In an unexpected yet delightful plot twist in the annals of hobby history, Pokémon cards have dramatically overshadowed the once-dominant sports cards in the grading arena of 2025. Like a dazzling evolution in the Pokémon universe itself, this shift represents a seismic change in collecting trends, with the little electric mouse, Pikachu, flashing his signature smile at the top rank.
GemRate’s recent report paints an almost fantastical scene, with Pokémon cards commanding the limelight by comprising 97 of the top 100 most-graded cards at PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator). In the unfolding saga of Trading Card Games (TCG) and non-sport cards, they account for a formidable 59% of all graded submissions during the year’s first half across all major authenticators. That’s not just an impressive victory for Team Pokémon; it’s a slam dunk on Team Sports.
The numbers tell a compelling story. From January to June, a staggering 7.2 million TCG and non-sports cards were indulged with the grading treatment, marking an astounding 70% leap from the previous year. Conversely, the sports card enthusiasm dwindled, clocking in at 5.1 million submissions—a sobering 9% dip. It’s as if the sports cards are sitting on the bench, cooling off with a towel.
The star player—or perhaps we should say, the star card—of this year is none other than the Japanese Iono’s Wattrel Battle Partners Promo No. 232. With over 45,600 copies graded, it’s like the MVP of Pokémon cards. But of course, Pikachu waves from the crown of historical dominance, with over 345,000 graded examples for 2025.
Taking a victory lap is the famed “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat,” a celebrated artifact from the Van Gogh Museum partnership. With nearly 84,000 graded submissions, it’s PSA’s top-submitted Pokémon card of all time. Despite its sheer populace, PSA 10 grades of this cheeky number have magnetized prices upward of $900. Nickel-margin or high-value treasure, Pikachu is indeed laughing all the way to the Pokébank.
In a tale of card market upheaval, sports cards fought to keep their relevance within the PSA top 100. Only three managed a seat in this exclusive club: the 2024 Panini Prizm Jayden Daniels rookie, the Caitlin Clark WNBA ROY card from 2024 Panini Instant, and an additional Jayden Daniels Donruss card. Their respective 8,800 to 10,500 submissions are but minor blips compared to the Pokémon swarm.
The breakdown of June’s card grading statistics further underscores this trend. During this particular month, TCG and non-sports submissions soared to compose 63% of the mix. PSA stood as the titan, dealing an impressive 911,000 cards in this category, a far cry from the combined 743,000 sports card submissions logged by all four major grading companies. Talk about being the Charizard among Charmanders!
Among the grading giants, CGC Cards has ridden high on this Pokémon surge, grading 2.18 million cards in 2025, effectively doubling its previous year’s efforts. Of these, a large majority—over 1.8 million—were Pokémon or TCG-related. This is no surprise given the current nostalgia-driven market frenzy.
Meanwhile, Beckett, another key player in the market, watched its ranks slip as well. Having graded 366,000 cards this year, it holds a distant fourth position. About 214,000 of these were TCG-related, offering a telling glimpse of the market dynamics at play.
PSA’s growth momentum can be linked to its strategic partnership with GameStop. The collab has proven immensely fruitful, attracting over a million submissions since its inception last October and thus further boosting Pokémon’s dominance in the grading game.
Meanwhile, this Pokémon craze isn’t just confined to grading reports. Retail shelves have become a battleground, with eager fans and collectors sweeping store aisles clean. The frenzy has led to all-too-common sellouts, long queue lines reminiscent of concert ticket sales, and stores enforcing customer limits per purchase to satiate the ever-growing desire for these beloved cards.
It seems the Pokémon phenomenon, much like the resilient Pikachu that leads it, shows no weariness in its conquest of the hobby world. With its vibrant appeal crossing generations and borders, the desire for these captivating cards appears unending. As we flip through these pages of the year’s collection tales, it’s clear the Pokémon mantra rings true: gotta catch ’em all—one card grade at a time.