{"id":1928045,"date":"2026-05-10T18:45:21","date_gmt":"2026-05-10T15:45:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1928045"},"modified":"2026-05-10T18:45:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-10T15:45:21","slug":"trading-card-market-hit-record-highs-again-in-april-cooper-flagg-and-pokemon-drive-sales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1928045","title":{"rendered":"Trading card market hit record highs (again) in April: Cooper Flagg and Pok\u00e9mon drive sales"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A pair of seven-figure private sales and a new all-time high for grading activity highlighted another sweltering month for the trading card market in April. Sales tracker Card Ladder recorded more than $616 million in online secondary market sales for the industry, marking the highest single month recorded by the tool during its current era of reporting, which began in 2024. April\u2019s total is the fourth consecutive record month recorded by Card Ladder, which attempts to capture the industry\u2019s online secondary market (meaning it does not include online retail sales or transactions at card shops\/shows unless reported and verified) by pulling data from a variety of popular marketplaces and auction houses.<\/p>\n

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Trading card grading also reached an all-time high in April with more than 3.1 million cards graded by third-party authenticators, according to tracker GemRate<\/a>. Both industry leader PSA (2.21 million) and CGC Cards (690k) set records for a single month, though Pok\u00e9mon and other trading card games accounted for more than two million of that total.<\/p>\n

Top sports card sales in April<\/h2>\n
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  1. 1997 Metal Universe Kobe Bryant Precious Metal Gems Green \/10, PSA 5: $3.15 million<\/li>\n
  2. 2017 Topps Dynasty Aaron Judge Logoman Autograph, BGS 9.5\/AUTO 10: $1.95 million<\/li>\n
  3. 2000 Upper Deck Michael Jordan-Kobe Bryant Jersey Combo Autograph \/10, PSA 6\/AUTO 9:\u00a0 $869,250<\/li>\n
  4. 1910 T210 Old Mill Cigarettes Series 8 Joe Jackson, SGC 3: $687,500<\/li>\n
  5. 2009-10 Panini National Treasures Stephen Curry RPA \/99, PSA 10: $622,000<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Source: Card Ladder (April 1 to April 30)<\/em><\/p>\n

    The most notable sale in April was a 1997 Metal Universe Kobe Bryant Precious Metal Gems card, which was purchased by trading card marketplace Alt in a private deal. The highest known sale for a card featuring only Bryant, the transaction was made for the company\u2019s investment fund, according to Alt investor and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian<\/a>. Among the most coveted ultra high-end cards issued during the 1990s, Precious Metal Gems<\/a> were serial-numbered to just 100 copies, with the first 10 cards in the print run being the rarest Green variation and the final 90 being a Red variation. In addition to being highly sought after for their visual appeal and scarcity, PMGs are difficult to find in high grades due to condition issues, like chipping on the card\u2019s delicate foil finish.<\/p>\n

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    We got it! @altxyzofficial<\/a> investment fund got the most expensive Kobe Bryant card ever: $3.15 Million! We now hold all-time price records for Kobe, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. LFG. Congrats, team. pic.twitter.com\/zxDbZZxzzW<\/a><\/p>\n

    \u2014 Alexis Ohanian \ud83d\uddfd (@alexisohanian) April 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Though it wasn\u2019t the most expensive transaction from April, a significant moment for the Formula 1 market arrived with the $201,910 paid for a 2025 Topps Dynasty Kimi Antonelli<\/a> Rookie Patch Autograph 1\/1 at Goldin. The result is a record for an Antonelli card and the first F1 sale logged by Card Ladder to top $200,000 since 2023. The Formula 1 market saw explosive growth from 2020 through 2021 alongside the popularity of Netflix\u2019s \u201cDrive to Survive\u201d series, but has since cooled. Antonelli has won three of the four races so far in 2026 and currently leads F1\u2019s Driver Standings.<\/p>\n

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    Kimi Antonelli is turning heads in the hobby \ud83c\udfc1<\/p>\n

    His 2025 Topps Dynasty Racing Glove 1\/1 Auto just sold for $201.9K, setting a new record for his cards<\/p>\n

    It now ranks as the 5th highest public F1 card sale ever, according to our database \ud83d\udcc8 pic.twitter.com\/Q9UztbBrke<\/a><\/p>\n

