Lionel Messi Tops Baseball Legends for Top 5 Sports Card Sales of the Week
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October is here, and with it comes the MLB postseason. This might be on the hearts and minds of those looking to add Hall of Fame baseball players to their trading card collections, as these cards are among the top 5 sports card sales of the week, with Jackie Robinson, Ty Cobb, and Babe Ruth all here. That is to say, all baseball players except for Lionel Messi, a man for all seasons, who leads the way in our #1 spot.
5. 1890-92 John H. Ryder Studio Cabinet Cy Young PSA 1.5
Sale Details: Sold for $427,000 on Oct. 10, 2026 through Goldin Auctions.
Coming in at number four on our list, again a tie, is a very unique "card" and is worth a place on our list for the historical relevance alone. Per Goldin's website, the card is truly a 1/1, and that status is "irrefutable." The card last sold through Goldin Auctions in, "June 2024 for $500,200..." This time around, it sold for $427,000. It's worth keeping an eye on whether it sells again in the coming months and years.
4. 1949 Bowman Jackie Robinson #50 PSA 9
Sale Details: Sold for $518,500 on October 10, 2026 through Goldin Auction.
This Jackie Robinson comes in at No. 4 on our list: it is a 1949 Bowman card in a PSA slab and graded a 9. According to Card Ladder, this PSA 9 is a pop 13 card, with zero PSA 10 versions. According to Card Ladder, there is an SGC 10 out there somewhere as the only gem ever graded.
3. 1932 US Caramel Auto Babe Ruth #32 PSA Authentic/ Auto 9
Sale Details: Sold for $976,000 on Oct. 10, 2026 through Goldin auction.
The number three card on our list is a signed Babe Ruth card. According to Goldin's website, this is not only the one and only known signed US Caramel Babe Ruth card, but it happens to be the only known signed US Caramel card by any player. The card was won at auction and fetched very close to a million dollars, with a sale of $976,000. A truly wonderful and historic one-of-one artifact from George "Babe" Ruth.
2. 2012-13 Panini Prizm Stephen Curry Gold /10 BGS 9
Sale Details: Sold for $1,017,202.20 in a private sale
A rare private deal confirmed by Card Ladder makes our list at No. 2, putting this 2012-13 Panini Prizm Stephen Curry Gold /10 in a BGS 9, which sold for just over $1 million. The last sale was a PSA 9 in 2023 that sold for $114,00 so this is a massive jump for a BGS 9. 2012-13 Prizm has a special place in collectors' hearts as the first year of Prizm. It was confirmed by Card Ladder with the following note: "Verified by the seller (IG: @point4seconds) and the buyer (IG: @mikesbballcards) with proof of completed wire transfer and supporting DMs."
1. 2026 Panini Prizm Choice Prizms Nebula /1 Lionel Messi BGS 9
Sale Details: Sold for $1,250,000 on Oct. 9 through private sale per Card Ladder info.
This astonishingly colorful 1-of-1 card featuring the player who is widely considered the GOAT is at the top of this week's list. Lionel Messi, the man, the myth, the legend, has earned this prestigious designation with a sale of his Panini Prizm card that sold for one and a quarter million dollars on Oct. 9.
That is where we will end for this week and we hope to see you again next time.
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D. Allen Thompson is a contributing collectibles writer with eclectic tastes. He provides enthusiastic commentary on the ever-evolving world of trading cards against the backdrop of the broader historical, economic, and societal contexts in which they exist. He is on a journey to find fascinating stories and meet interesting people while using trading cards as the guideposts to lead the way to the American Dream.