In September 2024, the bidding floor at Sotheby’s in New York was silent, save for the unmistakable tension of a collector’s showdown. At the center of it: a gem-mint 2000 Playoff Contenders Rookie Ticket card, autographed by a sixth-round pick who became the greatest quarterback of all time. Final bid: $120,000. The buyer? Robert Kraft. The player on the card, sitting next to him? Tom Brady.
Call it less about money, more about history. We’re talking twenty-plus years of the Patriots dynasty in one moment. Fast forward to 2025, and the duo is back at it. But this time, it’s no auction. In fact, Brady and Krafft reunited to kick off Brady’s new passion project: CardVault, or should we call it CardVault by Tom Brady? But either way, you can call it part sports card shop, part museum.
The Patriots owner and the NFL GOAT hung out, signed gear, laughed with fans—basically turning a store opening into a mini Patriots reunion. And ever since then, you can find both of them engaging with fans at CardVault retail shops while signing sports collectibles. And get this, this month is no exception as well.
Recently, CardVault shared a clip on their official Instagram handle, featuring Brady and Kraft signing football collectibles at a retail shop. “Buying a box of sports cards & being helped by @tombrady & Robert Kraft?!” They captioned. “Where else but CardVault!” Founded back in 2020, Tom Brady acquired a 50% stake in the sports collectibles company this year.
To call this Brady’s ‘next business move’ undersells what’s happening here. His recent acquisition of a 50% stake in CardVault isn’t just a branding play. It is, in fact, a reflection of the same obsession with detail and legacy that defined his career. Founded in 2020, CardVault was already a rising player in the collectibles space, specializing in high-end sports cards and memorabilia. But Brady isn’t just a celebrity face stapled to the logo. “Tom is 100% involved,” co-founder Chris Costa told Sports Collectors Digest. “He’s not here to stand in front of the shop and shake hands. He’s actively shaping the vision.”
That vision includes curated in-store experiences, a focus on authentication and rarity, and what Brady hopes will be an immersive, almost reverential approach to collecting. His flagship project? A new 1,200-square-foot store at the American Dream Mall in New Jersey is a symbolic leap from the company’s Massachusetts roots onto the national stage.
The sports collectibles industry is now a global market with serious economic muscle. Goldman Sachs recently projected the global collectibles market could top $400 billion by 2033. And in 2021 alone, over $1 billion worth of sports trading cards changed hands, with iconic items—like a Mickey Mantle rookie or a LeBron James Logoman card—fetching north of $2 million.
So, Tom Brady acquiring equity in CardVault just makes sense. Robert Kraft’s support of him in his new business venture also makes it a whole lot more interesting.
Tom Brady joined Michael Jordan and King James
Tom Brady’s business portfolio is as impressive as his NFL career. We’re chatting about his TB12 Sports & Wellness, which focuses on performance training, nutrition, and wellness products. Autograph is a platform that basically creates and sells non-fungible tokens. Then there’s his media company, 199 Productions, creating docu series and podcasts. You name it.
But his latest venture in the $33 billion industry by acquiring 50% stakes in CardVaults, the Patriots‘ legend is owning the sports collectibles market. That said, TB12 has now joined the elite list of athletes who have invested in the sports collectibles industry, which includes the NBA legend, Michael Jordan, and the Lakers’ star, LeBron James.
NFL, American Football Herren, USA Super Bowl LIX-Kansas City Chiefs at Philadelphia Eagles Feb 9, 2025 New Orleans, LA, USA Fox Sports announcer Tom Brady on the field before Super Bowl LIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs at Ceasars Superdome. New Orleans Ceasars Superdome LA USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xMarkxJ.xRebilasx 20250301_mjr_su5_150
And let’s be real—whenever we talk about collectibles, chances are that the NBA icons are the first ones to come to mind. And why not? Jordan is arguably one of the most celebrated icons in the collectibles industry. His PSA 7 Jordan rookie card? It was sold at a staggering $1.44M at auction.
And if we talk about Brady, then it’s safe to say that the NFL GOAT isn’t far behind. Besides his 2000 Playoff Contenders Rookie Ticket, his Bucs’ jersey fetched a gigantic $480K in an auction. Long story short: the collectibles tied to iconic moments like these sell for up to 60% more than the average price. And Tom Brady was smart enough to join the industry, of which Jordan and James are already a part.
James signed an exclusive multi-year trading card partnership with Fanatics Collectibles. On the flip side, Jordan partnered with Upper Deck to produce exclusive memorabilia. With the sports collectibles market projected to touch the sky in the coming years, Tom Brady’s involvement in CardVault is yet another master stroke from the Patriots’ legend.
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