MagCollect
Cover of the Week: Tiger Woods, Sports Illustrated, October 28, 1996
Thirty years ago this week, Sports Illustrated put a 20-year-old golfer on its cover under a one-word headline: "Tiger!" It's the issue collectors know as Tiger Woods' first SI cover.
The timing explains the excitement. Woods turned pro in August 1996 and won two PGA Tour events that October. By the end of the year SI had named him Sportsman of the Year.
What it sells for
Newsstand copies sold at Goldin in 2026:
| Grade | Price | Sold |
|---|---|---|
| PSA 9.8 | $18,300 | May 2026 |
| PSA 9.2 | $2,684 | February 2026 |
| PSA 8.0 | $1,739 | January 2026 |
| CGC 9.2 | $1,129 | July 2026 |
| PSA 7.5 | $340 | February 2026 |
The PSA 9.8 at $18,300 is the issue's top sale in our records. It also makes our list of the 10 most expensive SI covers sold in 2026.
Newsstand or subscription?
Check the cover before you buy. Subscription copies were mailed with an address label printed on the front; newsstand copies weren't. The difference in price is large: a CGC 9.2 subscription copy sold at Goldin for $110 in August 2025, while a CGC 9.2 newsstand copy sold there for $1,129 this July.
Collector notes
Woods has 22 Sports Illustrated covers in our catalog, from this one through his 2019 Masters win.
Open the October 28, 1996 issue in MagCollect to see every recorded sale, or add it to your wishlist.
Sales are Goldin auction results recorded in MagCollect; prices include Goldin's buyer's premium. "First SI cover" is how Goldin and most sellers list this issue.
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