As if transported by a time machine back to their heyday, trading cards have made an impressive comeback, reaching values that would make a mint condition Mickey Mantle rookie card blush. June 2025 has bestowed upon the trading card world a crown jewel moment, marking a colossal $305 million spent on these little pieces of cardboard art. This figure, resembling more of a blockbuster movie budget than monthly sales, sets a new industry record, outshining March’s previous high score of $303.22 million.
Reflecting a hobby that is more than just child’s play, the record is a testament to the trading card community’s resilience and growth, strikingly exhibited over the first half of the year. This collectible crusade was led in large part by eBay, which took the lion’s share of the pie, racking up over $245 million in card sales. Its marketplace, where dreams of turning a pack’s contents into fortunes are regularly attempted, remains a bastion for collectors of all stripes from rookies to seasoned players.
Adding to this eBay extravaganza was Goldin, the auction house known for handling the types of cards that require careful white-glove treatment—they managed to contribute a smooth $32 million to the month’s total. Meanwhile, Fanatics Collect was not to be outdone, bringing in $27 million, further cementing its position as a key player in the game.
When broken down into transactions, Card Ladder, an analytics platform dedicated to keeping tabs on this fervent market, recorded an enviable 5.2 million individual trades in June. This impressive figure places June as the second-highest month ever for transactions, showcasing the feverish pace at which cards exchanged hands—from the simplest pocket monsters to rare relics from the sports world.
Amongst the myriad of trades and treasures, one sale stood out with a grandeur befitting the athletes depicted. Goldin facilitated the acquisition of a 2009-10 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual NBA Logoman card featuring both LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. This instant artifact fetched a jaw-dropping $1.16 million, reigning as the month’s only seven-figure card.
The high-end market did not languish with just one superstar sale. The broader spectrum of card trading saw six deals eclipsing the $500,000 mark, 68 transactions crossing the $100,000 threshold, and 239 satisfied that all-important itch to break the $50,000 barrier. Such figures reflect an artful opus of wealth and investment that leaves no doubt about the motivation and capacity of those deeply embedded in the card-collecting nucleus.
Beyond the glamorous high-stakes, grading activity—a process by which cards are meticulously scrutinized and given numerical scores reflecting their condition—reached heights as lofty as the sales themselves. GemRate reported an astonishing 12.4 million cards graded thus far in 2025, a considerable 25% uptick from the previous year. The grading game showcases the nuanced love for these cards, offering not just intrinsic nostalgia but quantifiable values that collectors can savor or showcase.
Here, a pack battle brews as 7.2 million were dedicated to trading card games (TCGs) and non-sports cards, with Pokémon continuing to snatch gold like the best of compulsive gatherers. An astonishing 97 out of the 100 most graded cards at PSA, a top card-grading service, feature these definitive pocket monsters that have captivated generations and maintain a fiery relevance in the market.
This remarkable month caps a solid and invigorating first half of 2025 for the trading card domain, igniting further desire and investment in sports and TCGs alike. As values climb and gem mints remain the Holy Grail for collectors worldwide, this recent surge illustrates the enduring magic and escapism that these relics of cardboard continue to evoke.
What this record-breaking performance ultimately signifies is not just a financial triumph for sellers and marketplaces, but a reminder of the passion and nostalgia driving this community. These cards, whether they depict home-run kings or fiery creatures, tell stories, hold history, and spark imaginations—solidifying them as more than just a fleeting trend, but a perpetual tapestry in the world of collectibles.
