Biggest Sports Card Sales of the Week: Ohtani Leads a Quiet Market
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It was a packed week for the hobby, with Fanatics Fest and the Dallas Card Show taking center stage. Collectors who attended either show had the chance to see hobby icons, celebrities, and plenty of grail cards.
Fanatics Fest certainly didn't disappoint when it came to celebrities this year, with everyone from Tom Brady, Logan Paul, and even Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis in attendance. Between two major card shows and the World Cup Final, collectors had plenty competing for their attention, resulting in a quieter week for sports cards.
We recap the top five below. And don't miss the Top 5 TCG cards of the week as well.
5. 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 Card
Coming in at the No. 5 spot is a PSA 1.5 copy of the most iconic baseball card ever made, the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card #311. This card sold for $85,000 on July 19, 2026, and with this sale, it became the second-highest-selling copy at this grade, falling just short of an $89,125 sale back in April.
This Mantle card is one of the most iconic grail cards in the sports card world and was the highest-selling sports card last week when a PSA 8 copy sold for $1,555,500 on July 10, 2026.
4. 1984 Star Michael Jordan Rookie Card #101
This 1984 Star Michael Jordan rookie card #101 secured the fourth-highest sports card sale this week, when a PSA 6 copy sold for $102,023 on July 19, 2026. This Star card is often viewed as Jordan's true rookie, as it was his first licensed card from his 1984-85 rookie season. Beckett classifies this card as an XRC (extended rookie card) because it was sold in sealed team bags, rather than retail packs like the iconic 1986 Fleer Jordan rookie card (#57).
Demand for this card has accelerated rapidly. This July alone, two PSA 6 copies have already cleared $100,000. As recently as June 2024, no PSA 6 has topped $18,000!
3. 2003-04 Bowman Chrome Gold Refractor LeBron James Rookie Card
This BGS 9.5 2003-04 Bowman Chrome Gold Refractor LeBron James rookie card, serial-numbered to 50, took the No. 3 spot this week after selling for $108,000 on July 19, 2026. Despite the six-figure sale, this is still far below the COVID-19 pandemic peak. Back in late 2020 and early 2021, there were three BGS 9.5 sales north of $275,000, with the highest sale reaching $304,770 on April 2, 2021.
2. 2022 Panini Absolute Vertical Gold Tom Brady Kaboom!
This PSA 10 Tom Brady Gold Kaboom (10/10) sold on July 16, 2026, for $121,666. Two details make this copy especially interesting. The first is Brady sporting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers uniform instead of the Patriots colors. The other is the serial number 10/10. The first and last serial numbers, often referred to as bookends, typically fetch a premium, as does a jersey number match.
Despite the six-figure price, this sale doesn't even rank among Brady's top five for Gold Kaboom card sales. The highest-selling Brady Gold Kaboom was a PSA 9 2018 Vertical Gold Kaboom! featuring Brady as a Patriot that sold for $186,000 in April 2026.
1. 2018 Topps Chrome Update Red Refractor Shohei Ohtani Rookie Card
Shohei Ohtani was absent from last week's list, but this Red Refractor rookie puts him back on top. This PSA 10 Ohtani rookie card, serial-numbered to 25, sold for $219,600 on July 17, 2026. This card has surged in value in the last few months. The prior record for a copy of this card was a BGS 10 that sold for $27,600 in November 2025, which means this card has increased nearly tenfold in less than a year.
Even in a quieter week, collectors still had plenty of headline-worthy sales to follow. Before you go, take a look at last week's Top 5 sports card sales in case you missed it.
The hobby never stays quiet for long, so join us next week to find out whether million-dollar cards return to the spotlight or another unexpected collectible steals the show.
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Conor is a leading sports collectibles writer and market analyst with more than 100 published articles covering sports cards, Pokémon, auctions, investing trends, and hobby culture. A lifelong collector who entered the hobby in the early 1990s, Conor’s expertise centers on vintage and modern basketball cards, basketball icons, and iconic Boston sports memorabilia tied to legends like Larry Bird, Tom Brady, and David Ortiz.