The year is 2025, a time when the colorful and whimsical world of Pokémon cards has taken the grading market by storm, leaving traditional sports cards to marvel at their dust-speckled view from the sidelines. With enthusiasts and collectors marching to the flute-like tune of Pikachu, data from GemRate presents a captivating narrative. Pokémon cards, embodying better storytelling than most soap operas, now account for a whopping 97 of the top 100 most-graded cards at PSA. This isn’t just a flash in the pan but rather a roar that echoes through the halls of collectibles as TCG (Trading Card Game) and non-sports cards command a colossal 59% of the grading submissions from the industry’s four major authenticators within the first six months of 2025.
From January to June, a staggering 7.2 million TCG and non-sports cards have found new homes in graded sleeves, representing a sensational 70% increase compared to the previous year. Sports cards, meanwhile, perhaps hampered by an uncomfortable polyester blend, stumbled with a modest 5.1 million submissions—a 9% decline. As if caught in a whirlwind of excitement, fans of the category are busy making their next dex acquisition rather than replaying highlights from their favorite game.
Grabbing the crown as the most graded card of the year is the Japanese Iono’s Wattrel Battle Partners Promo No. 232, hitching a ride in over 45,600 submissions. Pikachu, always the epitome of charm, stands as the franchise’s darling with over 345,000 copies graded as of 2025. The masterpiece, “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat”—a result of a fortuitous collaboration with the Van Gogh Museum—has alone inspired nearly 84,000 submissions, cementing its place in the annals of the Pokémon TCG lore. Despite being spotted more often than a Ditto in a crowded cave, pristine PSA 10 examples fetch upwards of $900 in the vibrant market.
Conversely, sports cards have slipped behind in the race, only seeing three cards brave enough to pop their cherry in PSA’s top 100 list: the 2024 Panini Prizm Jayden Daniels rookie, the 2024 Panini Instant Caitlin Clark WNBA ROY card, and another Jayden Daniels card from Donruss. Submissions for each card oscillate between 8,800 to a sprightly 10,500.
June’s numbers underscore Pokémon’s grand takeover. PSA alone graded a mind-boggling 911,000 TCG and non-sports cards, leaving the combined sports card total (743,000) across all four grading companies looking like a defeated Snorlax after an all-you-can-eat buffet. The grading company CGC Cards, embracing the Pokémon euphoria, has reported that it has graded 2.18 million cards this year—nearly a déjà vu of 2024’s entire output—over 1.8 million being TCG or non-sports.
Meanwhile, somewhere in its own Zen garden, Beckett stares at its dwindling volume, inching down to fourth place among the colossus graders. Of the 366,000 cards Beckett has invited into its nurturing arms in 2025, approximately 214,000 were associated with Pokémon or TCG.
The thriving hub of PSA finds one significant push from its ongoing partnership with GameStop (you remember them from the meme-stock days, right?). Ever since locking arms in October, this alliance has ushered in over a million grading submissions, adding fuel to a roaring bonfire that signals a grading renaissance.
On the high street, Pokémon’s allure is tangible, pulling at collectors’ heartstrings with the power of solar beam. Fans find themselves queuing up outside stores, facing sellouts and the stress of limited-per-customer restrictions. New releases vanish faster than illusions in a magician’s act, and demand is meteorically elevated, showing no signs of gravity pulling it back down.
Amidst this fervor, it’s certain that Pokémon’s cultural grip has not only enriched the hobby but also continues to captivate and spread nostalgia like a Charizard spreading its mighty, fiery wings wide across the sky. It’s a world where cards, both new and vintage, thrive, weaving tales of enchantment, excitement, and camaraderie that transcend mere cardboard. As fervent as a Mewtwo All Max Charge attack, the Pokémon phenomenon propels ever upwards, one graded card at a time.