Former UNC soccer star Mia Hamm’s rookie card sells for record amount

The former UNC soccer standout’s rookie card sold for a record amount that nearly doubled the previous total for a female sports card.

The sale of a PSA 10 Mia Hamm 1992 S.I. for Kids rookie card set an all-time record when it sold for $34,440 at an event put on by Goldin Auctions over the weekend. The previous record was $16,000, a sum paid for a one-of-a-kind Alex Morgan card from the Immaculate Collection Soccer — that according to a report by ESPN’s Dan Hajducky.

"“It validates that there’s a legitimate market for women’s sports,” Goldin Auctions founder Ken Goldin told ESPN. “Four years ago, soccer was not considered by most [trading card] people in the United States — myself included — to be part of their collecting universe, but two of the five highest-priced items in this auction were soccer related [and] then you have Mia Hamm up there, too.”"

Hamm, considered by many to be the greatest female soccer player in history, hasn’t played professional soccer for nearly two decades, but remains a big draw in the world of sports memorabilia. She last played for the United States national team in 2004, which was the end of a storied 17-year career representing the USA that saw her score 158 goals in 276 appearances. During her time with the U.S. national team, she also played two seasons for the Washington Freedom (dissolved in 2011), scoring 25 goals in 49 appearances from 2001 to 2003.

And who could forget her legendary college career at the University of North Carolina? It was in Chapel Hill from 1989 to 1993 where her star really began to rise, particularly on a national level. She was a four-time national champion during her time on campus, and was named a first team All-American on three occasions. The Tar Heels won 92 games, lost just once and tied twice during her marvelous collegiate career.

"“I think there’s a GOAT syndrome,” Goldin said. “There are people who want to collect the best of the best, who have collections of Ali, Pele, Gretzky, Jordan, Brady that are looking to add. Without revealing any information, the buyer of this Hamm card is someone with a world-class trading card collection that includes all of the names I just mentioned.”"

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