    \u2014 Market Movers (@MarketMoversApp) April 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Best-selling athletes in April: Jaxson Dart enters the mix<\/h2>\n
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    1. Michael Jordan<\/a> (34.4k)<\/li>\n
    2. Cooper Flagg<\/a> (27.7k)<\/li>\n
    3. Victor Wembanyama<\/a> (25.3k)<\/li>\n
    4. Jaxson Dart<\/a> (17.5k)<\/li>\n
    5. Shohei Ohtani<\/a> (17.4k)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Source: Market Movers<\/em><\/p>\n

      This list has mostly been dominated by current and former basketball stars in recent months, but New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart has made his way in behind interest in the hobby\u2019s hottest new product. Topps regained exclusive rights to make licensed NFL cards on April 1, and Dart has been by far the most popular player from the company\u2019s first set. Card pricing tracker Market Movers has logged more than 5,400 sales for Dart from 2025 Topps Chrome Football<\/a> so far, which easily outpaces 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward\u2019s roughly 3,700.<\/p>\n

      const eBayApiUrl=”https:\/\/api.theathletic.com”; <\/p>\n

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      Jaxson Dart rookie cards<\/div>\n

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      Notable rises in value: Collectors plan for retirement<\/h2>\n
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      1. Michael Jordan (+7.7 percent)<\/li>\n
      2. LeBron James (+5.4 percent)<\/li>\n
      3. Kobe Bryant (+4.2 percent)<\/li>\n
      4. Ken Griffey Jr. (+3.2 percent)<\/li>\n
      5. Shohei Ohtani (+3.0 percent)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Source: Market Movers (minimum 5,000 sales)<\/em><\/p>\n

        LeBron James hasn\u2019t announced his plans beyond his current deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, but his career is undoubtedly winding down. Regardless of any potential timeline, collectors may already be positioning for his retirement by picking up his key rookies cards with (relative) volume. Of James\u2019 cards tracked by Market Movers, two of his four most popular PSA 10 examples over the last month are his 2003 Topps and 2003 Topps Chrome rookie cards. Both cards are up in price by more than 30 percent over the last 30 days with at least 30 total sales apiece. That 2003 Topps PSA 10 has averaged about $4,500 over that timeframe while the 2003 Topps Chrome has trended closer to $10,300.<\/p>\n

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        Going down: Weak draft, weaker collection<\/h2>\n
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        1. Jaxson Dart (-30.1 percent)<\/li>\n
        2. Cam Ward (-26.4 percent)<\/li>\n
        3. Travis Hunter (-24.3 percent)<\/li>\n
        4. Kon Knueppel (-24.0 percent)<\/li>\n
        5. Shedeur Sanders (-23.1 percent)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Source: Market Movers (minimum 5,000 sales)<\/em><\/p>\n

          The 2025 NFL Draft was considered weak by analysts and it hasn\u2019t exactly disproven that projection after one season. Collectors, who demand a mix of production and popularity to buy in, might already be punting on the class to focus on the 2026 group, or other sports entirely. There\u2019s typically an offseason lull with most players, so drops in price or sales volume aren\u2019t abnormal this time of year for NFL players. Dart\u2019s dip is easier to pallet because price drops can often still appear alongside high sales volume, signifying a correction from the initial heights of frenzied hype rather than a collapse of interest, but it\u2019s hard to make the same argument for Ward, Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders.<\/p>\n

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          {“endpoint”:”https:\/\/api-prd-nyt.theathletic.com\/graphql”}<\/p>\n

          Ward\u2019s market is worth monitoring closely as we see the Titans continue to rebuild, but collectors in the meantime may not view him as a prospect worth waiting for. Hunter\u2019s stock among hobbyists took a hit following news he\u2019ll likely spend most of his time at corner rather than receiver \u2014 outside of a few exceptions, defenders aren\u2019t typically popular among card collectors and this ends any hopes of him being the \u201cOhtani of football\u201d that some positioned him as. Sanders has the name recognition to be collectible, but players who are backups on bad teams don\u2019t usually resonate with hobbyists.<\/p>\n

          Best-selling cards: Flagg, Knueppel remain on top<\/h2>\n
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          1. 2025 Topps Cooper Flagg Base #201<\/a> (2.6k)<\/li>\n
          2. 2025 Topps Chrome Cooper Flagg Base #251<\/a> (1.9k)<\/li>\n
          3. 2025 Topps Kon Knueppel Base #204<\/a> (1.3k)<\/li>\n
          4. 2025 Topps Chrome Kon Knueppel Base #254<\/a> (1.2k)<\/li>\n
          5. 2025 Topps Chrome Jaxson Dart Base #306<\/a> (1.2k)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Source: Market Movers<\/em><\/p>\n

