Vince Carter's Iconic Cards Include Recently Retired Toronto Raptors Jersey
Twenty-six years after landing in Toronto as a rookie and almost 20 years after his contentious trade to the then New Jersey Nets, recent Hall of Fame inductee Vince Carter was honored with the first jersey retired in the history of the Raptors franchise on November 2.
Before he was the only NBA player to play in four decades, he was Vince Carter, a fifth overall pick by the Golden State Warriors in 1998 acquired the same night by the Toronto Raptors. With the Raptors entering their fourth season in the NBA, Carter's presence was a turning point for the franchise and for basketball culture in Canada.
It was in a Raptors jersey that Carter won his first Slam Dunk crown at the 2000 NBA All-Star weekend, something that bolstered "Vinsanity" and the sport's direction heading into the new millennium. While Carter played for many teams across his career, his most sought after and highly priced cards are of him donning the red, white, and purple of Toronto.
The card sitting atop Vince Carter's player profile on Card Ladder is a 1998 Upper Deck Rookie Watch Gold one-of-one in a BGS 9. The card was last sold for $5,750 on May 12, 2020 and is currently valued at more than $16,000. The card features the Raptors' 1998 white uniform.
Recently sold on Goldin is a 1998-99 Topps Chrome Refractor #199 Rookie in a BGS Pristine 10, the highest grade out of the 393 card population. The card sold for $24,400 with 21 bidders and features a rookie Carter doing a reverse dunk, the iconic Raptor logo prominently displayed across his chest.
In a ceremony with Raptors president Masai Ujiri, legend Julius Erving, and cousin/former teammate Tracy McGrady amongst the crowd, it was an emotional evening for the former Rookie of the Year. After a week of enshrinements from Carter's eponymous nickname and airline "Air Canada" to a mural in downtown Toronto, the ceremony in Scotiabank Arena reached an emotional peak.
Carter's jersey will also be retired by the now Brooklyn Nets January 25, 2026, a team he played with for five seasons after being trade from the Raptors in 2004.
Lauren is a writer, collector, Orlando Magic basketball fan, and artist. Her writing can also be found on Hobby News Daily. You can follow her at instagram.com/laurengoeshere.