A favorite among basketball collectors everywhere, the 1998-99 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems #53 Kobe Bryant showcases a metal inspired design with subtle embossing and a great image of the soon to be Hall of Famer.  The 1998 Metal Universe set marks the third and final year for the "original" PMGs with a design that resembles a gold tint refractor and featured 123 subjects, of which Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan ranked supreme.  Scarce Limited Edition "05 of 50" has been deemed MINT 9 by BGS with 10 Centering; 10 Surface; 9 Corners and 8 Edges.  While "5" is not Kobe's jersey number, this number is still significant by representing the five NBA Championships he won with the Lakers. This is just one of three MINT 9 examples in the entire world, with only three higher, and is the first Kobe 1998 PMG to be offered in a major auction in any grade! With the increased demand for any and all Precious Metal Gems, especially the top tier legends like Kobe Bryant, we cannot stress the importance of this opportunity. The heavy hitters going after "grails" like these are not just collectors anymore, but rather investors that see immense potential in the "one of a kind" cards that are seldom shown to the public, let alone offered for sale. This may very well be the last time you see this gem, unless you become the victor.