            Collectors aren\u2019t seeing Cooper Flagg or Kon Knueppel in the playoffs, but that doesn\u2019t really matter when they are focused on the long-term outlook. Flagg won Rookie of the Year over his former Duke teammate, so he\u2019ll be among the award winners wearing gold NBA logo patches<\/a> throughout the 2026-27 season \u2014 those patches will later be placed into high-end trading cards. For now, collectors are focused more on the pair\u2019s more achievable cards. Ungraded, raw copies of Flagg\u2019s primary rookie cards currently check in around $6 (Topps) and $22 (Topps Chrome) with Knueppel even cheaper at $3 (Topps) and $7 (Topps Chrome). If you\u2019re looking for affordable flagship rookies for either, these copies are the ones to get. Just know that with high print-run base cards like these, monetary value shouldn\u2019t be the primary interest.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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            Cooper Flagg rookie cards<\/div>\n

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            Grading recap: Grading activity hits record high in April<\/h2>\n
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            1. PSA (2.21M total cards, 690k sports cards)<\/li>\n
            2. CGC (690k total cards, 85k sports cards)<\/li>\n
            3. BGS (97k total cards, 29k sports cards)<\/li>\n
            4. SGC (50k total cards, 47k sports cards)<\/li>\n
            5. TAG (47k total cards, 3k sports cards)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              Source: GemRate (April 1 to April 30)<\/em><\/p>\n

              Card grading eclipsed three million total items for the first time in April en route to a record high for a single month. PSA led all graders with more than 2.2 million cards, including more than 690,000 sports cards. According to GemRate, baseball (237k) outpaced both basketball (206k) and football (161k) at PSA. As noted above, TCG and non-sports cards, particularly Pok\u00e9mon, continue to outpace sports cards as that market experiences a resurgence in recent years. TAG, the AI-powered grader, continues to increase output, but recently announced temporary pauses to its two most popular submission tiers in an attempt to catch up on demand.<\/p>\n

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              What sellers are saying<\/h2>\n

              Joe Brode, owner of eBay Live seller Prime Time Sports & Framing<\/a> in Kent, Ohio, has seen significant interest in nearly every trading card product released so far in 2026, particularly the new 2025 Topps Chrome Football set.<\/p>\n

              \u201cOver the course of the year, we\u2019ve just seen a huge trend of any product that was coming out, that stuff came out hot out of the gates,\u201d Brode told The Athletic<\/em>. \u201cEspecially this new Topps Chrome Football<\/a> that just came out. The prices were absolutely crazy and then it dies down a little bit and comes back down to earth.\u201d<\/p>\n

              According to Brode, some collectors have compensated for those high initial prices for new licensed products by buying unlicensed sets from brands like Wild Card<\/a>.<\/p>\n

              \u201cWe\u2019re seeing an uptick in non-licensed product,\u201d Brode said. \u201cWe buy a lot of Wild Card and it\u2019s grown in popularity. It\u2019s a lower-end product, but it\u2019s affordable for a lot of newer collectors and even old collectors, too. Even though it\u2019s not a licensed product, you can still get a Jaxson Dart autograph.\u201d<\/p>\n

              The secondary market was also particularly hot at several popular card shows in April, including Front Row Card Show\u2019s events in San Diego and Tacoma. Front Row CEO Dan Bliss told The Athletic<\/em> some vendors have struggled to keep enough inventory during multi-day events, with some tables too light on Sunday after a busy Saturday.<\/p>\n

              \u201cWe want attendees to experience a show that\u2019s got a lot of good vendors, a lot of good inventory, and it\u2019s a challenge for vendors to stay fully stocked,\u201d Bliss said. \u201cAnd that applies to all types of types of inventory, and certainly a lot of new wax products. They sell out so fast.\u201d<\/p>\n

              <\/div>\n

              The Athletic maintains full editorial independence in all our coverage. When you click or make purchases through our links, we may earn a commission.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              A pair of seven-figure private sales and a new all-time high for grading activity highlighted another sweltering month for the trading card market in April. Sales tracker Card Ladder recorded more than $616 million in online secondary market sales for the industry, marking the highest single month recorded by the tool during its current era […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,241],"class_list":["post-1928045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-nytimes-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1928045","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1928045"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1928045\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1928045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1928045"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1928045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}