Tracking the Biggest Non-Sport Card Sales in History

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

The 1977 Topps Star Wars #1 Luke Skywalker is widely considered the flagship Star Wars trading card and a centerpiece of the non-sport hobby. On May 5th, 2026, just one day after Star Wars Day, a PSA 10 Gem Mint copy sold for $687,500 through Heritage Auctions, shattering the previous record set one year earlier (see below). The card leads off the original 1977 Topps Star Wars Series 1 release and is treated by collectors as Luke Skywalker’s rookie card. Its blue borders are notoriously prone to chipping and edge wear, making truly mint examples extremely hard to find. Of more than 5,225 graded copies, only 9 have ever received a PSA Gem Mint 10 grade (a 0.17% gem rate). This sale is more proof that iconic non-sport properties are commanding values nearing those of the biggest grails in sports collecting.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

The 2023 Topps Chrome Disney 100 Superfractor #1 Mickey Mouse card sold for $500,000 on October 30, 2024, through a fixed-price listing on the Alt marketplace. The card is a PSA 9-graded 1-of-1. This sale shattered the previous Disney card record of $40,383, which was held by a 1931 vintage Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse PSA 9 card. Released in the UK in January 2023 to celebrate Disney’s centennial, the card features the distinctive shimmering gold swirl of the Superfractor design. The success of Topps Chrome and the Disney Lorcana trading card game has helped establish Disney as a new significant player in the trading card market.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

This is not fake news. The 2012 Leaf Pop Century Signatures Gold Donald J. Trump 1-of-1 autograph card sold for $500,000 via Fanatics Collect in January 2026. Beckett Grading Services graded the card, awarding it an overall grade of Mint BGS 9, with the autograph also receiving a 9. Leaf Pop Century is a celebrity card series from Leaf Trading Cards featuring authentic autographs and memorabilia from notable figures across film, music, sports, and politics. This sale demonstrates how the current political climate has influenced the collectibles market, with Trump-related items experiencing unusual market dynamics due to his status as a polarizing public figure.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

The 1977 O-Pee-Chee Star Wars #1 Luke Skywalker is one of the rarest cards in all of Star Wars card collecting. This is the Canadian issue, and of 129 graded copies, only 2 have ever reached PSA 10 grade. This example sold for $375,000 at Heritage Auctions, obliterating its previous record of $100,000 set in December 2025. The contrast with the U.S. Topps version, which has over 5,000 graded copies, makes it clear that international releases still have room for growth in the non-sport world.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

Few non-sport cards carry the weight of the 1977 Topps Star Wars #1 Luke Skywalker. It leads off the original Series 1 release and is treated by collectors as Luke’s rookie card, making it the undisputed centerpiece of Star Wars collecting. In October 2025, a PSA Gem Mint 10 copy sold for $268,400 through Heritage Auctions, more than tripling the previous record of $78,000 set just a couple of years prior. The jump in value reflects just how scarce true mint examples really are. The card’s blue borders chip and wear easily, and of the more than 4,600 copies that have been graded, only 9 have ever earned a PSA 10.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

The 1977 Topps #7 Darth Vader is one of the most iconic character cards in the entire set. A PSA 10 copy recently sold for $206,250, a massive jump from its previous high of $48,000. Only five copies have ever graded Gem Mint PSA 10 out of 1,529 total submissions, putting the Gem Mint rate at just 0.33%. That kind of scarcity tells the story. Top-population Star Wars key cards have been pulling strong six-figure results as collectors push hard for elite-condition examples.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

A complete PSA graded set of the 1940 Gum Inc. Superman cards sold for $195,200 in December 2025. The 72-card set ranks #4 on the PSA Set Registry with an average grade of 6.5, led by a PSA 6 for card #1. Released just two years after Superman’s comic book debut, this is the first Superman trading card set ever made and one of the earliest superhero card issues in existence. That alone makes it a significant piece of non-sports card history. Collectors focus on a few key cards in particular. Card #1 (“Superman”) and card #72 (“Superman vs. Torpedo”) are the bookends of the set, and both carry strong demand. The high-number cards from #49 to #72 are the toughest to track down in high grade, which pushes their value up considerably.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

A rare 2013 Marvel Fleer Retro Precious Metal Gems (PMG) Green Spider-Man card sold for $168,000 at Goldin Auctions. Graded BGS 9, this green parallel is extremely scarce with only 10 numbered copies produced. The high grade is exceptional given the vibrant delicate PMG foil stock, making this potentially the finest known example. Spider-Man’s iconic appeal drives the card’s value. The set was limited to 4,200 hobby boxes, each guaranteeing one PMG insert. This sale represents one of the highest prices for modern Marvel cards. The sale occurred during a late-pandemic boom phase for Marvel PMGs, when prices neared their peak. DJ and entrepreneur Steve Aoki’s high-profile Marvel PMG purchases during this period helped shape the Marvel PMG and broader Marvel market.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

