The Top 7 Coolest and Unique Cards at The National, Day 2
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Day 2 of the National Sports Card Convention, otherwise known as The National, was once again filled with an absurd selection of some of the most sought-after cards in the collectible space. Here are seven of the most interesting cards I stumbled upon while walking the over 600,000 square feet of the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.
2018 Topps Transcendent Shohei Ohtani Emerald /15 Autograph BGS 9.5/Auto 10
Everyone's aware the Shohei Ohtani market has gone nuclear over the past 24 months, so it's no surprise the premier card show in the country effectively is a featured campaign for the presumptive NL MVP favorite. This 2018 Transcendent 9.5/10 auto Ohtani has only been sold once since 2022, according to Cardladder, for a paltry $4,350. Safe to assume that number is safely behind in the stratosphere.
2024 Panini Prizm Drake Maye RC Gold Wave /10
It's hard to surpass what Drake Maye accomplished in his second year in New England, but his card market hardly reflects a projected downturn. This rookie Gold Wave /10 sold as a PSA 9 for $6,600 back in May, but has seen a higher market as a PSA 10 back in early January for $14,500. As I was taking a picture, a Maye super-fan appeared to be closing in on the deal, so we'll see if another one of his premier cards hits the graded market in the near future.
2025 Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Charizard ex SIR BGS Black Label
Arguably the crown jewel of modern Pokémon, the Charizard from Phantasmal Flames is one of the most sought-after black labels in recent memory, transacting 16 times according to Cardladder since April despite a pop of just 36. While this price tag might be a bit higher than past comps, the rarity alone is something to marvel at.
2024 Topps Dynasty Junior Caminero 1/1 Rookie Patch Auto
Junior Caminero is within spitting distance of MVP frontrunner odds as the talented Ray is in a duel with Yordan Alvarez for top honors. The patch alone makes this a worthwhile addition to the Day 2 compilation, but this also marked the rarest Caminero card I saw walking the floor.
2018 Panini Encased Dual Swatch Signatures /2
Speaking of ridiculous patches, this 2018 Encased Lamar Jackson rookie might take the cake. Numbered to /2, this card represents one of the top cards for any collector of the two-time MVP. The Ravens are surprisingly in a deadlock with the Seahawks and Bills for third-best Super Bowl odds, meaning if Baltimore reaches the heights Vegas expects, Jackson could be in for another market correction.
2025 Panini Prizm Jaxson Dart Gold Vinyl PSA 10
With the 2026 rookie class projected to be lackluster in terms of major chases, the 2025 class headlined by Jackson Dart is likely to see a bit more interest. Enter Dart's rookie Prizm Gold Vinyl, graded PSA 10. It's a bit hard to cross-compare brands, but the electric rookie's Topps Chrome Image Variation 1/1 sold for just over $59,000 on June 6 as a PSA 9. Could this card be higher?
2021 Pokemon Celebrations Ultra-Premium Collection Charizard PSA 10
Mitsuhiro Arita is one of the most renowned artists in Pokémon, dating back to 1996, and is the illustrator for the iconic original Charizard card. The 2021 Pokémon Celebrations UPC came with two separate gold-plated variations of the aforementioned Charizard as well as an original Pikachu artwork from 1996, each a sought-after item in their own right. Those cards became liability issues when grading with PSA, as they often chipped, forcing the company to pause grading of them for a duration of time. While they've since been reallowed into the grading rotation, there's only a pop of 682, and few, if any, inscribed by the artist himself.
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Joe is an almost psychotic Wisconsin sports fan and long-time card collector. He has been producing videos, podcasts and articles across major sports and fantasy publications since 2015, and is likely the only person you know who has an Isaiah Simmons card collection.