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Yao Ming 2005 UD Reflections Mirror Image Dual Auto Patch 1of2
Asset value
99.850 €
Issue price per Splint
50 €
Total number of Splints
1.997
Investment horizon in years
3 to 5
Return-to-Risk Assessment
8/10
Since launch October ‘25
+0.0%
Main reasons to invest
Return Potential📈: An investment of €500 could reach an estimated value of €1,958 in 5 years.
Cost-to-Return Ratio⚖️: With just 2.2% annual total costs (September releases with no exit fees), your net profit could be 31.4% per year.
Global Icon with Cultural Reach 🌏: Yao Ming transcends basketball as both an NBA Hall of Famer and a global ambassador of the sport, especially in China—the world’s fastest-growing market for collectibles. His legacy paved the way for today’s international NBA superstars, making his grail cards deeply resonant with both Western and Asian collectors. This dual-market appeal, combined with extreme scarcity, positions the card as a long-term cultural trophy with enduring global demand.
Description
Investment Thesis 📝
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Investment Horizon | 3–5 Years |
| Expected CAGR (Balanced) | 31.4% p.a. after fees |
| Ambitious CAGR | 42.5% p.a. after fees |
| Entry Basis | Purchased at fair value with 10% safety margin vs. comparables |
| Sharpe Ratio | 0.87 (vs. SMI: 0.61) |
| Value at Risk (VaR) | 90% chance to exceed €112,700 after 5 years |
| Standard Deviation | 36.4% |
| Risk Rating | B (7.2/10 – Moderate Risk) |
- 3–5 Year Horizon: Aligned with long-term collector demand and scarcity-driven value growth in iconic memorabilia.
- 31.4% CAGR (Balanced): Supported by average CAGR of 57% across four comparables, adjusted conservatively for safety margin.
- 42.5% CAGR (Optimistic): Reflects sustained collector demand for Yao’s top-tier grail cards and broader NBA Hall of Fame narrative.
- Fair Entry Basis: €99,850 post-fees represents prudent acquisition vs. validated comparables, including one of lower quality.
- Sharpe Ratio of 0.87: Strong risk-adjusted return, comfortably above the Swiss Market Index (0.61).
- 90% VaR Threshold: Model forecasts 9-in-10 chance of exceeding €112,700 in 5 years, highlighting downside protection.
- Standard Deviation (36.4%): Consistent with high-value collectible volatility, justified by rarity and trophy-asset status.
- Risk Rating “B”: Balanced risk-return profile with strong cultural relevance, exclusivity, and long-term collector validation.
Exit Options at Maturity 🚪
We will manage the exit strategy in collaboration with our expert K3Y Asset on behalf of our investors, ensuring the best possible outcome based on market conditions at the time. Depending on the prevailing market situation, the card will be sold to a private collector or offered at an auction. An auction is considered if the price has developed to the point where the minimum bid matches the market value and there is high demand for works by the artist. Both options are carefully considered, and we will choose the one that maximizes the return for our investors.
We will manage the exit strategy in collaboration with our expert K3Y Asset on behalf of our investors, ensuring the best possible outcome based on market conditions at the time. Depending on the prevailing market situation, the card will be sold to a private collector or offered at an auction. An auction is considered if the price has developed to the point where the minimum bid matches the market value and there is high demand for works by the artist. Both options are carefully considered, and we will choose the one that maximizes the return for our investors.
Why Invest in This Category? 🏈
Sports cards are an asset class that has enjoyed one of the highest multipliers in growth over the last 5 to 15 years among alternative investment vehicles. Sports cards have strong fundamentals in bringing high-valued licenses, age-tested brands, universal passion for sports, and transcendent talents together in innovative concepts.
Sports cards are an asset class that has enjoyed one of the highest multipliers in growth over the last 5 to 15 years among alternative investment vehicles. Sports cards have strong fundamentals in bringing high-valued licenses, age-tested brands, universal passion for sports, and transcendent talents together in innovative concepts.
Why Invest in This Asset? 💎
The Yao Ming 2005 Upper Deck Reflections Mirror Image Dual Auto Patch 1/2 is widely considered one of the most important basketball cards ever created. Known as the “coffin card,” it introduced the hobby’s first and only self-dual autograph patch design, with Yao’s signature scripted on both sides and complemented by multicolor game-used Rockets patches. Only two copies exist, and its creator at Exquisite has called it his personal favorite innovation—a design that has never been surpassed, even 20 years later.
