In a world where once the flick of a baseball card meant fandom or fortune, 2025 sees a seismic shift in collectibles that could make even the most seasoned card shark do a double-take. According to a thrilling revelation by GemRate, Pokémon cards are having their heyday, casting a shadow so large over sports card submissions that it’s almost cartoonish. This year, these pocket monsters are more than just a nostalgia trip; they’re a veritable powerhouse, dominating the grading scene like a Charizard scorching through fields.

For the trading card enthusiasts keeping score at home, the numbers are astounding: a whopping 97 out of the top 100 most-graded cards at PSA belong to the Pokémon franchise. This doesn’t just represent a trend—it’s a tidal wave! Even those unfamiliar with the ins and outs of grading can appreciate the wild leap at hand here. Non-sports and trading card game (TCG) submissions accounted for a jaw-dropping 59% of all graded cards with the major authenticators in just the first half of the year.

From the icy temples of Frostlass to the buzzing electric havens of Pikachu’s realm, a total of 7.2 million TCG and non-sports cards got the grading nod between January and June. This is a staggering 70% increase from last year, a statistic that underscores Pokémon’s surge past its sports card counterparts, who only managed to submit 5.1 million—a figure reflecting a more humble 9% decrease.

The standout in this year’s collectible cosmos is none other than the Japanese Iono’s Wattrel Battle Partners Promo No. 232, with over 45,600 submitted copies. But even as newcomers vie for spotlight status, Pikachu remains the true kingpin, with over 345,000 graded examples in 2025 alone. The pièce de résistance? The “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat” from the Van Gogh Museum collaboration. It’s a masterpiece in its own right, with nearly 84,000 graded copies making it the most-submitted Pokémon card at PSA, ever. Despite its ample presence, snagging a PSA 10 might still fetch upwards of $900—a pittance for some, a treasure for others.

Sport enthusiasts, curb thy enthusiasm, for in PSA’s top 100 submissions, only three sports cards manage to rear their shiny heads. These include the 2024 Panini Prizm Jayden Daniels rookie card, the Caitlin Clark WNBA ROY card by Panini Instant, and Daniels’ Donruss card, each securing between 8,800 and 10,500 submissions. These numbers, groundbreaking in sports years past, are practically wallflowers in the current scene.

Delving into June, we see the continuing march of TCG dominance. A full 63% of the submissions were made up of TCG and non-sports cards, with PSA standing as the proud champion, grading a robust 911,000 cards in the category. This number decisively dwarfs the total 743,000 sports cards graded across all major companies—a stark indicator of the times.

Special mention must be made of CGC Cards, riding the Pokémon wave like a seasoned Lapras. The company has graded 2.18 million cards this year, a figure that almost rivals their entire 2024 output. Out of these, over 1.8 million are either Pokémon or TCG-related, affirming the scale of this collectible card revolution.

It appears that Beckett might need a potion or two to revitalize, as they’ve slipped to fourth place among major graders. So far in 2025, of their 366,000 graded offerings, about 214,000 boast Pokémon or similar TCG pedigrees.

PSA’s ongoing partnership with GameStop emerges as an unexpected yet potent catalyst, propelling this collectible frenzy. Since its inception last October, this collaboration has ushered in more than a million submissions, further fanning the flames of Pokémon’s ascendant popularity.

Beyond the bright lights of grading booths, the retail side spells mayhem in store aisles. Pokémon’s allure knows no bounds as sellouts soar, queues snake around corners, and stock is limited per eager customer. With shelves bare and demand peaking at historic highs, Pokémon’s talismanic influence on the hobby shows no sign of dwindling.

As we journey deeper into this realm of rainbow-rare holographics and cardboard legends, one thing is crystal-clear: Pokémon hasn’t just captured hearts and imaginations—it has seized the very fabric of card collecting and twisted it into a vibrant tapestry where anything is possible.

Pokemon Cards Dominate Grading