Serena Williams has been making lots of news off the courts these days –most involving her business deals. She’s been using her venture capital platform to invest in up-and-coming business ventures. Now she’s made news in the trading card business. A 2003 trading card featuring her image reportedly has set the record as the highest price trading card featuring a female athlete.
A 2003 Serena Williams NetPro signed patch rookie card sold for a staggering $266,400, according to Goldin Auctions, an international marketplace for trading cards, collectibles and memorabilia. This makes the card the highest-priced trading card that features a woman athlete, Sports Illustrated reported.
Goldin Auctions founder Ken Goldin tweeted on May 22 that the card was sold at auction on May 21. The buyer remains unnamed.
Before this, the amount stood at $117,000. And that record was also owned by Williams, 40. A bidder purchased a July 1999 SI For Kids Serena Williams rookie card in January 2022 for that amount.
The trading card industry remains big business. According to Verified Market Research, the Global Sports Trading Card Market was valued at $13.82 billion in 2019, and is projected to reach $98.75 billion by 2027.
The 2003 NetPro pack, the first tennis set to become available to the public in more than a decade, also includes Williams’ older sister, Venus Williams, and male tennis pros Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam winner, will probably continue to break records, on and off the court. She has yet to announce her retirement, although she has not played since last year’s Wimbledon due to injury. While she has not been playing, she’s been building up her business investments.
Serena Ventures firm already has a portfolio of 60-plus companies, including Masterclass, Billie and Daily Harvest. Her fund was established with a particular focus on diversity: 76 percent of founders in the Serena Ventures portfolio come from historically underrepresented backgrounds, Sportico reported.
