In a swirl of nostalgia and new collectibles, the trading card hobby shattered its financial ceiling in June 2025, pushing the envelope to an unprecedented $305 million in sales. Such a record-smashing month paints a vivid picture of a growing tidal wave within cardboard collectibles, reverberating across sports, trading card games (TCGs), and cherished cultural icons.
The crescendo of card activity—in all its glossy, ink-scented glory—came to us not in subtle whispers but rather a thunderous roar from the titans of trade. Headlining the trading extravaganza were eBay, Goldin, and Fanatics Collect, with each marketplace orchestrating a symphony of bids that sang to the tune of millions.
With eBay pulling away as a front-runner, the formidable platform registered over $245 million in card sales alone. Imagine, if you will, a virtual Colosseum where collectors and bidders engage in a high-stakes dance of demand and desire, each click bringing them closer to their sought-after pieces of cardboard history.
Close on eBay’s heels, Goldin showcased regal flair, having raked in $32 million. Meanwhile, Fanatics Collect carved its own niche, contributing a commendable $27 million for the month. Altogether, Card Ladder, the diligent sentinel of this booming industry, documented a whirlwind 5.2 million individual transactions. A milestone in itself, these figures achieved the second-highest tally ever noted on the platform.
Among the individual players, a distinct card carried the regal baton of this month’s crowning sale—a 2009-10 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual NBA Logoman card. The iconic duo of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant adorned it, their visages encapsulated on a singular cardboard canvas now enshrined in the collection of a deep-pocketed connoisseur. Fetching a princely sum of $1.16 million through Goldin, it stood as June’s sole seven-figure card.
Beyond this luminary card, the month boasted six cards breaching the $500,000 threshold, 68 surpassing $100,000, and a further 239 scaling past $50,000—a testament to the insatiable thirst for top-tier treasures in the competitive collectors’ market.
Paralleling the upsurge in sales, grading activity within the hobby also hummed its own tune of exponential growth. GemRate, keeping its finger finely on the pulse of this demanding market, revealed an enthusiastic blitz of grading activity, with 12.4 million cards having passed the scrutinous gaze of graders this year—a notable 25% jump from last year’s numbers.
Interestingly, the whispering echoes of “I choose you!” continue to ring out strong, with Pokémon cards dominating the grading scene. An astonishing 97 of the top 100 most graded cards at PSA can trace their origins back to the Pokémon world—a remarkable achievement for these perennial favorites of Pikachu and company.
As the dust settles on June 2025, the trading card hobby finds itself mid-stride in a robust first half of the year. The currents of momentum are drawing collectors deeper into varied pools of interest—from the storied pasts of NBA greats to dynamic new horizons with TCGs and beloved cultural franchises.
The cohesion of growing interest, coupled with escalating values and a flourishing secondary market, underscores a landscape ripe for continued expansion. Whether one is traversing this world as an aficionado with a discerning eye for the rare or a curious newcomer dabbling into long-forgotten nostalgia, the trading card universe presents an alluring collection of opportunities.
Jubilant collectors—sustained by a wicked cocktail of supply, demand, and gumption—will undoubtedly watch eagerly as July and the subsequent months unfold. Each day an adventure poised to deliver eye-popping sales figures and exquisite cardboard treasures destined for the hands of those who dare to call them their own.
Indeed, the bridge between memories and market dynamics grows ever-stronger, eagerly awaiting the next batch of extraordinary tales to unfold in this captivating chronicle of cardboard charisma.
