Trading Cards Still Hot with Recent Record-Breaking Sales

Once purely a hobby of those worshiping men on cardboard, trading cards are becoming a true asset class—and the numbers show it, as the PWCC 500 Index, which tracks 500 of the most prominent sports cards, is up nearly 400% from 2020 through the beginning of 2022.

At the high end, records continue to break for the most expensive sports cards sold. The following is a list of such sales—a list that will surely be outdated soon.

Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps SGC, the highest selling vintage card to date

   VINTAGE

1. Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps SGC 9.5: $12.6 million
2. Honus Wagner T206 SGC 3: $7.25 million
3. Babe Ruth 1916 Baltimore News SGC 3: ~$6 million (exact price unknown due to nondisclosure agreement)

Steph Curry 2009 Panini National Treasures Rookie Patch Autograph card

   ULTRA-MODERN

1. Steph Curry 2009 Panini National Treasures Rookie Patch Autograph: $5.9 million
2. LeBron James 2003-2004 Rookie Patch Autograph Upper-Deck Exquisite: $5.2 million
3. Luka Doncic 2018-2019 Panini National Treasures Rookie Patch Autograph: $4.6 million

Rob Gough pictured with the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle he purchased for $5.2 million, breaking the previous record for a sports card sale. (PWCC Marketplace)

   LARGEST MARKET CAP

1. Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps PSA 9: $73 million
2. Michael Jordan 1986 fleer PSA 10: $67 million
3. LeBron James Upper-Deck Exquisite Collection Patch Auto BGS 9/Auto 10: $49 million

Sources

https://www.csgcards.com/news/article/10234/most-expensive-sports-cards/

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/02/babe-ruths-1914-baltimore-card-valued-at-6m-breaks-price-record.html

https://www.pwccmarketplace.com/newsroom/pwcc-500-trading-card-index-outpaces-sp-500-fixed-income-and-debt-through-first-quarter#:~:text=The%20PWCC%20500%20Index%2C%20which,of%202020%20through%20Q1%202022

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