Drake Maye part of new eBay card sales leaders

Sales data from GemRate has revealed a brand-new Big Three in the sports card hobby. Shohei Ohtani, Victor Wembanyama, and Drake Maye have separated themselves from the rest of the market with massive October increases in eBay sales volume. Each player is the hottest name in their respective sport, and it is not even close. Ohtani, Wembanyama, and Maye are all performing well enough to attract serious attention from both hardcore and casual collectors alike.

1. Shohei Ohtani

Ohtani 2018 Bowman — 2018 Bowman Chrome Shohei Ohtani PSA 10 (Ohtani's #1 Card in Market Cap) | Card Ladder

October Sales on eBay: $10,962,333

Next Closest October Sales in Baseball: Yoshinobu Yamamoto - $918,000

Ohtani, fresh off his 4th MVP in five seasons, has become the sports card hobby’s undisputed king. His cards don’t just outsell the rest of baseball. They outsell everyone in basketball and football as well. Ohtani is a global icon and arguably the most popular person in Japan. Just when you think his cards can't go any higher in price, they seem to shoot up another 20%.

His $10.96 million in October eBay sales beat nearly every other baseball, basketball and football star combined. According to Card Ladder, Ohtani's total market cap ranks 6th all time. (The total market cap is the combined value of all publicly tracked cards for a given player). Ohtani's market cap ranks behind Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron. He is already ahead of hobby legends like Ken Griffey Jr., Roberto Clemente and Nolan Ryan. That’s elite company for a player still in his prime.

2. Victor Wembanyama

Wemby Silver — 2023 Prizm Silver Victor Wembanyama #136 PSA 10 (Wemby's #1 Card in Market Cap) | Card Ladder

October Sales on eBay: $4,622,620

Next Closest October Sales in Basketball: Lebron James - $3,583,200

Victor Wembanyama has taken a leap into MVP contention in his third season. When Wemby missed a large chunk of last season with a blood clot in his shoulder, his card prices dipped. They have come roaring back in October as Wembanyama has played like a top 5 player in the league.

Wemby's total market cap ranks 12th among all basketball players. That is remarkable for a player that is just entering his third season. His total market cap is already higher than legends like Shaquille O'neal, Bill Russell, and George Mikan. Wemby is the only young player in the NBA with a realistic chance at becoming the GOAT (Greatest of All Time), so his hype is warranted.

3. Drake Maye

Drake Maye Prizm Silver PSA 10 | Card Ladder

October Sales on eBay: $3,057,596

Next Closest October Sales in Football: Patrick Mahomes - $2,030,160

Maye has been the biggest breakout star in the sports card market in 2025. His 2024 Prizm Base PSA 10 recently sold for $175 dollars, a 400% increase from late August when the same card was selling for around $35 dollars. His higher card prices are justified when you look into his play on the field.

Among quarterbacks, Maye ranks 5th in passing yards, 1st in Completion Percentage Over Expected (CPOE), 2nd in completion percentage, 3rd in PFF “clean-pocket” passing grade, and 2nd in total EPA (EPA is measures how much a player contributes to his team’s expected points on each play).

At just 23, Maye has already turned the Patriots into a contender. Combine that with his draft pedigree and rising national profile, and it’s clear his card market is still only getting started.

Biggest eBay October Loser: JJ McCarthy

McCarthy’s card market cooled off hard in October, dropping $1.13 million in total eBay sales (a 70% decline from September.) Collector enthusiasm has faded hard as the Vikings’ offense has struggled. Expectations were high for McCarthy after seeing how well Sam Darnold performed in Minnesota’s QB-friendly system. Instead, he’s been the first QB to totally falter in the offense and his card values have collapsed.

It’s a reminder of how quickly momentum can shift for young quarterbacks in the hobby.