The month of February witnessed a whirlwind of activity in the trading card grading world, with over 1.6 million cards authenticated across four principal grading entities. This figure, while slightly lower than January’s numbers, marks a significant 25% increase compared to the same period last year, showcasing the booming interest in card grading.
Sports cards took the lead in this surge, accounting for 55.5% of the authenticated cards, with Trading Card Games (TCG) such as Pokemon and Magic The Gathering making up the remaining portion. Amongst the grading giants, PSA stood out with a whopping 1.24 million cards processed, with baseball cards emerging as the top contenders at over 293,000 cards graded.
The spotlight, however, fell on two standout athletes – Shohei Ohtani and CJ Stroud – whose cards dominated the grading charts. Ohtani’s move to the Dodgers and Stroud’s impressive NFL season catapulted their cards into the limelight, with PSA handling 26,800 cards for Ohtani and 16,400 for Stroud within the month.
The grading fervor extended beyond PSA, as other grading companies like SGC reported a surge in modern cards from the 2023 sports season, with a particular focus on football and baseball. The graded player roster at SGC featured a blend of legends and rising stars, with the likes of Michael Jordan, Ohtani, and Stroud garnering significant attention. Meanwhile, ISA Grading and Beckett Grading also experienced a surge in submissions, with Beckett notably grading the 2023 Topps NOW Connor Bedard rookie sticker as its most submitted issue.
This spike in card grading activity underscores the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of the sports memorabilia market. The growing interest in new talents like Ohtani and Stroud among collectors and investors signals a promising future for the hobby. Both modern and vintage sports cards continue to captivate enthusiasts, paving the way for an exciting journey ahead in the world of card collecting.
