions, the card not only features Mahomes’ autograph, but a game-worn patch showing a portion of the Chiefs’ Lamar Hunt memorial emblem.

The card was given a perfect PSA grade of 9 with an autograph score of 10.

The Panini card is one of just in existence, giving the anonymous buyer a good chance of seeing the investment soar in value.

Patrick Mahomes smiles before a game against the Washington Commanders in 2022

This card was No. 8 in a series of 10, making it extraordinarily rare 

‘Mahomes’ #161 RPA is, quite simply, the most iconic NFL rookie card ever produced by Panini,’ read the description by Goldin.co

‘Mahomes’ #161 RPA is, quite simply, the most iconic NFL rookie card ever produced by Panini,’ read the description by Goldin.co.

A similar card sold for an NFL-record $4.3 million in 2021, although that version was the only one in its set, making it an even more rare item. 

Furthermore, the more valuable card also may have benefitted from a slightly different jersey patch.  

Whereas the most recent sale contained a portion of the patch honoring late owner Lamar Hunt, the card sold in 2021 for $4.3 million had the more identifiable NFL patch sewn onto all league jerseys.

Of course, Mahomes wasn’t even playing when his rookie card was released in 2017.

After a solid career at Texas Tech, Mahomes went 10th overall to the Chiefs in 2017 before spending a year on the bench behind starter Alex Smith, who would move on to Washington in 2018.

Since then, the Chiefs have been to four Super Bowls with Mahomes, who will try to win a record third consecutive Super Bowl this season.