A flurry of $1 million-plus gross sales in February has powered the high-end buying and selling card market to one of many largest begins to a calendar yr in current reminiscence. Among the many 5 seven-figure sports activities playing cards to promote final month have been a pair of T206 Honus Wagner playing cards, together with the newly-discovered “Shields Household” instance for $5.1 million and the one as soon as owned by former MLB participant and broadcaster Joe Garagiola for $3.6 million.
Mixed with two extra million-dollar gross sales from January — one in every of which was the document $16.5 million paid for a Pokémon card beforehand owned by YouTuber turned skilled wrestler Logan Paul — the seven $1 million-plus gross sales for playing cards of any type to this point in 2026 is essentially the most by means of the primary two months of the yr since 2022 (13), in keeping with knowledge software Card Ladder’s public data.
Just some days into March, there are already at the least three extra playing cards poised to affix that listing. One other Charizard (present bid at $1.1 million) and a 1916 Sporting Information Babe Ruth (present bid at $1.1 million) finish Saturday evening on Goldin Auctions, and the Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Decide Twin Gold Logoman autographed card (present bid at $1.1 million) ends later this month on Fanatics Acquire.
Prime sports activities card gross sales in February
1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner PSA 1 (Shields): $5.1M
1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner SGC Genuine (Garagiola): $3.6M
1997 Extremely Michael Jordan Masterpiece 1/1 PSA 8: $2.1M
1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #181 autographed PSA 4.5/DNA 8: $1.46M
2014-15 Panini Nationwide Treasures Kobe Bryant Logoman /2 BGS 9.5/Auto 10: $1.1M
Supply: Card Ladder (Feb. 1 to Feb. 28)
There’s been 7 buying and selling card gross sales of $1 million or extra to this point in 2026 after two playing cards topped the mark by means of @Heritage_Sport this weekend.
Based on @CardLadder’s data, that is essentially the most by means of the primary two months of the yr since 2022 (13 gross sales). pic.twitter.com/Wjs3GhjkQU
— Ben Burrows (@BenMBurrows) March 1, 2026
Wagner is much from essentially the most well-known baseball participant lately, however his T206 problem stays one of the crucial vital playing cards within the interest greater than 100 years after the American Tobacco Firm created it. Solely about 60 copies are identified to exist, so the invention of the “Shields” Wagner, which remained with the identical household because the card’s launch, ought to be one of many market’s highlights for 2026. The cardboard gained further consideration when it appeared within the Netflix sequence “King of Collectibles: The Goldin Contact” previous to its sale.
Finest-selling athletes in February: Knueppel makes explosive entrance
Michael Jordan (32.2k)
Cooper Flagg (31.8k)
Drake Maye (25.6k)
Victor Wembanyama (17.7k)
Kon Knueppel (15.6k)
Supply: Market Movers
The highest 4 best-selling athletes final month, in keeping with card pricing software Market Movers, are about what you’d count on. Michael Jordan is often close to the highest, whereas Cooper Flagg, Drake Maye and Victor Wembanyama are a part of the following technology of interest stars. Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel’s torrid capturing has put him within the combine now, and collectors are hoping they’ve stumbled into the NBA’s subsequent game-changing shooter simply as Stephen Curry’s profession winds down.
Going up: Ohtani stays a interest darling
Kon Knueppel (+39%)
Shohei Ohtani (+14%)
Victor Wembanyama (+5%)
Jayden Daniels (+5%)
Caleb Williams (+4%)
Supply: Market Movers (minimal 5,000 gross sales)
There will not be an lively athlete who has a stronger grip on their sport’s market than Shohei Ohtani. Market Movers tracked practically 12,000 gross sales for the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrity in February, which is greater than Paul Skenes (4.9k) in second place and Nick Kurtz (4.7k) in third place mixed, making Ohtani’s double-digital value development particularly spectacular. Don’t be stunned if Ohtani’s card costs proceed to climb with Japan among the many favorites to win this yr’s World Baseball Basic, an occasion that propelled his card costs again in 2023.
Happening: Offseason hits NFL quarterbacks
Drake Maye (-21%)
Shedeur Sanders (-11%)
Tyler Shough (-10%)
Jaxson Dart (-7%)
Dylan Harper (-6%)
Supply: Market Movers (minimal 5,000 gross sales)
Collectors holding Maye’s key playing cards most likely aren’t thrilled with the two-interception efficiency in a loss to the Seahawks in Tremendous Bowl LX, however his emergence in Yr 2 has fully reshaped his marketplace for the higher. Offseason value falloffs are frequent in all sports activities, and people on the high are sometimes among the many most impacted. Maye’s collective card market will rebound, however it may worsen earlier than it will get higher.
Finest-selling playing cards: Former Duke teammates star in NBA
2025 Topps Cooper Flagg base #201 (4.6k)
2025 Topps Chrome Cooper Flagg base #251 (3.5k)
2025 Topps Chrome Kon Knueppel base #254 (2.0k)
2025 Topps Kon Knueppel base #204 (1.8k)
2025 Topps Cooper Flagg Energy Gamers #PP-16 (1.5k)
Supply: Market Movers
Flagg filling this listing ought to shock nobody, however Knueppel’s look is a serious shakeup within the basketball hierarchy after collectors initially anticipated higher seasons from VJ Edgecombe, Dylan Harper and (perhaps) Ace Bailey. Along with a shift in focus from the NFL to the NBA serving to prop up Flagg and Knueppel, there’s most likely further juice with Topps reentering the basketball card marketplace for the primary time in 15 years.
Grading recap: Beckett recovers as TAG, AGS outpace SGC
PSA (1.86M complete; 626k sports activities playing cards)
CGC (451k complete playing cards; 80k sports activities playing cards)
BGS (88k complete playing cards; 24k sports activities playing cards)
TAG (44k complete playing cards; 4k sports activities playing cards)
SGC (41k complete playing cards; 38k sports activities playing cards)
Supply: GemRate (Feb. 1 to Feb. 28)
Main buying and selling card authenticators graded 2.49 million playing cards in February, in keeping with third-party grading tracker GemRate. PSA stays the market chief in complete playing cards graded. Nonetheless, essentially the most notable storyline for a lot of hobbyists can be Beckett’s (BGS) resurgence with a 33 p.c enhance month-over-month and a 65 p.c enhance year-over-year, following its controversial acquisition by PSA dad or mum firm Collectors in December.
Whereas the general impression on Beckett is probably going nonetheless restricted, Collectors’ try and scale down SGC, which it acquired in February 2024, right into a “boutique” model has continued with each TAG and AGS outpacing the corporate final month.
What sellers are saying
Panini’s Nationwide Treasures line drove essentially the most gross sales for eBay Dwell vendor Blez Sports activities Playing cards final month, in keeping with the corporate. Panini just lately launched 2025 Nationwide Treasures Soccer as its NFL license winds down. Topps will quickly take over that license, too, however collectors are apparently desperate to get ahold of Panini’s high-end product whereas it’s nonetheless licensed.
Blez’s George Quinn additionally highlighted 2025 Bowman Draft Baseball as a product he felt was ignored final month. That would change as Spring Coaching and the WBC warmth up.
In the meantime, Joe Brode of Primetimesportsframing, which has just lately featured NBA legends Dennis Rodman and Shawn Kemp on its livestreams, famous a shift within the autograph world.
“If the participant is on display screen signing on eBay Dwell, merchandise developments upwards all day lengthy,” Brode stated. “Dwell signings will take over the autograph business. Individuals need authenticity with their objects, and folks need leisure with shopping for.”
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