This complete 96-card set of 1935 Gum Inc. Mickey Mouse Type II (second printing) sold for $152,500 in late January 2026, ranking #2 among the finest sets on the PSA Set Registry with an average grade of 8.271. The most sought-after cards in the set include #1 (the first card), #21 (Walt Disney drawing Mickey), and #92 (Mickey with Walt Disney), along with the high numbers #81 through 96. Among those, #81 (Mickey playing hockey), #82, #83, and #96 (the final card) draw the most attention. Each card shows a bright, cheerful scene featuring Mickey and other Disney characters, and the backs include jokes, trivia questions, and ads for a Mickey Mouse album. Complete sets like this one are hard to find today. Collectors believe Gum, Inc. made fewer of these than many baseball card companies did with their sets at the time. Every card in this set was graded by PSA, with most falling between Near Mint 7 and Mint 9.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

The Mask Off insert set is one of the most popular inserts from 2024 Marvel Topps Chrome. Each card is double-sided, featuring the character masked on the front and unmasked on the back. This Tony Stark card is the 1-of-1 Superfractor parallel which sold at Goldin Auctions in February 2026 for $136,640. 2024 Marvel Topps Chrome debuted exclusively through Topps’ UK e-commerce platform, with sales restricted to European territories. This makes the product significantly more limited than 2025 Marvel Topps Chrome, which was released in the US.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

Like the Green PMG version above, the 2013 Fleer Retro Marvel Precious Metal Gems Blue #5 Spider-Man card (serial numbered 21 of 50 and graded Mint BGS 9) represents another example of trading card Marvel-mania of 2022. The blue colorway’s natural match with Spider-Man’s costume makes the Blue PMG highly attractive to collectors, narrowing the desirability gap between it and the scarcer Green PMG out of 10. This record sale emphasizes the significant condition premium for top-grade Spider-Man PMGs.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

In December 2024, a 1982 Pro Wrestling Enterprises Wrestling All-Stars Hulk Hogan Series A card #2 graded PSA Mint 9 sold for $132,000, solidifying its place as one of the most iconic wrestling cards ever made. The card depicts Hogan just before his rise to global fame in the WWF (WWE). It captures an early image of the man who would go on to become the face of WrestleMania and one of the biggest stars in professional wrestling history. Visually, it delivers. The card features vibrant color and sharp corners that have held up remarkably well over four decades. Of the 506 copies graded by PSA, only 19 have reached Mint 9. None have graded higher. This copy also carries a Mike Baker Authentication (MBA) Gold Diamond label, recognizing its superior eye appeal. That makes it a strong candidate for the finest known example from wrestling’s first major card set and a lasting tribute to everything Hogan represented at his peak.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

A PSA 9 graded 1966 Topps Batman (Black Bat) #1 The Batman card sold for a record $131,250 at Heritage Auctions’ December 2025 Non-Sports Trading Cards Showcase Auction. The sale shattered the previous public record of $45,000, set by another PSA 9 copy in July 2024. This card came from the top-ranked complete 1966 Topps Batman set on the PSA Registry. A dedicated collector carefully assembled the set over nearly a decade. Of over 2,455 total graded copies, only 13 have achieved PSA 9 status. None have been graded higher, making this example exceptionally rare. Known as the Batman “first appearance” or “rookie,” it features striking artwork by Norman Saunders. The design captures the character’s massive popularity from the 1966 TV series. As the #1 card in the Black Bat series, it serves as a cornerstone of pop-culture collecting in the non-sports category. The sale is another example of the growing demand and surging values for high-grade vintage entertainment trading cards.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

The 2022 Panini Prizm WWE Black Prizm #191 featuring The Rock, numbered 1/1 and graded PSA 7, sold for $126,000 in April 2023. The card was consigned through PWCC Marketplace’s (now Fanatics Collect) April 2023 Premier Auction, an online, extended-bidding event catering to high-end collectibles. As the only Black Prizm 1-of-1 of The Rock from the popular 2022 Prizm WWE set, it is considered one of the premier modern WWE chase cards. Multiple outlets reported at the time that the sale set a new record for a wrestling trading card.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

In June 2025, this 1982 Wrestling All-Stars Hulk Hogan card graded PSA Mint 9 sold for $103,700. The card was originally part of a limited-time mail-order set offered for $5.00 through Wrestling News magazine, predating Hogan’s rise to WWF superstardom. It is widely regarded as a holy grail of wrestling cards. Wrestling All-Stars Series A is considered the first American wrestling card set ever produced. Its vibrant bordered design, extensive checklist, and limited production run have made it the benchmark for modern wrestling cards among serious collectors. The set’s exceptional appreciation in value is driven by its scarcity, condition sensitivity, and the early depiction of Hogan it contains. Of the 506 copies graded by PSA, only 19 have achieved a Mint 9, with none graded higher.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

