Ken Goldin's net worth: inside the King of Collectibles' fortune

Ken Goldin's net worth in 2025 is estimated to be over $50 million. The Goldin Auctions founder, dubbed the King of Collectibles, has made a fortune from his childhood hobby. His name is now synonymous with high-value collectibles in sports and entertainment, and as he told Bloomberg in 2021:

I'm getting all my deals 'cause I'm Ken Goldin. It's so freaking weird.

Key takeaways

• Ken Goldin got rich from trading valuable sports memorabilia, cards, and collectibles. 
• Goldin co-owned his first multi-million-dollar company, The Score Board, with his father in the 1980s and the 1990s before he established Goldin Auctions in 2012. 
• Ken's work as a collector is documented in Netflix's reality series, King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch (2023 to date).

Ken Goldin's profile summary

How Ken Goldin's net worth grew to over $50 million

Ken Goldin found himself in the lucrative collector's business at 12 years old. In 1978, he made his first trade when he exchanged his miniature electric racetrack cars for a friend's collection of around 5,000 baseball cards. The cards featured MLB greats like Nolan Ryan, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron.

The New Jersey-raised collector grew up as a fan of the MLB's Philadelphia Phillies and would collect cards throughout the 1970s. Goldin started his first sports memorabilia business in his parents' basement.

Goldin co-launched his first major memorabilia business with his dad

In 1986, Ken and his father, Paul Goldin, founded The Score Board, Inc., a company focused on autographed sports items and trading cards. Their company went public a year later in 1987, and by 1994, the father-son duo was making over $100 million in sales, according to Bloomberg.

Ken was also honing his business skills. He enrolled at The George Washington University School of Business in 1983 to pursue Marketing. The collector later joined Drexel University in 1985 to study a Bachelor of Business Administration and graduated in 1987.

Goldin left Score Board in 1997 when oversupply led to devalued rookie cards during the junk wax era, but he continued to be a collector. He later took advantage of the growing interest in other sports leagues besides baseball, including American football, soccer, hockey, and basketball.

Ken's further success with Goldin Auctions 

Goldin Auctions is a leading auction house for sports memorabilia and collectibles based in Runnemede, New Jersey. It also deals in memorabilia from popular culture and historical artefacts. Ken established the company in 2012, and it has since collected over $2 billion in collectibles, according to its website.

Ken Goldin's company was worth an estimated $102 million in 2020, with the year's biggest sale being Mike Trout's 2009 Bowman Chrome Superfractor autographed rookie card for $3.936 million. In early 2021, Ken sold a majority stake in the company to Collectors Holdings, a group co-owned by New York Mets owner Steve Chen, hedge fund billionaire Dan Sundheim, and venture capitalist Nat Turner.

By September 2021, major sports stars had invested in the company, including Dwayne Wade, Mark Cuban, Logan Paul, Deshaun Watson, and Kevin Durant. Goldin Auction's net worth had surpassed $300 million by 2022. The company usually keeps a 20% cut of the sales.

The company is the official auction house for the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, the Babe Ruth Museum, and the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

Why Ken sold Goldin Auctions to eBay 

Ken and Collectors Holdings sold the auction house to eBay in May 2024, but the agreement's financial terms were not made public. He retained his position as Goldin Auctions' owner and CEO. While explaining why he sold the company to the multinational e-commerce company, the collector said:

Both Goldin and eBay have a very strong commitment to collectors and building the collectible community with the best offerings possible... I have the opportunity to bring the Goldin brand to millions of collectors around the world.

Ken has sold some of the most valuable collectibles

Goldin has orchestrated record-breaking sales of some incredibly valuable sports and entertainment cards and memorabilia throughout his over four-decade career. His lifetime sales exceed $1.3 billion. In 2009, he sold the ultra-rare Mike Trout Bowman rookie card signed by the athlete for $3.936 million.

In May 2021, Ken sold the most expensive Kobe Bryant LA Lakers rookie jersey ever for $3.69 million. The sale was completed a week after the NBA star was posthumously inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.  

Ken has also traded some of the most expensive Michael Jordan items ever sold. In October 2021, an MJ-autographed 1997 UD Game Jersey Auto /23 was sold for $2.7 million. Later, in June 2024, his company sold the 2003 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Michael Jordan signed Logoman for $2.928 million, making it one of the most valuable Ken Goldin basketball cards ever sold for any MJ cards.

Is Ken Goldin Jewish? 

Goldin is a matronymic Jewish surname, although the collector has not discussed having Jewish roots. In January 2013, his daughter Laura, whom he shares with his wife, Jennifer, celebrated B'nai Mitzvah in New Jersey.

Ken Goldin's net worth has grown as he transformed the world of collectibles from a niche hobby into a high-stakes investment empire. The lifelong collector is also involved in philanthropy work and serves as the chairperson of the Camcare Charitable Foundation.

READ ALSO: How and where to sell old coins in South Africa

Briefly.co.za highlighted places to check if you are looking to sell old coins in South Africa. The value you fetch depends on their rarity, condition, and historical significance.

Coins like the Krugerrand and commemorative coins can be worth thousands of rands. Popular locations you can sell to include the Randburg Coin in Johannesburg and Cape Town Coins & Collectibles. 

Source: Briefly News