What elevates this card further is Yao Ming’s unique significance in basketball history. Drafted number one overall in 2002, Yao was the first internationally developed player to reach that position, paving the way for today’s global NBA landscape, where international stars dominate All-NBA selections. During his career, he became an eight-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, and a Hall of Fame inductee, while also serving as president of the Chinese Basketball Association from 2017 to 2024. At his peak, Houston Rockets games were broadcast weekly in China as if they were “Team China,” cementing his role as a cultural icon and ambassador for the sport.
This cultural and historical importance is mirrored in the marketplace. China’s collecting community is expanding rapidly, with card shows, curated cultural events, and auction platforms already handling millions in monthly turnover. Collectors there are known for deep-pocketed spending on rare cultural trophies, and Yao’s cards sit at the very top of their aspirational lists. Previous sales confirm demand: Yao’s 2003 Exquisite Base Auto Patch 1/1 sold for $200,000 in 2020, with values rising significantly since. Even lower-tier dual logoman and insert cards have commanded six-figure valuations.
With extreme scarcity, direct validation from Exquisite’s creator, and resonance with both Western and Chinese collectors, this dual auto patch card represents more than a grail—it is a once-in-a-generation cultural trophy at the intersection of NBA history and global collecting.
The Yao Ming 2005 Upper Deck Reflections Mirror Image Dual Auto Patch 1/2 is widely considered one of the most important basketball cards ever created. Known as the “coffin card,” it introduced the hobby’s first and only self-dual autograph patch design, with Yao’s signature scripted on both sides and complemented by multicolor game-used Rockets patches. Only two copies exist, and its creator at Exquisite has called it his personal favorite innovation—a design that has never been surpassed, even 20 years later.
What elevates this card further is Yao Ming’s unique significance in basketball history. Drafted number one overall in 2002, Yao was the first internationally developed player to reach that position, paving the way for today’s global NBA landscape, where international stars dominate All-NBA selections. During his career, he became an eight-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, and a Hall of Fame inductee, while also serving as president of the Chinese Basketball Association from 2017 to 2024. At his peak, Houston Rockets games were broadcast weekly in China as if they were “Team China,” cementing his role as a cultural icon and ambassador for the sport.
This cultural and historical importance is mirrored in the marketplace. China’s collecting community is expanding rapidly, with card shows, curated cultural events, and auction platforms already handling millions in monthly turnover. Collectors there are known for deep-pocketed spending on rare cultural trophies, and Yao’s cards sit at the very top of their aspirational lists. Previous sales confirm demand: Yao’s 2003 Exquisite Base Auto Patch 1/1 sold for $200,000 in 2020, with values rising significantly since. Even lower-tier dual logoman and insert cards have commanded six-figure valuations.
With extreme scarcity, direct validation from Exquisite’s creator, and resonance with both Western and Chinese collectors, this dual auto patch card represents more than a grail—it is a once-in-a-generation cultural trophy at the intersection of NBA history and global collecting.
Conclusion 🎯
The Yao Ming 2005 Reflections Dual Auto Patch 1/2 unites unparalleled rarity, cultural significance, and collector validation. As one of Upper Deck’s most celebrated creations and a top Yao grail, it embodies trophy-asset status with cross-market appeal. This card offers investors a unique opportunity to secure enduring value in global sports memorabilia.
The Yao Ming 2005 Reflections Dual Auto Patch 1/2 unites unparalleled rarity, cultural significance, and collector validation. As one of Upper Deck’s most celebrated creations and a top Yao grail, it embodies trophy-asset status with cross-market appeal. This card offers investors a unique opportunity to secure enduring value in global sports memorabilia.
Expert
K3Y Asset
K3Y Asset is a hobby platform to tell stories in the hobby of card collecting in proper contexts and often in parallel to sports history and moments, while unlocking desirable attributes from key sports cards to elevate them into long term desirable assets.
Additional details
Asset ID
8da9ebd7-b57f-4e9d-bf3f-7489a5e8d1c2
Publisher
Upper Deck
Card name
Yao Ming 2005 Upper Deck Reflections Mirror Image Dual Auto Patch 1of2
Publication year
2005
Player and team
Yao Ming, Houston Rockets
Edition number (i.e. 5 of 50)
1 of 2, first one made
Material
Cardboard, two-sided Foil, Game-Used patches, and Ink
Condition
PSA 6 + 9 Auto
