Commanders' Owner Buys Half Million Dollar Jayden Daniels Card At Fanatics Fest
In this story:
'Trade Night' at Fanatics Fest NYC is always a highlight, but this year, it turned into something unforgettable. Thousands of collectors packed the floor expecting deals, trades, and a little friendly flexing—but no one expected Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels to walk on stage with Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin and team owner Josh Harris.
The trio had a challenge for the crowd: Who’s got the best, rarest Jayden Daniels card in the building?
Phones shot up. Cases cracked open. And in minutes, the scene turned into a full-on cardboard showdown.
RELATED: Touring the $200 Million Museum of Greatness at Fanatics Fest
The result? A jaw-dropping $500,000 sale of a Jayden Daniels 2024 Panini Prizm Black Finite rookie card, graded BGS 9.5—one of the biggest public deals ever for the breakout QB. To sweeten the moment, the buyer, Josh Harris himself, also snagged a signed Daniels jersey.
And he’s not hiding it away.
Harris plans to proudly display the card at Northwest Stadium this season, giving Commanders fans a bold new way to connect with the hobby—and the player they hope will define a new era in D.C.
RELATED: 1954 Topps Hank Aaron PSA 10 Rookie Card: A Grail Among Grails
The moment echoed another recent headline-grabber in the hobby world: Dick’s Sporting Goods’ $1.11 million purchase of Paul Skenes’ 1/1 Topps MLB Debut Patch card, which includes the actual patch from his first big-league game. That card will be showcased at their House of Sport store in Pittsburgh, highlighting the growing trend of making iconic collectibles part of public fan experiences. Oh, and the card made a guest appearance at Fanatics Fest NYC and got a visit from Skenes' girlfriend (and former LSU gymnastics standout) Livvy Dunne.
Livvy pulled up to see the Skenes debut patch 🔥
— Topps (@Topps) June 20, 2025
(🎥 @WeTheHobby) pic.twitter.com/juAWGpg9kj
RELATED: Paul Skenes 1/1 Debut Patch Card Unveiled At Dick's House of Sports
The Jayden Daniels moment was just one highlight from Fanatics Fest NYC, which drew over 150,000 fans to the Javits Center and featured appearances by sports legends like LeBron James, Tom Brady, Derek Jeter, and Peyton Manning, plus entertainment icons like Jay-Z, Kevin Hart, and Travis Scott. From Wembanyama and Hart doing a cold plunge challenge, to live ESPN broadcasts, exclusive merch drops, and over $200 million in memorabilia on display, the event cemented itself as a can't-miss celebration of sports, pop culture, and collecting.
Lucas Mast is a writer based in California’s Bay Area, where he’s a season ticket holder for St. Mary’s basketball and a die-hard Stanford athletics fan. A lifelong collector of sneakers, sports cards, and pop culture, he also advises companies shaping the future of the hobby and sports. He’s driven by a curiosity about why people collect—and what those items reveal about the moments and memories that matter most.
Follow sneakrz