The trading card market is currently enjoying never-before-seen heights. With everything from Pokémon to NFL rookie cards now commanding thousands of dollars from potential buyers, it’s safe to say that even the athletes themselves are starting to pay attention.
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In a market where rarity and price points reign supreme, a buyer-friendly deal is anything but common, even if you’re shopping as Tom Brady himself. On the most recent episode of Complex and Fanatics Card Shopping, the G.O.A.T. showed some interest in purchasing a $7,500 Patrick Mahomes rookie card to add to his personal collection.
While visiting his CardVault store, located in the Patriot Place shopping center, the former New England Patriot was jokingly reminded that everyone, regardless of their status, is expected to pay full price. When Brady asked the store’s co-founder, Chris Costa, for some more information on the card, Costa informed him that “It came in from Boston two weeks ago. That one just came in.”
Brady was certain to clarify that, “I want that in my collection. Save that, make sure you don’t sell that one.” After Costa told his employees to make sure that the card gets pulled from inventory, he told Brady, “I’ll get you an invoice. No discounts.”
Upon being asked to give his opinion on Mahomes, Brady made it clear as to why he wanted a piece of his memorabilia.
“If he does break the records, and even last year you know they had a chance to go for a three-peat, I would have been so happy to be there to watch it. When you accomplish a lot, and I was very fortunate to do that, you have people that are doing incredible things, and I always think we should talk about those things and how remarkable they really are, because that is what’s so inspiring about it. You want other people to see what you are doing, set a certain bar, and then they go after it.”
Brady would, in fact, go on to pay full price for the card, essentially making a $7,500 investment in his own storefront. However, the Mahomes card wasn’t the only one that caught his attention that day.
When faced with a 1986 Star Michael Jordan card, priced at $2,000, Brady couldn’t help but reflect on his relationship with the former Chicago Bull.
“He was and still is someone that I really will always call for advice and look up to and inspire… I always wanted to collect sneakers, but I didn’t want a huge investment… When I didn’t have a shoe contract, I called up my friend, Kenny Weyand… I’m like Kenny, dude, I need a hookup… He calls me two hours later and goes ‘I’m on the course with MJ… He’s going to send you a few pairs.’ Within two days, I had 120 pairs of shoes show up at my house.”
Considering that they were able to get an interview, $7,500, and a Michael Jordan story out of Brady, it’s safe to say that the first-ever episode of Card Shopping was a success. While it may not go on to be as widely recognized as Brady himself, it’s certainly a promising sign for both the brand and the trading card market as a whole.