The 1932 U.S. Caramel Presidents William McKinley card, graded SGC 3, sold for a record $101,508 at a 2024 Mile High Card Company auction. Fewer than ten examples are known to exist. This makes it rarer than the famous T206 Honus Wagner baseball card. U.S. Caramel deliberately short-printed the McKinley card to reduce redemption costs for free chocolate boxes. Singles of the 31-card set were inserted into candy packs. Collectors could swap a complete set for a one-pound chocolate reward, but McKinley’s scarcity made this nearly impossible. This particular copy of the McKinley is an even rarer uncanceled, unpunched survivor. Most other copies of this card were factory-punched and stamped. The identities of the buyer and seller were not made public. The sale marked the first U.S. president card to sell for over six figures. Its combination of political and hobby history along with pre-war scarcity continues to captivate collectors.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

The 2021 Topps Chrome Star Wars Galaxy “Jedi a la Kurosawa” Superfractor #88 1/1 card sold for $100,000 in August 2025, setting a record for any Star Wars trading card at the time. The one-of-one card features artwork by Randy Martinez depicting seven Jedi: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Aayla Secura, Shaak Ti, Mace Windu, and Kit Fisto. The artwork draws inspiration from Akira Kurosawa films. The cash transaction took place at the 2025 National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago between seller Dappz Sports and buyer Diamond Card Collector. The card had originally sold in 2021 for approximately $16,000. The sale demonstrates the growing demand for high-end non-sport cards. The card’s appeal stems from its one-of-one scarcity, striking multi-character Star Wars artwork, and crossover interest from sports collectors. It serves as a perfect example of art-driven demand, which is more common in non-sport card collecting than in sports cards.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

Collectors had to wait four years for the second run of Marvel PMGs. It finally showed up in 2017 with the Fleer Ultra Spider-Man set, and it was worth the wait. Like most Marvel insert and parallel sets, Spider-Man cards tend to pull the strongest demand. The 2017 Green parallels followed the same format as the 2013 set, numbered out of 10. That year also brought something new: Gold one-of-one PMGs, the first time Marvel had done that. The Gold version of this Spider-Man card sold privately, and the price was never made public. Green Marvel PMGs stayed in high demand for years afterward. By 2022, a BGS 9 Mint copy sold through Goldin Auctions for over $99,000.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

The 1932 U.S. Caramel Presidents William McKinley card sold for $96,000 at Robert Edwards Auctions’ Fall 2014 event. This card received an SGC grade of Excellent 60 (SGC 5). It represents the highest-graded specimen by both SGC and PSA. Like the SGC 3 copy mentioned earlier, this card is exceptionally rare. The set consists of 30 standard cards plus a scarce 31st McKinley card. U.S. Caramel deliberately short-printed the McKinley card to limit prize redemptions. Fewer than ten confirmed examples have survived to the present day. Similar to the SGC 3 example, what makes this card particularly desirable is its uncancelled status. Most redeemed copies bear punch holes, stamps, or other cancellation marks. Many non-sport hobbyists believe that if this card came up for sale today, it would break all records for a non-sport trading card.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

This Captain America card, numbered MO5, comes from the same Mask Off set as the Iron Man above. It uses the same double-sided concept, with Steve Rogers masked on one side and unmasked on the other. This particular card is also the 1-of-1 Superfractor, graded Gem MIT PSA 10. It sold at Goldin on June 17, 2026 for $91,500 after a bidding war that reached 29 bids. One thing worth remembering is that 2024 Marvel Topps Chrome never got a US release. Topps only sold it through their UK platform, so the entire product was limited to European buyers. That’s a big reason why it’s so much harder to find than the 2025 set, which Topps released fully in the US market.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

A 2025 Topps Chrome WWE Dual Autographs Superfractor sold for $82,825 through Goldin on July 11, 2026. The card is a true 1-of-1 and features on-card autographs from The Rock and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. It took 36 bids to reach that final price. This Superfractor comes encased by Topps. For wrestling collectors, this is about as good as it gets. Both The Rock and Stone Cold are among the biggest names the sport has ever produced, and having them paired on a single autographed card is rare territory.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

In November 2023, a 1977 Topps Star Wars #1 Luke Skywalker card graded PSA 10 sold for $78,000 at Heritage Auctions. At the time, it was a record price for the card in that grade, and a notable moment for non-sports cards in general. The sale showed just how much collector interest in vintage Star Wars memorabilia has grown, especially for cards in top condition. Out of more than 4,600 graded copies, only nine have reached PSA 10. That’s part of what makes this one so special. The blue borders on these cards wear easily, and since the cards came out in 1977, long before sleeves and top loaders were standard, finding one in flawless shape is genuinely rare. This particular copy also has an MBA (Mike Baker Authenticated) Gold Diamond Label, which calls out its strong condition and eye appeal. It might be the best copy known to exist.

CARD SIGNIFICANCE:

Like the Spider-Man card from the same insert set, the Captain America is considered a true grail of modern Marvel card collecting. This Mint BGS 9 example sold for $74,400 at Goldin Auctions in June 2022, one month after the Spider-Man sale. The green parallel is the most sought-after level in the set. It is limited to only 10 serial-numbered copies. Collectors appreciate the dynamic artwork, which highlights Captain America’s iconic shield. This sale is another key example of the surge in modern Marvel card prices that occurred between 2021 and 2022.